Raye has smashed the record for the most Brit awards won in any one year – taking home six prizes including best song, best artist and best album.
The star was visibly emotional as she collected the statuette for best album for her debut, My 21st Century Blues, saying: “You just don’t understand what this means to me.”
She was joined by her grandma, Agatha, on stage, and apologised as she broke down in tears, joking: “I’m ugly crying on national television.”
The star told the crowd that her middle name is also Agatha, and added: “My grandma is awake ’til 3am praying for me and my beautiful sisters.”
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Raye calls success ‘a miracle’
Raye, 26, also won the awards for best R&B act, best new artist, and songwriter of the year – a gong that was announced ahead of the ceremony – and performed a medley of her songs including Ice Cream Man and Escapism during the show.
Before her trophy sweep, the record for most Brits won in a night was four, held jointly by Harry Styles, Adele and Blur – but that has now been smashed.
It marks an incredible journey for the London-born singer, who called out her former label in 2021 and went on to release her debut album on her own terms as an independent star.
She topped the charts at the start of 2023 and was also shortlisted for the prestigious Mercury Prize last year – now she is a Brits record-breaker. Speaking to Sky News on the red carpet ahead of the show, she described everything that has happened to her in the last few years as “a miracle”.
Raye only lost out on one prize – best pop act, which went to Dua Lipa.
Kylie Minogue – truly a global icon
Ladies and gentleman, your Brits global icon: Kylie Minogue. Pic: PA
The show was closed by Kylie Minogue, who performed a medley of her hits with an array of costume changes – starting with 2023 smash Padam Padam and including Can’t Get You Out Of My Head, Love At First Sight and All The Lovers – after being named this year’s global icon.
Her award was announced with a look back at her five-decade spanning career, taking in her journey from I Should Be So Lucky to Padam Padam, via Can’t Get You Out Of My Heard and an array of her other hits.
Accepting her prize, the Australian star paid tribute to Raye’s achievement, saying: “I’m just going to be sobbing with Raye – Raye you did that.”
Minogue told the audience that there is still “a part of me that’s the 14-year-old girl in the room dreaming of making music”.
Talking to music students in the room, she said: “I just feel your promise and I’m so excited for you.”
“I love you, and I will always love you, you have my heart,” the icon added.
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Dua Lipa opened the show – and was also named best pop act. Pic: James Manning/PA
Elsewhere, Jungle were named group of the year, while in the other genre categories, which are voted for by the public, Bring Me The Horizon took home the best alternative/rock act award, Casisdead won best hip-hop/grime/rap act, and Calvin Harris was this year’s dance act winner.
In the international categories, Miley Cyrus’s Flowers was named best song, boygenius were named best group, and SZA was named best artist.
The full list of awards won by Raye (and some by other stars)
Album of the year – Raye, My 21st Century Blues
Artist of the year – Raye
Song of the year – Raye ft 070 Shake, Escapism
Best new artist – Raye
R&B act – Raye
Songwriter of the year – Raye
Group of the year – Jungle
International artist of the year – SZA
International group of the year – boygenius
International song of the year – Miley Cyrus, Flowers
Alternative/ rock act – Bring Me The Horizon
Hip-hop/ grime/ rap act – Casisdead
Dance act – Calvin Harris
Pop act – Dua Lipa
Producer of the year – Chase & Status
Brits global icon – Kylie Minogue
Brits rising star – The Last Dinner Party