Brit Awards 2015: Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, FKA Twigs Lead Nominations
Sam Smith earned six Grammy nominations for his acclaimed debut, In the Lonely Hour, in December, and now the soul-pop powerhouse has even more reason to consider purchasing shelving: five nominations – the most of any nominee – for the 2015 Brit Awards. Smith is up for British Male Solo Artist, British Breakthrough Act, British Single (for the U.K. chart-topping ballad “Stay With Me”), Mastercard British Album of the Year (for In the Lonely Hour) and British Artist Video of the Year (for the haunting “Stay With Me” clip).
Ed Sheeran trails Smith with four nominations, and the two singers will compete in each category. Sheeran will contend for British Male Solo Artist, British Single (“Thinking Out Loud”), British Album of the Year (X) and British Artist Video of the Year (“Thinking Out Loud”). Garage-rockers Royal Blood earned three nods – British Group, British Breakthrough Act, British Album of the Year (Royal Blood) – and electro-R&B singer-producer FKA twigs nabbed nominations for British Breakthrough Act and British Female Solo Artist.
The latter artist closed the show at last night’s Brit Award nominations ceremony, performing two seductive tracks, “Hide” and “Pendulum,” as she mesmerized the audience with her avant-garde pop-and-lock dance moves.
The nominees list for the British Group category is especially eclectic, featuring Royal Blood, veteran alt-rockers Coldplay, electro-classical quartet Clean Bandit, art-rock outfit Alt-J and pop heartthrobs One Direction.
In related Smith news, the singer’s heavily decorated “Stay With Me” earned a spot on Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Songs of 2014 list, and In the Lonely Hour made the publication’s round-up of the year’s 20 Best Pop Albums.
The 2015 BRIT Awards will take place Wednesday, February 25th and broadcast live from London’s O2 Arena on ITV.
2015 Brit Awards Nominations
BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST
Damon Albarn
Ed Sheeran
George Ezra
Paolo Nutini
Sam Smith
BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
Ella Henderson
FKA twigs
Jessie Ware
Lily Allen
Paloma Faith
BRITISH GROUP
Alt-J
Clean Bandit
Coldplay
One Direction
Royal Blood
BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT
Chvrches
FKA Twigs
George Ezra
Royal Blood
Sam Smith
CRITICS’ CHOICE
James Bay – WINNER!
George The Poet
Years & Years
BRITISH SINGLE
Calvin Harris – Summer
Clean Bandit FT Jess Glynne – Rather Be
Duke Dumont F Jax Jones – I Got U
Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud
Ella Henderson – Ghost
George Ezra – Budapest
Mark Ronson FT Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk
Route 94 FT Jess Glynne – My Love
Sam Smith – Stay With Me
Sigma – Nobody To Love
MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Alt-J – This Is All Yours
Ed Sheeran – X
George Ezra – Wanted On Voyage
Royal Blood – Royal Blood
Sam Smith – In The Lonely Hour
BRITISH PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Alison Goldfrapp & Will Gregory
Flood
Jake Gosling
Paul Epworth
BRITISH ARTIST VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Calvin Harris – Summer
Charli XCX – Boom Clap
Duke Dumont FT Jax Jones – I Got U
Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud
Mark Ronson FT Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk
One Direction – You & I
Rita Ora – I Will Never Let You Down
Route 94 FT Jess Glynne – My Love
Sam Smith – Stay With Me
Sigma – Nobody To Love
INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST
Beck
Hozier
Jack White
John Legend
Pharrell Williams
INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
Beyonce
Lana Del Rey
Sia
St Vincent
Taylor Swift
INTERNATIONAL GROUP
5 Seconds of Summer
Black Keys
First Aid Kit
Foo Fighters
The War On Drugs