Adele at the Brit Awards, 2012, presumably just after she put two fingers up to the man. Go Adele! Maybe. http://idolator.com/6193301/2012-brit-awards-full-winners-list
The Brit Awards 2012 took place this week without much of a riffle or a ruffle. In fact just about the only thing that happened is that singer Adele, who has come back victorious from the Grammys in America with six awards, was cut off by an admittedly polite James Corden. The event was going on too long; comedian Corden asked her to finish; she finished. That was it, really. Although some people in the audience weren’t very happy about it, apparently, and booed.
The reason for her being cut off was that veteran British popsters Blur had to play their new song. Adele finished her speech with the incisive line: “Can I just say, then, goodbye and I’ll see you next time round,” and made a rude gesture, which, according to a very cagey BBC, was “momentarily visible on the live ITV1 coverage.” Yikes! Adele later said she was swearing at “the suits” because she hadn’t been allowed to thank the great British public – hang on a minute Adele, is that they very same suits who, er, organize the Brits and run your career and who leapt to apologize to you within a few seconds?
WATCH THE VIDEO, WITH A SUITABLY HORRIFIED EXPRESSION, BELOW
The Brit Awards immediately crawled: “We regret this happened and we send our deepest apologies to Adele that her big moment was cut short,” gushed a spokesman.
So who won the Best of British gongs? Well, Adele, naturally, since she can’t not win anything these days: she won best British Album, for 21, and Best British Singer. 21 has sold 17 million copies world wide, and Adele whacked away competition from Coldplay, Florence and the Machine and P J Harvey. She was cruelly denied best British single though – that coveted award went to young silky-haired prancing pups One Direction, the former X Factor band. SEE THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS BELOW.
Who else? Red-haired fluffy-top Ed Sheeran garnered best British male and British Breakthrough. Oh, and biggest surprise of the night was Coldplay, who won best British band. Again. For the third time. In a row. Jeez. Chris Martin, lead singer, said the experience was “humbling.” “They keep splitting up. They keep taking themselves out of the game. We’re the only players still on the pitch. No Pulp, no Oasis. Take That are on holiday. We’ll take it if they’re not around.”
What it’s all about. It’s all a massive marketing exercise, said The Mirror cynically. After you’ve watched the Brits, you’ll be shelling out for some CDs or downloads. And you’ll do it with “a glazed expression.” Last year there was a 225 per cent increase in sales after the awards; HMV agrees. So if you’re feeling a bit poorer today, blame Adele.
Adele done good. The Brits have always been “self-congratulatory”, said Neil McCormick on The Daily Telegraph. But now they’ve really got something to be self-congratulatory about. Adele is a “product of the Brits school” and now dominates the awards, “thus essentially completeing a perfect circle.” Given that she did go toa performing arts school, she does have a surprising “soulful sincerity.” Ed Sheeran has that same quality. This could be called the “New Authenticity”, in reaction to the “showbusiness fakery” of the last decade. We no longer want Simon Cowell’s “TV clones” – we want “geeky looking human beings who write meaningful songs.” McCormick was not optimistic though. This state of affairs “won’t last.” But at least we knocked the Americans into a cocked hat. The “night belonged to Adele.” So what that P J Harvey’s album was better, or that Laura Marling’s “a level beyond any of her contemporaries.” It would have been “daylight robbery” if Adele hadn’t won.
It could be worse. Balls, said Alexis Petridis in The Guardian. It was about as exicting as “filling in a tax return.” But at least the Brits aren’t “irrelevant.” They’re not much fun, but the winners were “highly pertinent” – “in commercial terms.” Adele’s sales mean that the Brit just won’t go to P J Harvey. Also, we shouldn’t compare ourselves to the Americans: they have bling and sequins in spades: they had Nicki Minaj levitating and pretending to be exorcised; “we had Rihanna dancing around in her pants.” The Brits do seem “a little muted and parochial.” But it could be worse.
ROLL UP, ROLL UP, FOR THE WINNERS IN FULL!
British album Adele, 21
British female solo artist Adele
British male solo artist Ed Sheeran
British breakthrough act Ed Sheeran
British group Coldplay
British single One Direction, What Makes You Beautiful
British producer Ethan Johns
International female artist Rihanna
International male artist Bruno Mars
International group Foo Fighters
International breakthrough Lana Del Rey
Critics’ choice Emeli Sandé
Outstanding contribution to music Blur
