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2022 Brit Awards: 5 Things You Didn’t See on TV

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LONDON — Adele was the runaway winner at the 2022 Brit Awards, taking home prizes for artist, song and album of the year. But there were also plenty of other big standout moments at Tuesday’s (Feb. 8) star-studded show, including stirring performances by Ed Sheeran and an explosive pyrotechnic-accompanied finale by London rapper Dave.

This year was the 42nd edition of the U.K.’s biggest music awards show, held at London’s The O2 arena, and was the ceremony’s first year without gendered categories. As with previous Brit Awards, the entire two-hour show was broadcast live on British TV and streamed globally on YouTube, but there was just as much going on behind the scenes as there was in front of the cameras.

Here are a few of the best moments you (possibly) didn’t see on television.

London Love for Adele

After a tough couple of weeks that saw the London-born singer postpone her Las Vegas residency, Adele made a triumphant return to home turf at the 2022 Brit Awards, winning the night’s three biggest prizes and bringing her overall Brits’ haul to 12 trophies (one shy of record holder Robbie Williams, who has 13).

“I can’t believe that a piano ballad won against that many bangers,” said Adele while collecting the song of the year award for “Easy on Me.” Her gratitude was reciprocated by the 20,000-strong audience inside The O2, whose love for the singer could be heard throughout the venue every time she appeared at the podium.

Adele’s spine-tingling performance of “I Drink Wine” was one of the night’s live highlights, and received a thunderous round of applause from the audience, which included several hundred pupils from The Brit School in Croydon, which Adele herself attended as a teenager.

Between acceptance speeches and performing on stage, the singer stayed seated at a table at the front of the arena floor alongside her long-time manager Jonathan Dickins. Accepting the best album award for 30, Adele dedicated the award to her 9-year-old son, Angelo, and ex-husband Simon Konecki. “I am very proud of myself for sticking to my guns and putting an album out that was about something so personal to me because not many people do stuff like that anymore,” said a visibly moved Adele.

Anne-Marie’s Reaction to Her Onstage Stumble   

Following in the misplaced footsteps of Madonna, who memorably fell offstage at the 2015 Brit Awards, British pop star Anne-Marie delivered one of the night’s most talked about moments when she slipped while walking down steps during her performance of “Don’t Play” with rapper KSI and Digital Farm Animals. To the singer’s credit, she immediately picked herself up and, although clearly shaken, continued the song, barely missing a note. Within minutes of her fall, a Twitter account called Anne-Marie’s Ankle was created, which the artist retweeted to her 1.1 million followers.

And after the show, Anne-Marie tweeted, “Didn’t need my left ankle anyway.” British opticians chain Specsavers subsequently messaged her, offering a free eye test. “I’ll be in touch,” responded the singer, showing that she doesn’t take herself too seriously.

Didn’t need my left ankle anyway

— 🖤ANNE-MARIE🖤 (@AnneMarie) February 8, 2022

Host Mo Gilligan Drops the F-Bomb

Amid all the awards excitement and live performances, it was easy to miss host Mo Gilligan swearing live on air: The comedian dropped the F-bomb during his impression of former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher. The blunder happened just before an ad break and before the 9 p.m. U.K. watershed – the cutoff point for when strong language and adult content is allowed to be shown on British TV.

Although viewers at home and on social media were quick to notice, many people inside The O2 didn’t realize the slip until later in the show, when Gilligan sat down with Olivia Rodrigo and Maya Jama and apologized. “I got a little bit carried away and swore. Apologies for any offense caused. I lost myself,” he said.

Ed Sheeran’s Electric Blue Velvet Suit

As the biggest night on the U.K. music calendar, the Brit Awards is always a glitzy, star-studded affair, and this year’s red carpet didn’t disappoint. Among those donning their finest was Ed Sheeran, who arrived at The O2 wearing an electric blue velvet suit that evoked memories of Austin Powers.

Other stars who turned heads were Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts, wearing a revealing cutout dress, Joy Crookes in an ornate gold outfit, rapper Little Simz, dressed in a long, black leather trench coat, and Italian rock band Maneskin kitted out in a characteristically flamboyant mix of latex, pink frills and ruffles.

At the opposite end of the sartorial spectrum, Adele opted for old-school glamour for her much-anticipated appearance, wearing an elegant figure-hugging black gown. The presence of a huge diamond ring on her left hand has inevitably sparked fan speculation that the 33-year-old singer may be engaged to sports agent Rich Paul, whom she’s been dating since 2021.

