Brit Awards 2022: Ballads over bangers as Adele wins big

Adele won three out the four main prizes at Brit Awards on Tuesday, where she also put in an assured performance of her track I Drink Wine.

The singer won best artist, album and song of the year for Easy on Me.

Ed Sheeran was also crowned songwriter of the year at London's O2 Arena, and he performed his hit Bad Habits alongside rockers Bring Me the Horizon.

Dua Lipa won the night's other big prize, as TikTok users voted for her and not Adele as the best pop/R&B act.

It means that for now at least, Robbie Williams is still ahead of Adele as the most awarded artist in Brits history with 13.

After winning the first of her three awards, for best song, Adele beamed: "I can't believe a piano ballad won up against that many bangers".

Her so-called "divorce album", 30, was the biggest-seller of 2021, shifting more than 600,000 copies in just six weeks, and the star dedicated her award for it to her son and ex-husband.

The winner of the Brits' first-ever genderless award for artist of the year added: "I really love being a woman and being a female artist."

Female solo winners outnumbered male winners by three to one - with nine women taking home prizes, compared with three men.

The ceremony was hosted for the first time by comedian Mo Gilligan, who took over (at the "Mo-2 Arena" as he re-named it) from Jack Whitehall.

The comedian took a swipe at Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the well-documented party-gate controversy. "Boris, I know you're watching," the host said into the camera. "I know you love a party.

"Come on my guy, come down man - I know you like a cheeseboard. Look at you looking for the Dairylea."

One of the best performances of the night came right at the end from best hip-hop/grime/rap winner, Dave, demonstrating his musical prowess once again by strapping on a six-string and shredding out a guitar solo, after having been joined on-stage by fellow rappers including Aitch.

Another came courtesy of best new artist winner, Little Simz, who was joined by The Crown actress Emma Corrin on-stage, during a medley of tracks from her critically-acclaimed album, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert.

"Look what you've done mum," said Simz, collecting her award while accompanied by her mother.

"I am living proof that if you work hard at something, no matter where you come from, no matter your background and your race, you can do something extraordinary."

Elsewhere on the night, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood was on hand to give the best rock/alternative award to Sam Fender.

The South Shields rocker thanked his manager for "walking into that pub 10 years ago" and discovering him.

Abba were last nominated for a Brit Award in 1977, losing out to Simon & Garfunkel and a similar fate befell them on Tuesday, as Silk Sonic - aka Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak [sic] - took the best international group.

Billie Eilish fended off competition from Olivia Rodrigo to win best international artist. But 18-year-old Rodrigo, who made her live debut at last year's awards, made up for it by winning best international song for her pop-punk anthem Good 4U.

Other winners on the night included Wolf Alice for best group, and Becky Hill for best dance.

Holly Humberstone knew before she arrived she had won the rising star award. She told the BBC that her rapid ascent, which has happened during the pandemic, has been "very strange to me" so far. "I feel like I'm in some kind of alternate universe, but I feel just so lucky," she said.

Last year's Brit Awards took place as part of the government's pilot scheme for the return of live events. Covid restrictions necessitated a mixture of live and virtual performances, with artists like Coldplay, The Weeknd and Elton John appearing on tape.

They also took the decision to scrap gendered awards, falling in line with other major music prizes like the Grammys, MTV Awards and Australia's Aria.

The move attracted some criticism from figures including Piers Morgan and Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries - who said she was concerned about how the new system "would work in terms of fair gender representation".

In the end, more women were nominated than at any time in the past decade.

Brits chairman Tom March said the move away from best male and female prizes "felt right".

Speaking on the red carpet beforehand, another singer Self Esteem told BBC music correspondent Mark Savage: "It's crazy to me it already wasn't the case. You know?

"We're still living in this terribly gendered society even though everything is like, 'live, laugh, love' and everyone's fine."

She added: "I constantly feel second or discriminated against because of being a woman and isn't that insane? The zeitgeist makes you think it isn't like that anymore.

"So well done Brits for doing it, but I'm not gonna be like, clapping!"