Eilish performs new Bond theme song at politically tinged Brit Awards

Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi and soulful London rapper Dave took top prizes Tuesday at the UK music industry's Brit Awards, where Dave brought some political edge to the glossy talent parade.

Billie Eilish and Tyler the Creator were among the international winners at the awards, which have been criticised for a dearth of female nominees.

Billie Eilish accepts her award for international female solo artist at the Brit Awards 2020.Credit:AP

The 21-year-old south Londoner Dave won the coveted album of the year prize for the self-reflective Psychodrama.

Accepting the trophy, he gave a shout out to other young people from Britain's cities with big aspirations.

"All my young kings and queens that are chasing their dreams, I'm no different from you," he said.

Dave accepts the album of the year at the Brit Awards.Credit:Getty Images

Dave later held the audience rapt with a piano-accompanied, slow-burning rendition of Black in which he accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson of racism, contrasted "how the news treats Kate versus how they treated Meghan" and paid homage to Jack Merritt, the young prisoner-rehabilitation worker killed in a knife attack near London Bridge last year by a radicalized ex-inmate he had been helping.

The award for international female artist went to Eilish, who won five Grammy Awards last month.

Comedian Jack Whitehall, the evening's host, quipped that the 18-year-old superstar was "the only teenager in the world who makes Greta Thunberg look lazy."

Eilish, who has spoken off her mental health struggles, told the audience: "I have felt very hated recently."

"When I was on the stage and I saw you guys all smiling at me it genuinely made me want to cry and I want to cry now," she said.

Lizzo performs during the Brit Awards.Credit:Getty Images

Singer Celeste was named rising star, Foals was declared band of the year, and the award for international male solo artist went to Tyler the Creator. He sardonically thanked former Prime Minister Theresa May for banning him from entering Britain five years ago.

Septuagenarian rocker-turned-crooner Rod Stewart closed the show, accompanied by former Faces band mates Ronnie Wood and Kenney Jones.

The awards have been criticized over the years for failing to reflect the diversity of British music and being slow to embrace the emergence of genres including home-grown British grime and hip-hop.

In 2017 the academy of more than 1000 music industry professionals that chooses Brits winners was expanded in an attempt to make it more gender balanced and diverse. Last year female nominees outnumbered men for only the second time in the event's 40-year history.

But this year only four nominations out of a possible 25 in categories that are not gender-specific feature women. No female performers were included on the shortlists for best group or album of the year.

AAP

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