Covid Protocols

After 2021’s scaled-back Brit Awards when COVID-19 restrictions meant that Coldplay, The Weeknd and Elton John performed virtually, this year’s show saw the welcome return of live performances taking place exclusively inside The O2 arena, creating a palpable sense of occasion inside the packed 20,000-capacity venue. Despite the recent removal of almost all coronavirus restrictions in the United Kingdom, several safety protocols remained in place for this year’s event, with all attendees required to take a lateral flow test and present proof of their negative status to gain entry.

Artists, touring crews and production staff were also required to regularly test themselves for coronavirus in the run up to the Brits, with sanitizing gel dispensers placed throughout The O2 to help protect staff and visitors. On Jan. 31, Doja Cat — nominated in the international artist of the year and best international song categories – was forced to pull out of performing at the Brits after members of her crew tested positive for COVID-19, leaving an all-British lineup of live artists.

Watching on inside The O2 was the regular mix of ticket holders, excitable Brit school students and industry executives, with the latter packing out the corporate boxes that circle the venue over two floors. The 30 or so arena floor tables next to the stage were reserved exclusively for artists and their entourages.

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Shots for Shows: How Puerto Rico’s ‘El Choli’ Drove Up Vaccination Rates on the Island

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Despite a lull in cases of COVID-19, tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans lined up to receive vaccines in the second half of 2021. For many, their reasons for getting the jabs went beyond mere health concerns: They were itching to bring Latin music back to San Juan’s famed Coliseo de Puerto Rico.

From June through the end of December, 226,000 people purchased tickets to attend events at the 18,500-capacity Coliseo, the most prestigious venue in the Caribbean.

But in order to enter the gates of El Choli, as it is affectionately called — a venue that has hosted the likes of Karol G, Rauw Alejandro, Zion & Lennox and Ednita Nazario — concertgoers needed to show proof of vaccination.

The requirement is credited by health officials with playing a key role in Puerto Rico’s high vaccination rate, and, as it turned out, was critical in reactivating the island’s music industry. Puerto Rico became one of the first Latin territories to restart concerts in major venues.

Also playing key roles were widespread support by artists and a vaccine requirement-awareness campaign conceived and produced jointly by the government, the Puerto Rico Convention Center District Authority (CCDA), which owns the coliseum, and ASM Global, which manages it.

“The music industry was crucial in curbing the pandemic,” says Puerto Rican health secretary Carlos Mellado. “We’ve been in lockstep with the Coliseum and the District Authority since the beginning of the pandemic. As soon as vaccines were available, they were pioneers in making it an entrance requirement.”

Rauw Alejandro performs at Coliseo de Puerto Rico.

According to Johns Hopkins University, 2.58 million Puerto Ricans, or nearly 77.8%, are fully vaccinated, compared to just under 64.9% of all Americans, 70.6% of Californians and 74.1% of the population of New York.

And among the fully vaccinated Puerto Ricans on the island, more than 500,000 walked into CCDA venues in 2021, including the 226,000 who purchased tickets to the Coliseum, according to Billboard Boxscore.

It was part of a concerted effort that began when ASM Global, which manages more than 325 venues globally, started developing its “venue shield,” an industry-wide hygiene program designed for the COVID-19 crisis.

ASM also made sure its Puerto Rican venues obtained Star Facility accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC). Once that was in place, “it inspired confidence from the government,” says Jorge L. Perez, the regional general manager for ASM Global in Puerto Rico, who oversees the operation of the convention center, Coliseo and Coca Cola Music Hall. “We said, ‘We can open our doors.’”

Karol G: Plays at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in November 2021.

With government approval and oversight, in June the Coliseo hosted its first concert, with beloved Puerto Rican star Gilberto Santa Rosa. The show was promoted via a massive billboard and television campaign — supported by Santa Rosa on his social media — which drove home the message that fans needed to be fully vaccinated to get inside the venue.

At the same time, the government created a platform called Vacu ID where vaccinated individuals could upload their proof of vaccination and obtain a QR Code, much like what air travelers do when traveling abroad.

“We gave them the know-how, and our security department inside the department of health made sure things went as they should,” says Mellado.

Because most, if not all, shows were at the Coliseum – at least in the beginning—it was natural to tap into the artists to support the messaging, says Mariela Vallines, executive director for the Puerto Rico Convention District Authority.

