Charli XCX named Brits songwriter of the year

The Brit Awards have announced that English pop star Charli XCX will be taking home the competition’s songwriting prize, the singer’s first Brit Award and a recognition that comes 12 years into her career.

The win follows several nominations over the years in categories like Best Female and Best Pop Act, and caps off an extraordinary year for the musician, who recently took home three Grammys and delivered a closing performance that fans are calling the “best Grammy performance in history.”

Charli, 32, critiqued the Brits for a lack of female nominees in 2023.

“I don’t think it’s our fault, I think it might be theirs,” she said, in criticism of the Brits’ voting academy. This year, Charli is also up for the coveted Best Artist award, where she faces tough competition from female heavyweights like Dua Lipa, alongside other acts including Central Cee and Sam Fender.

Her fifth album, ‘Brat’, which has received rave reviews for its honest and raw lyrics, is nominated for Album of the Year, along with other nods for Best Dance Act, Best Pop Artist, and Song of the Year for her hit duet with Billie Eilish, ‘Guess’. Charli’s long-time collaborator AG Cook was also named Producer of the Year by the Brits earlier this week.

‘Brat’ has been nothing short of a phenomenon, lauded as “pop music for the future.” With tracks that mix chaos and emotional turmoil, the album quickly became known for its infectious energy and relatable lyrics, with the song ‘Apple’ spawning a viral dance craze. It sparked the “brat summer” trend on social media, championing self-love, body positivity, bold style choices, and plenty of neon green to match the album’s vibrant cover.

‘Brat’ was named Collins’ Word of the Year for 2024, redefined as “characterised by a confident, independent and hedonistic attitude.” The dictionary noted that it quickly became the defining aesthetic of the summer.

Saturday’s Brit Awards follows the news that, for the first time since 2003, no UK artists made it into the 2024 global Top 10 albums or singles charts, with the lists dominated by US and K-pop acts.

Will the rising stars celebrated this weekend herald a new wave of British talent on the küresel stage?