The first of next year’s Brit Awards winners has been revealed, with organisers announcing the recipient of the Rising Star prize.
In 2020, the title – which has been renamed from the Critics’ Choice as part of a wave of changes for next year’s ceremony – will go to British singer/songwriter Celeste, beating fellow shortlisters Beabadoobee and Joy Crookes.
As part of her prize, Celeste will also be among the performers at next year’s ceremony, with the 25-year-old saying: “Like many others, I grew up watching the Brits and have been continually inspired by its nominees, winners and the performances.
“I hope to make the most of this incredible opportunity and I can’t wait to perform on the BRITS next year.”
Open Image Modal
Celeste poses with her Brit Award
JM Enternational
Celeste is the 13th star to receive the Rising Star prize, joining a list which includes some of the biggest names in music.
Inspired by her win, here’s what her predecessors have done since earning the coveted music title...
Adele (2008)
Open Image Modal
Paul Kane via Getty Images
In numbers: Three albums, two UK number one singles, nine Brit Awards, 15 Grammys
Biggest achievement: Where do we even start? Adele has broken more records than we can count during her career, but we’d say 21 being the fourth biggest-selling album of all time in the UK is a pretty impressive feat.
Did the Brits get it right?: Oh, yes.
Florence And The Machine (2009)
Open Image Modal
Joseph Okpako via Getty Images
In numbers: Four albums, two UK number one singles, two Brit Awards, zero Grammys
Biggest achievement: Headlining Glastonbury in 2015. Her slot was boosted to top billing when Foo Fighters were forced to pull out due to injury, and wound up being one of the year’s festival highlights.
Did the Brits get it right?: Definitely.
Ellie Goulding (2010)
Open Image Modal
Neil Lupin via Getty Images
In numbers: Three albums, two UK number one singles, two Brit Awards, zero Grammys
Biggest achievement: Being chosen to perform at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding in 2011.
Did the Brits get it right?: We know she’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but Ellie has undeniably had huge success since winning her first Brit.
Jessie J (2011)
Open Image Modal
VCG via Getty Images
In numbers: Five albums, three UK number one singles, one Brit Award, zero Grammys
Biggest achievement: Hitting the top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic (with a bit of help from Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj) with Bang Bang.
Did the Brits get it right?: She’s certainly enjoyed commercial success since her Critics’ Choice win, so yes.
Emeli Sandé (2012)
Open Image Modal
Kieran Frost via Getty Images
In numbers: Three albums, two UK number one singles, four Brit Awards, zero Grammys
Biggest achievement: Performing during both the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics.
Did the Brits get it right?: Yep.
Tom Odell (2013)
Open Image Modal
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 14: Tom Odell performs for Help Refugees at their annual Christmas party at The Jazz Cafe on December 14, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
David M. Benett via Getty Images
In numbers: Three albums, zero UK number one singles, one Brit Award, zero Grammys
Biggest achievement: Landing the coveted John Lewis ad spot in 2014, covering John Lennon’s Real Love.
Did the Brits get it right?: The first male winner, Tom is also the first on this list who’s never really shaken off the Critics’ Choice (or “Rising Star” as it’s now known) label. So, we don’t necessarily want to say “no”, but also...
Sam Smith (2014)
Open Image Modal
Kevin Mazur via Getty Images
In numbers: Two albums, seven UK number one singles, three Brit Awards, four Grammys
Biggest achievement: Definitely winning an Oscar, even if their speech was followed by an unfortunate faux pas.
Did the Brits get it right?: There’s no arguing with success like Sam’s, and after showing off a whole new musical direction in 2019, it seems that even after five years in the industry, they’re really only just getting started.
James Bay (2015)
Open Image Modal
Paras Griffin via Getty Images
In numbers: Two albums, zero UK number one singles, two Brit Awards, zero Grammys
Biggest achievement: Scooping three Grammy nominations following the release of his debut album, including for Best New Artist.
Did the Brits get it right?: Album number two Electric Light didn’t quite live up to the hype of his debut, but we think James still has a long career ahead of him yet, so we’d say he was definitely a strong pick.
Jack Garratt (2016)
Open Image Modal
Mike Coppola via Getty Images
In numbers: One album, zero UK number one singles, one Brit Award, zero Grammys
Biggest achievement: Getting critical acclaim for his debut album, Phase
Did the Brits get it right?: Since his Critics’ Choice win, Jack seems to have taken a move behind the scenes, co-writing a track on Katy Perry’s latest album. We don’t want to say he was the wrong pick, but we reckon there may have been bigger artists on the come-up in 2016.
Rag’n’Bone Man (2017)
Open Image Modal
EMPICS Entertainment
In numbers: One album, zero UK number one singles, three Brit Awards, zero Grammys
Biggest achievement: Performing at the Brit Awards two years in a row, first with Jorja Smith and the following year with Calvin Harris.
Did the Brits get it right?: He’s still in the early stages of his career, but Rag’N’Bone Man has already received critical acclaim for his first album, racked up multiple awards nominations (and a handful of wins!) and collaborated with some of the biggest names in music. We’d say he was going nowhere for the time being.
Jorja Smith (2018)
Open Image Modal
Joseph Okpako via Getty Images
In numbers: One album, zero UK number one singles, two Brit Awards, zero Grammys
Biggest achievement: Receiving a Best New Artist nod at the 2019 Grammys.
Did the Brits get it right?: The best is definitely still to come from this British talent.
Sam Fender (2019)
Open Image Modal
NBC via Getty Images
In numbers: One album, zero UK number one singles, one Brit Award, zero Grammys
Biggest achievement: Topping the albums chart with his debut effort, Hypersonic Missiles.