“For Puerto Ricans, going to the Coliseum is part of our culture and our idiosyncrasy,” says Vallines. “If people wanted to see Karol G, they had to get vaccinated. In that regard, it was a stimulus. And the artists, on their own own, understood the importance of reinforcing that message on their social media.”

El Coliseo has long been ground zero for local artists to prove their mettle before they tour the world — and it’s the venue many superstars return to when they end their tours. Selling out the 18,500-seat venue once, or multiple times, is a matter of profound pride.

This connection allowed for the development of multiple information and marketing campaigns, including one called “Póntela Pa’l Choli” (Wear It For The Choli), where a mask was designed for each individual show and handed to fans as they walked into the venues.

“For my concerts, it was a gold mask,” says Ednita Nazario, the beloved Puerto Rican singer who is known as “La Reina del Coliseo” (The Queen of the Coliseum) and calls El Choli “mi casa” (my house.)

“I believe firmly in the importance of good information that’s well delivered and, in this case, that sought to address the pandemic,” adds Nazario, who played two Choliseos in November. “El Choli, a place I adore, took the scientific information and was key in the campaign to take the message to the public with effective and striking messaging. They gave priority to health protocols and security and were very rigorous and effective.”

The campaigns extended beyond music shows. In tandem with Los Cangrejeros de Santurce, the basketball team owned by Bad Bunny and manager Noah Asad, ASM and the department of health created a campaign called “Juega Pa’l Equipo: Vacúnate” (Play for Team: Get Vaccinated), to get sports fans to come to the regular basketball season that started in the summer.

(The island’s vaccination campaign was not enough, however, for Puerto Rico to avoid a late-December spike in virus cases of 4,600%. Two Bad Bunny concerts at a different San Juan venue – the baseball park Estadio Hiram Bithorn — were partly blamed for the uptick, as promoters did not enforce mandatory mask measures inside the venue.)

El Choli, says Pérez, ended up hosting 45 events in 2021, including 14 basketball games that sold over 60,000 total tickets. For 2022, the venue is on track to far outpace that number, with 32 shows already on sale.

Using artists and El Coliseo as the major thrust of a vaccination campaign was never the plan, says Vallines. “But COVID restrictions really affected the coliseum, so it made sense,” she says. “And the artists stepped up to the plate.”

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Dave Matthews, Nathaniel Rateliff, Avett Brothers to Play Marshall Fire Benefit

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An all-star group of performers are lining up for a benefit for the victims of the devastating 2021 Marshall fire in Colorado. Gov. Jared Polis announced on Tuesday (Feb. 8) that artists including Dave Matthews, The Avett Brothers, OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, and hometown hero Nathaniel Rateliff will play the Feb. 28 virtual show alongside a long list of others.

The 7 p.m. pre-recorded show promoted by AEG Presents will be streamed — and available for unlimited streaming for ticketholders for a month — with the $10 tickets on sale now here. The roster that includes more than a dozen Colorado-based artists will also performances and practice clips from: Brittany Howard, The String Cheese Incident, Old Crown Medicine Show, Michael Franti, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Lyle Lovett, Phish’ Trey Anastasio, Steve Miller, Leftover Salmon, Wynonna Judd with Cactus Moser, Amos Lee, the California Honeydrops, Rob Drabkin, Sarah Jarosz and more acts to be announced in the upcoming weeks.

The show, hosted by e-town host Nick Forester, will serve as a fundraiser for the victims of the massive fire that destroyed more than 1,000 structures in Dec. 30, 2021 and quickly became the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history. Proceeds from the concert are earmarked for the Boulder County Wildfire Fund.

“Hopefully we can do an old-fashioned barn-raising for this community in Boulder,” Denver-based Night Sweats leader Rateliff told the Denver Post about his outlook for the show, noting that many of the homes destroyed were owned by under-insured middle-class families. Because wildfire season is only expected to get worse in the future due to the impact of climate change, Rateliff said his nonprofit Marigold Project will keep contributing to efforts to combat global warming and water scarcity.

See the announcement about the event from Gov. Polis below.

Today I’m proud to announce a Benefit Concert for Marshall Fire Survivors alongside AEG, Community Foundation of Boulder, and Colorado creatives. Tickets can be purchased at https://t.co/MzYOYZDk0M starting tomorrow[c] at 8 a.m.

— Governor Jared Polis (@GovofCO) February 8, 2022

 

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Quality Control Boosts A&R Dept. With Brandra Ringo, Wayno Clark

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Quality Control Music (QC) has invested in their A&R department, naming Brandra Ringo and Wayno Clark to evp of A&R and vp of A&R, respectively. Bring years of industry experience to the renowned label, the two have already made their mark by signing fast rising Detroit rapper Baby Money to the QC roster.

