Brit Awards 2015 – a night of music, performances and a big fall

Posted on 26 February 2015
By Faye Smith
  • Share:

Most articles, blog posts and tweets – and probably a few big front page editions – have been talking about that fall. Yes. Madonna fell. Her Armani cape was tied too tight which led to a dancer pulling it and dragging the Queen of Pop down the stairs with it. She was a good sport, she was actually singing live and she carried on like a superstar. What a way to return to the Brit Awards after two decades away. Doubt that she’ll be returning any time soon.

Now, onto the rest of the evening preceding this moment of stage fright.

Following the recent tradition, Brit man Sam Smith won more than one of those mini white statues for Best British Breakthrough Act and Global Success. He admitted beforehand on the red carpet, “The pressure is not on. Truly, I believe the point of being an artist and making music is selling records and doing what I love. And that’s what I’m doing.” There was no need to worry, mate.

Of course, Ed Sheeran also won two of the prestigious awards – British Male Solo Artist and Mastercard British Album of the Year. It was possible however that he was more interested in the fact that he met Gladiator star Russell Crowe. The word “sick” was mentioned more than a couple of times. After getting over this little star struck moment, Ed Sheeran said that it took a long time to make the album right and that “It’s been a very good year for British music and I think it’s a night to celebrate the whole thing.”

Paloma Faith was physically moved to tears as she accepted her award saying “it’s been a long time coming.” She has been nominated twice back in 2011 and 2013. She dedicated it too “all the underdogs and all the grafters.”

Party song of the moment (that has lasted since before Christmas) ‘Uptown Funk’ by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars claimed the Brit Award for British Single. Mark Ronson was lost for words. He thanked “people like Lionel Richie and The Commodores and Earth Wind and Fire and James Brown – the people that invented this genre of funk” as well as his wife and manager.

International successes went to Taylor Swift and Pharrell Williams for Best International Female/Male Solo Artists. That wasn’t really a shock due to Swift’s latest IFPI as Global Artist of 2014 and all the success that Pharrell has received. Both were ecstatic and thanked the British fans for their unwavering support. The Foo Fighters won the Brit Award for International Group. Again, no surprise there. How long have they been going?

James Bay won the Brit Critic’s Choice Award. With previous winners like Sam Smith and Emeli Sandé, he jokes that he feels the pressure. Sam Smith offers advice about song writing – heartbreak. Ant and Dec – the ever-hilarious duo – butt in and tell James Bay to go and get himself dumped.

Other winners of the evening included Royal Blood for British Group, One Direction for British Video and Paul Epworth for Best Producer.

We started with the performance of the night in one way or another, so let’s end with the other performances that are now not as memorable.

All the artists who performed from Taylor Swift surrounded by waiters to Paloma Faith surrounded by water and ballet dancers were fantastic. All of them, bar one. His name, Kanye West.

His wife Kim Kardashian welcomed him to the stage where everything went dark and then there he was head to tow in black with his hood up surrounded by what looked like gang members. Now, Kanye West does have some successful songs in his back pocket. This is definitely not one of them. It was awful. Some people in the audience looked confused. The viewers at home were confused – mainly because the majority of the song wasn’t even heard due to ITV not wanting to broadcast the amount of expletives used. Go home Kanye. Think of some better raps.

Author