The artists nominated for the 2026 BRITs Critics' Choice award have been revealed.
Jacob Alon, Rose Gray and Sienna Spiro have made the final shortlist for the prize, which spotlights rising British acts tipped for commercial success. The winner will be announced in January.
Previous winners include Adele, Sam Smith, Florence + The Machine, The Last Dinner Party, and Myles Smith, who won this year.
The award, previously named the BRITs Rising Star between 2020 and 2025, returns to its original Critics' Choice title for 2026. Eligible artists must not have had a top 20 album or more than one top 20 single on the Official UK charts as of October 31, 2025. Stacey Tang, chair of the 2026 BRIT Awards committee and co-president of RCA Records at Sony Music UK, said:
"How exciting to spotlight a new wave of UK musicians shaping popular culture. Awards and recognition for emerging artists is now more important than ever, and Critics’ Choice has long championed brilliantly talented new artists.
"This cohort shares the same early spark displayed by previous winners like Adele, Florence + The Machine, Sam Fender, Myles Smith and Emeli Sande. This year’s finalists are a great reminder that commercial momentum grows from creative ambition and artistic bravery."
The BRIT Awards ceremony will relocate to Manchester's Co-Op Live arena on February 28, marking the first time the event will be held outside of London in its 48-year history. It will also be broadcast exclusively on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player, with more details about the event to be revealed in due course.
This year's BRIT Awards were dominated by Charli XCX, who won five, including Best Artist, Best Album, and Song of the Year. Check out a full list of winners here.
The Brit Awards Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Sat February 28 2026 - MANCHESTER Co Op Live
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