Did the Brits get it right?: True, a little-known singer Lewis Capaldi (who went on to top the UK singles chart for seven consecutive weeks in 2019) did have to settle for runner-up position for Sam to win, but the north east-born star definitely has the potential to be a huge UK export, as his recent international success has shown.
14 Surprising Brit Awards Winners
Dexy's Midnight Runners (1983)(01 of14)
Open Image Modal
If you're like us, you'll associate Come On Eileen with watching through your fingers while your aunties dance around at a family wedding.
However, in 1983, the Dexy's Midnight Runners hit was named Best British Single, over Irene Cara's Fame and Survivor's Eye Of The Tiger (both of which are also family wedding staples, to be fair). (credit:EUGENE ADEBARI/REX Shutterstock)
Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (1988)(02 of14)
Open Image Modal
Come On Eileen isn't the only 80s cringe-fest to have previously been named the greatest British song of the entire year, though, with Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up also getting the award in 1988.
Rick beat Pet Shop Boys' It's A Sin and T'Pau's China In Your Hand for the accolade. (credit:RICHARD YOUNG/REX Shutterstock)
Laura Marling (2011)(03 of14)
Open Image Modal
Back in 2011, the question was whether it would be Cheryl Cole, Ellie Goulding or then-newcomer Paloma Faith taking home the Best British Female award at the Brits.
It turned out that none of them did, and it was outsider Laura Marling who was given the gong. And doesn't she look thrilled about it? (credit:David Fisher/REX Shutterstock)
Mick Hucknall (1993)(04 of14)
Open Image Modal
Mick Hucknall's win was doubly surprising when you take into account that he beat competition from Eric Clapton, George Michael, Sir Elton John and Phil Collins to win Best British Male.
And yes, that's Richard O'Brien of Crystal Maze and Rocky Horror fame in the background who, for some reason, was the host that year. (credit:RICHARD YOUNG/REX Shutterstock)
One Direction (2013)(05 of14)
Open Image Modal
1D having a Brit Award isn't exactly beyond the real of possibility (they actually have seven in total), but many were a little alarmed in 2013, when the Global Success category appeared, seemingly from nowhere, and was mysteriously won by the boyband. (credit:David Fisher/REX Shutterstock)
Harry Styles (2018)(06 of14)
Open Image Modal
Again, it's not necessarily a massive surprise that Harry Styles has a Brit Award, he is after all one of the most famous singers in the world.
But what we are a little shocked by was that his first ever solo Brit would be in the Video Of The Year category, for his (slightly ropey) Sign Of The Times video. A credit to the power of the Directioners, who voted in their droves for Harry to bag the award. (credit:PYMCA via Getty Images)
Finley Quaye (1998)(07 of14)
Open Image Modal
Now, no offence to Finley Quaye. We're sure he's a lovely man. But we have to be honest, we'd not actually heard of him before we discovered he was a Brit Award winner.
Finley was crowned British Male Solo Artist over Sir Elton John, Robbie Williams, Gary Barlow and Paul Weller back in 1998, when apparently white on white on yellow on white was all the rage. (credit:Rex Shutterstock)
Shaggy (2002)(08 of14)
Open Image Modal
True, It Wasn't Me wasn't exactly an underground track (it was the UK's 11th best-selling song of the 2000s, after all), but with nominees for Best International Male including Bob Dylan and Dr Dre, we can't help but feel that Shaggy's win was a surprising one. (credit:Richard Young/REX Shutterstock)
All the Best British Single nominees (2006)(09 of14)
Open Image Modal
Coldplay won Best British Single for Speed Of Sound in 2006.
But then they'd have to, wouldn't they? Because look what they were up against: Shayne Ward's That's My Goal. Tony Christie's Is This The Way To Amarillo?. And James Blunt's You're Beautiful.
If you look closely, you'll see Madonna in the bottom-right corner of this picture, whispering (we can only assume): "It should have been Sugababes." (credit:Paul Grover/REX Shutterstock)
Braveheart (1996)(10 of14)
Open Image Modal
Braveheart cleaned up at awards season upon its release, but did you know this included scooping a Brit?
The Mel Gibson epic beat Muriel's Wedding and Batman Forever to the Best Soundtrack gong in 1996. (credit:SNAP/REX Shutterstock)
Duffy (2009)(11 of14)
Open Image Modal
With an earworm hit single like Mercy, it was inevitable that Welsh singer Duffy would bag herself a handful of Brit Awards, but who'd have thought she'd have pipped Adele to the award in 2009? (credit:David Fisher/REX Shutterstock)
Lemar (2004)(12 of14)
Open Image Modal
Like Duffy, no one's saying that Lemar didn't deserve his Best British Urban Act prize... but it does mean that a category exists where Lemar from Fame Academy was crowned winner over Amy literal Winehouse. (credit:David Fisher/REX Shutterstock)
A1 (2001)(13 of14)
Open Image Modal
A1 were named Best British Breakthrough Act in 2001 over Craig David, Coldplay and Artful Dodger.
Once again for the cheap seats at the back: A1 were named Best British Breakthrough Act in 2001 over Craig David, Coldplay and Artful Dodger.
Here's what they wore to the event. Good grief. (credit:David Fisher/REX Shutterstock)
Status Quo (1991)(14 of14)
Open Image Modal
Status Quo perhaps wouldn't be top of the list of artists we'd guess had been given the Outstanding Contribution To Music award, but looking at those smiling faces, who could possibly argue? (credit:RICHARD YOUNG/REX Shutterstock)