Olivia Dean dominates Brit Awards 2026: the real winners and losers from a night of audacious performances
olivia dean swept the Brit Awards, winning every category in which she was nominated — artist of the year, song of the year, best pop artist and best album for The Art Of Loving — in a ceremony that blended dazzling performances, wardrobe excesses and moments of televised edginess. Her multiple wins, visible emotion on the podium and lively stage work were the most talked-about outcomes from an event that honoured the biggest and best stars in pop from the UK and beyond.
Olivia Dean: four wins and repeated podium moments
Olivia Dean collected artist of the year, song of the year, best pop artist and best album for The Art Of Loving, and made three trips to the podium over the course of the night. The singer appeared overwhelmed during her acceptance moments, thanked her team and closed one speech abruptly with a short farewell: "Thank you, bye!" Her album was described in the context as a future classic, and she also delivered a live performance of Man I Need that leaned fully into the song's syncopation and joyful energy.
Stage spectacle: Harry Styles and the disco-ball opener
Harry Styles opened the ceremony with Aperture, performing in what was described as a school-uniform look that was in fact a Chanel pin-striped suit with a very high waistband that commentators said could have crushed his lungs. He recreated the single's video choreography on stage and shared the spotlight with a band, backing singers and dancers in snail T-shirts and sunglasses. Aperture was cited as a UK No 1 in its release week and as a stylistic outlier that is already dropping down the charts. The moment included theatrical staging described as "descending from a ceiling on a disco ball, " and the host called the performance "the musical equivalent of sitting on the washing machine. "
Rosalía's Berghain set and Björk's alien cameo
Rosalía delivered one of the night's most audacious sets with Berghain, a dramatic number built on thunderous strings and Wagnerian vocal heft. The arrangement shifted tempo three times, incorporated a guest verse from Björk and culminated in an almighty club breakdown. Björk appeared in a striking costume described as the entrails of a blue alien. Rosalía later won best international artist and spoke of the honour of taking her music far from home and sharing it with peers who make music in Spanish.
Notable performances and surprise appearances
The ceremony featured a string of high-profile and stylistically varied turns. A tribute-style set recognised an outstanding contribution to music award presented to Ronson; his stage moment included scratching vinyl and a roll through Ooh Wee with Ghostface Killah before moving into Amy Winehouse material. Raye performed Nightingale Lane, a song rooted in a London street memory, and her delivery built to a climactic, wordless expulsion of pain. A surprise guest, Dua Lipa, performed Dance the Night and Electricity after other expected international names did not appear; Bruno Mars was noted as not having made the effort to perform Uptown Funk. Wolf Alice was listed among the ultra-expressive performers who contributed to the show's edgy tone.
