Brit awards: all-male best artist category reveals wider music industry sickness

More fool anyone who looks to awards ceremonies as arbiters of societal progress, but in 2021, when the Brit awards did away with gendered categories, it seemed as though the industry stalwart was moving in the right direction.

The decision came after Sam Smith, who came out as non-binary in 2019, was automatically excluded from that year’s best British male and female categories, despite being the sort of commercial behemoth who otherwise would be – and with three wins and nine more nominations, always had been – a shoo-in for stats-oriented Brits recognition. At the time of the 2021 nominations, Smith said: “I look forward to a time where awards shows can be reflective of the society we live in. Let’s celebrate everybody, regardless of gender, race, age, ability, sexuality and class.”

Nine months later, the Brits accepted that Smith was right and replaced those categories with a generic best artist prize, plus new genre-specific awards. In its first year, it was won by Adele, who beat Little Simz, Ed Sheeran, Dave and Sam Fender. But now, in year two, all five nominees are men: Central Cee, Stormzy, Fred Again, George Ezra and Harry Styles.

Laura Snapes
Mon, 16 January 2023 at 4:14 pm CET
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/brit-awards-male-best-artist-151431815.html

This is the approachable figure Ezra, who is 28, cuts in most settings, whether playing a radiant set at Glastonbury or warmly chatting about mental health on his podcast. A music college dropout born George Ezra Barnett, he emerged in 2014 as part of a cohort of middle-class British boys with acoustic guitars. Unlike most of them, he wasn’t lachrymose or ambition-crazed. Instead he had a good-weird sense of humour and a big voice, cultivated after this ardent blues fan became obsessed with the US blues singer Lead Belly.

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theguardian.com/music/2022/jan/30/

Lyrics:

My house in Budapest

My hidden treasure chest

Golden grand piano

My beautiful Castillo

You You I'd leave it all

My acres of a land I have achieved

It may be hard for you to Stop and believe

But for you You I'd Leave it all

#GeorgeEzra #OfficialVideo #Budapest

George Ezra - Budapest

21 Apr 2014

George Ezra
https://youtu.be/VHrLPs3_1Fs
George Ezra - Budapest (Official Video)