“Brandra is someone I’ve trusted for a while and am so excited to be able to bring into the QC family because she’s got one of the best ears in the game,” said Pierre “P” Thomas, CEO of QC. “She’s so intelligent, focused and dedicated with a level of determination that gets her out of the office and really living in the field to make these records happen in a way they is far beyond what I’ve seen from most A&Rs. She can spot talent before most and her being with us is a huge asset.”

“Wayno has an incredible sense of taste with his keen eyes on the ground and being so tapped in with the culture where he always knows what’s hot and what’s moving,” added QC’s COO Kevin “Coach K” Lee. “His incredible communication and connecting with artists brings the real magic out in the music. We are so fortunate to have him bringing his amazing skill set to our team.”

Bringing an intimate knowledge and passion for music to the QC ranks, Ringo previously had stints at Def Jam and Motown Records before entering the publishing space at Warner Chappell and UMPG — where she worked under current Motown CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam and signed Lil Yachty to a global deal. During her time in publishing, Ringo placed artists including Lil Baby, Travis Scott, Maroon 5, Chris Brown and others. She also signed DJ Durel, Pi’erre Bourne, BEAM, DY Krazy and many more.

Clark brings an array of experience across multiple lanes within the music and entertainment industries. From working in the mailrooms of labels Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella, he quickly landed an internship at the latter and worked as an assistant A&R during the height of Jay-Z‘s career. Clark eventually founded his own management company, Triangle Offense, where he signed Dave East. He then moved on to host Complex’s Everyday Struggle before joining Asylum Records and meeting P. In his new role at QC, Clark will also continue working with Habtemariam as senior director of A&R at Motown.

“What drew me to QC was the feeling of open possibility for where the company can go from here, and getting the rare opportunity to help shape that future,” Clark told Billboard. “This is the first company I’ve worked for that fully supports both their artists’ and staff’s dreams – it’s never pushed to the side, it’s always ‘Let’s figure it out.’ I aim to help QC define a new era of sound with some of the acts myself and Brandra sign. I’m also looking forward to working alongside our established acts to keep the QC torch lit.”

“Coach and P have always been huge supporters of me as an A&R, but most importantly as a woman in a very creative space that is male dominated. Not to mention, they have been at the forefront of the culture for over 20 years now and the information to learn from them is limitless,” Ringo added. “This is the first time I can boldly and proudly say not only do I work for Black people but I work for a Black owned label. My goal is to recreate what artist development looks like to continuously create artists that don’t have a career cap. Wayno and I are also keen on building a team of A&Rs that understand not only the current landscape of music, but also it’s history.”

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Elliot Grainge’s 10K Projects Buys Homemade Label, Names New Co-Presidents

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Elliot Grainge’s indie label 10K Projects has purchased the Homemade Projects record label, the company announced today (Feb. 9). As part of the deal, Homemade co-founders Zach Friedman and Tony Talamo have come on board as co-presidents of 10K.

The deal is an extension of a partnership that began in August 2019, in which 10K and Create Music Group made a strategic investment in Homemade Projects, which had launched as a management and digital marketing company, that included a joint venture record label under the Homemade umbrella aimed at finding Gen Z talent. Since then, Homemade has signed artists including COIN, Salem Ilese, WizTheMc and Peach Tree Rascals.

“Zach and Tony have built Homemade Projects into an independent powerhouse in an incredibly short period of time,” Grainge said in a statement announcing the deal. “In just two years they have an impressive track record of identifying and nurturing talent and they’ve played a major role in our successes at 10K via their digital marketing expertise. Having them run the day-to-day operations of 10K is something that will help us continue to grow the label without breaking stride.”

Under the new arrangement, Friedman and Talamo will report to Grainge and oversee A&R, marketing, publicity and creative for 10K, while 10K has also invested in the other parts of the Homemade business, including its management, merchandise and digital marketing wings. 10K — which has been behind releases from the likes of Trippie Redd, 6ix9ine, Surfaces, Internet Money and iann dior — is distributed by the Universal Music Group through Virgin Music.

“We have worked closely with Elliot and the entire team at 10K for more than two years now and already feel like part of the family,” Friedman and Talamo said in a joint statement. “We’re excited to take on the increased responsibilities at our combined companies and continue to build 10K into the most successful independent record label in the business.”

