Charli XCX scores early win with song of the year at 2025 Brit Awards
British singer-songwriter Charli XCX has secured an early win at the Brit Awards.
The star, full name Charlotte Aitchison, 32, is this year's most-nominated artist, with her song Guess, featuring US superstar Billie Eilish, taking the gong for song of the year.
She beat names like The Beatles, Dua Lipa, Coldplay and Sam Ryder to win the gong at the event, which is being held at The O2 arena in London, hosted by actor and comedian Jack Whitehall.
Congrats to @charli_xcx & @billieeilish for winning Song of the Year with Mastercard! 🎤🏆@BRITs #BRITs pic.twitter.com/4FzUyqNIDJ
— MastercardUK (@MastercardUK) March 1, 2025
On the stage, she said: 'Thank you, this is cool, I'm really happy that a song about underwear now has a Brit award, very important stuff and I'm sure that that proves something about songwriting but I'm not quite sure what.'
She also thanked Eilish for collaborating, saying she asked the US star to join her only three days before they recorded the song.
US pop star Sabrina Carpenter, 25, paid homage to British culture as she opened the event, taking to the stage wearing a red sparkly military-style blazer dress.
She walked down an aisle lit up with the Union flag, as performers dressed as King's guard soldiers followed her.
Carpenter then changed into a red sparkly bra and shorts set as she performed her song Bed Chem on a large bed.
She will receive the global success award, and is also nominated in the international artist and international song of the year categories.
Jade Thirlwall spoke of her love for her 'Little Mix sisters' as she collected the best pop act award.
An emotion Thirlwall said: 'Firstly, I need to thank the fans because that's why I won this award. Thank you so much for supporting me and relentlessly forcing everyone around you to vote Jade. I love you guys so much. I'm so grateful.'
She also thanked her 'fabulous team' and her family and friends before praising her former bandmates.
'All my family and friends who always believed in me, thank you for making me feel like it was a realistic goal to be a pop star ever since I was a little girl,' she added.
'And finally, my Little Mix sisters. I love you so much. I wouldn't have this award without you, and you changed my life, thank you.'
Winner of the Brits Rising Star award, Myles Smith, spoke ahead of the ceremony on the red carpet, saying having recognition so early on in his career felt 'incredible'.
The Stargazing singer follows in the footsteps of Florence And The Machine, The Last Dinner Party and Adele in receiving the accolade, which is given to the artist the music academy believes will have the biggest impact in the coming year.
Among the other celebrities gracing the red carpet were US singer Lenny Kravitz, singer and actor Jared Leto, pop star Paloma Faith and Rivals actor Danny Dyer.
Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown wore a metallic chain mail-style gown and Charli XCX embraced the gothic with a sheer black dress.
Others included TV presenter Davina McCall, DJ Calvin Harris, TV presenter Maya Jama and singer Calum Scott.
YouTube star and rapper KSI said his song of the year nomination for single Thick Of It, featuring US rapper Trippie Redd, is the 'cherry on top' after being 'clowned' for the track.
He told PA: 'When I released the song, I was getting clowned.
'People online were streaming the song saying, like, 'What is this? This isn't good', but people kept listening to it. People kept streaming it.
'And then as soon as I got that Brit nomination, cherry on top man, it just brought a smile to my face.'
Asked if he would like to add anything else to his repertoire, having pursued amateur boxing as well as a music career, he said he would like to 'try acting' and get involved with an action comedy TV series or film.
Charli XCX will face tough competition for album of the year as she goes up against Dua Lipa's chart-topping third album Radical Optimism, Ezra Collective's third release Dance, No One's Watching, and Songs Of A Lost World by The Cure, the rock band's first release in 16 years.
Last year Raye made history when she secured six awards, the most by an artist in a single year.
The Brit Awards are broadcast live on ITV1 from 8.15pm.
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