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BRIT Awards to Introduce Major Change for 2024 Ceremony after Backlash


Fri 24 Nov 2023 | 12:02 PM
Yara Sameh

The 2024 BRIT Awards will see some major changes to their categories following the backlash of creating Gender Neutral Gongs in 2022.

This year, ceremony organizers came under scrutiny after female musicians - including Charlie XCX and Florence And The Machine - were snubbed from Artist Of The Year, which Harry Styles went on to win.

After the furore, an extensive review took place, and according to reports, the category has been expanded from five nominations to 10. 

Other changes for the award show, set to take place on Saturday, March 2, are said to be a change to 10 nominations for the International Artist Of The Year and a brand new category for R&B.

"The BRITs' decision to ­create genderless categories was huge and they've now tweaked it again to try to make it more inclusive," a source told The Sun.

"The move to go genderless was meant to be progressive, and by making this change they are hoping that it reflects this."

Music industry chiefs faced a backlash when they scrapped the two categories in a bid to be inclusive and relevant after non-binary musicians said they felt excluded.

The first gender-neutral award was handed to Adele in 2022, but in her acceptance speech she pointedly told the audience: "I love being a woman,".

It is understood she also voiced her dismay after this year's shortlist was revealed to contain only men.

When former One Direction star Harry, 29, accepted the Artist Of The Year award, he dedicated it to several female artists who weren't nominated.

He said: "I'm aware of my privilege up here tonight so this award is for Reyna, Florence [Welch], Mabel and Becky [Hill],".

The changes came after singer Sam Smith - who identifies as non-binary - put organizers under pressure to scrap male and female categories earlier this year.

The three-time winner said previously: "Music for me has always been about unification not division. I look forward to a time where awards shows can be reflective of the society we live in,".

This was slapped down by event planners at the time because it risked "Being counterproductive to diversity and equality".

Brit chair Tom March announced the dumping of the long-established category names in 2022.

 He said: "It is important that The Brits continue to evolve and aim to be as inclusive as possible. It feels completely the right time to celebrate the achievements of artists for the music that they create, and the work that they do, irrespective of gender,".

"I'm really excited to launch four new genre awards, which create even more opportunities for artists to be acknowledged for the brilliant music they create and produce, and give music fans the chance to get involved and vote to support their artists and help them to win a Brit,".

After the decision to abolish the male and female categories, Brian May launched a scathing attack on organizers.

The musician, 76, said it was made without a lot of thought and believes if Queen were a new band emerging in the charts today, they would not be considered diverse enough.

Brian, who has won four BRITs with the group, slammed organizers for making decisions 'out of fear' and thinks the gender-neutral gongs will have long-term consequences.

The star also admitted that the woke culture would have made Queen question whether iconic frontman Freddie Mercury was the "right color" or "gender" if the rock band formed in the present day.

In an interview with The Sun, Brian said: "I feel very uncomfortable about some of the decisions that are being made, often out of fear because people are so afraid of being called out. It is a horrible atmosphere,".

"I get so sick of people trying to change things without thinking of the long-term consequences, some of these things are improvements and some are not. Some of them are depriving people."

Brian went on to say he believes Queen wouldn't be considered diverse enough to make it in the industry today, regardless of their talent as a group.