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VisMin Super Cup to parade imports for upcoming season

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MANILA, Philippines—Aiming to raise the level of competition, the Chooks to Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup will parade imports for its upcoming season. The regional league targets March 15 for its season opener to be held in Zamboanga City. “These are the imports who have played in the NCAA, UAAP and other collegiate leagues. I […]

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F1: Lando Norris to race for McLaren until 2025

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LONDON— Lando Norris will remain a McLaren Formula One driver until at least the end of 2025 after committing to a new four-year deal, the Woking-based former champions said on Wednesday. The 22-year-old, whose four podium finishes earned him sixth in the overall standings and secured fourth in the constructors’ battle for McLaren in 2021, […]

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Jiu-jitsu ace Annie Ramirez to compete in World Games, asks for financial aid

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MANILA, Philippines—Annie Ramirez, one the country’s top Jiu-Jitsu artists, will represent the Philippines in the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama. A 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, Ramirez admitted that she was surprised that she was given the shot to compete in the prestigious event, where non-Olympic sports are contested, set for July. “With […]

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How homophobia made number 24 taboo in Brazilian football

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Soccer jerseys are everywhere in football-mad Brazil, often with the numbers of the country’s all-time legends: Ronaldo’s 9, Pele’s 10, Romario’s 11. But one number is off-limits: 24, the focus of a homophobic taboo whose origin story is a wacky roller-coaster ride through more than a century of Brazilian history, winding up with the present […]

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Winter Olympics: Russian gold on hold amid reports of positive drug test

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BEIJING—The Russian figure skaters who won the team event at the Beijing Olympics on Monday have still not received their gold medals with media reports on Wednesday saying one had returned a positive drug test. The International Olympic Committee, International Skating Union, Russian Olympic Committee and international agency in charge of drugs testing during the […]

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PBA: Black expects seamless transition for Banchero into Meralco role

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MANILA, Philippines—Meralco’s acquisition of star point guard Chris Banchero was, arguably, one of the best free agency signings during the break of the 2021-2022 PBA Governors’ Cup. Bolts head coach Norman Black said Banchero’s arrival into the team not only fills the void  John Pinto left but it could potentially bring more firepower to the […]

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Blur will “always be capable” of reforming, says Graham Coxon

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Graham Coxon has spoken about Blur‘s various reunions since their initial 2003 split, and says that the band will “always be capable” of reforming.

READ MORE: Superstate – ‘Superstate’ review: curious comic score from Graham Coxon

Speaking on the Rockonteurs podcast, Coxon discussed the freedom he felt during the band’s first return in 2009, that included a headline performance at Glastonbury.

“It was great because i played [the songs] in a completely different way, I felt more grateful for the situation,” he said. ” I became a little more grateful for what we’d always had.

“I reckon a lot of bands would get that if they had a chance to do that again. It’s why I almost get annoyed with other bands who have been squabbling and not really got it together to have another go. I think it’s kind of sad to hang on to resentments.”

Asked whether Blur was now in “the rear view mirror” after their most recent outing, Coxon joked: “Alex James is in the passenger seat, prodding me all the time! They’re not in the rear view mirror at all! They’re all sitting in the car with me still, [saying] ‘Shall we do some more?’”

A newly-reformed Blur performing at Glastonbury in 2009 CREDIT: Brian Rasic/Getty Images

On the prospect of reuniting with his old bandmates again in the future, he added: “I actually think that Blur will always be capable of that, and when the time comes around and the stars are aligned, we’ll always be capable of doing something interesting.”

Meanwhile, Jesus Jones – former labelmates with Blur on the indie imprint Food Records – have invited them to reunite in tribute to the late label head Andy Ross.

Ross, known for signing Blur as well as Idlewild, Dubstar and more, died last month at the age of 66.

“We’re heartbroken at the loss of Andy Ross, one half of the mighty Food Records,” Jesus Jones wrote on Twitter. “Without him, we’d have never been able to do what we did. We’ll always be grateful, and we’ll always miss him. Goodbye boss xxx.”

Last year, Blur’s Damon Albarn claimed to NME that Blur had been in talks and “had an idea” of how to make their return.

“I’ve just been a bit busy at the moment obviously,” he said. “When it happens, I’ll be made up.”

In a separate interview with NME, Graham Coxon confirmed he “was privy to that discussion” that Albarn spoke of, but that “It started as a discussion, but didn’t really end as one.”

The post Blur will “always be capable” of reforming, says Graham Coxon appeared first on NME.

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