Olivia Dean — olivia dean dominates Brit Awards 2026 night
olivia dean was the clear winner of the night at the Brit Awards, taking every prize she was nominated for and making repeated trips to the stage. The ceremony was marked by out-of-control wardrobes, odd behaviour and dazzling performances that kept headlines beyond the trophies themselves.
Olivia Dean’s sweep: four wins, three podium trips and two acceptance lines
Olivia Dean won every category in which she was nominated: artist of the year, song of the year, best pop artist and best album. Coverage described her as a four-time winner for material from the album referenced both as The Art Of Loving and as The Art of Loving. The singer seemed overwhelmed as she made her third trip of the night to the podium and told the room, "It takes a lot of good people to make a good artist... I don't know what else to say. Thank you, bye!"
At another point in her acceptance remarks she said her winning album "is just about love, and loving each other in a world that feels loveless right now. " She also performed "Man I Need, " and observers noted she embodied that spirit on stage.
Rosalía’s Berghain set and a Björk cameo stunned the room
Rosalía, described as probably the least familiar performer on the line-up, stole attention with a dramatic performance of her recent single "Berghain. " The piece was full of thunderous strings and Wagnerian vocals, started like an opera, changed tempo three times, introduced a guest verse from Björk and ended with an almighty club breakdown. The performance included Björk dressed in the entrails of a blue alien and left the room spellbound.
Rosalía went on to win best international artist and told the audience, "It's such an honour to bring my music far from home and I would love to share this with all my peers who also make music in Spanish. " Country-pop singer CMAT, who had been up for the same prize, reacted by collapsing in mock tears for the cameras.
Coverage used the phrase "An immaculate performance. A musical masterpiece. A slap and a tickle. A cross between a prayer and a rave. " It is unclear in the provided context which performer that description was directly applied to.
Harry Styles opened in a Chanel pin-striped suit and a high-waisted choreography
Harry Styles opened the show with "Aperture, " performing in what was described as a school uniform look but noted as actually a Chanel pin-striped suit. The waistband was said to be high enough to crush his lungs, but that did not stop him from recreating the video's fluid, technically challenging choreography on stage.
The song was a UK No 1 in release week and was noted as fairly swiftly dropping down the charts; the performance seemed to launch what was called his Kiss All The Time, Disco Occasionally era, which promises a clubbier sound than his previous work. He performed with a considerable band and backing singers, jived with dancers in snail T-shirts and sunglasses, and delivered vocal lines that some listeners found reminiscent of Erlend Oye and David Bowie.
Host Jack Whitehall called the show opener "The musical equivalent of sitting on the washing machine, " and added, "It's called 'descending from a ceiling on a disco ball', and everyone should do it at least once in their life. "
Ronson, Raye, Dua Lipa, and an edgy, protest-filled ceremony
Broadcasters' censors were said to have had their work cut out in a protest-filled, relatively edgy ceremony that hosted ultra-expressive performances from Rosalía, Wolf Alice and others. Mark Ronson received the outstanding contribution to music award; his accompanying set saw him scratching vinyl as Ghostface Killah delivered an avuncular roll through "Ooh Wee, " before moving into Amy Winehouse material.
Raye performed "Nightingale Lane, " a song about the London street where she watched her first love walk away from their relationship, and the performance culminated in a stunning, wordless expulsion of pain. A surprise guest, Dua Lipa, appeared to perform "Dance the Night" and "Electricity. " Coverage also noted that Bruno Mars did not make the effort to perform "Uptown Funk" at the ceremony.
Acceptance moments, side characters and what was left unclear
The evening included visual and behavioural moments beyond the trophies: Olivia Dean and Lola Young accepted their Brit Awards on camera, though it is unclear in the provided context which award Lola Young received. The mix of wardrobe excess, staged theatrics and candid camera-ready reactions—such as CMAT's mock tears—meant the awards themselves were only part of the night's story.
Some performances from the ceremony were made available to watch online; the most audacious segments and surprise appearances dominated conversation after the event.
