Entertainment
Brits 2021: Who else has won the Brit global icon award?
Taylor Swift is set to make history at the Brit Awards tonight, as she receives the Brits’ highest honour.
The Cardigan singer will be honoured with the global icon award, becoming the first female recipient of the award.
Taylor will receive the award ‘in recognition of her immense impact on music across the world and incredible repertoire and achievements to date’, including being the first and only female artist in the 21st century to score seven number one studio albums in the UK.
But who is Taylor joining in the hall of fame?
Only three other people have won the icon award – Elton John in 2016, David Bowie in 2016 (the award was collected by Gary Oldman), and Robbie Williams in 2017.
So not only is Taylor the first woman to win the award, she is the first non-British artist to do so – hence the ‘global’ part.
The icon award is the highest accolade given by the Brit Awards and ‘is reserved for truly exceptional artists’ – and shouldn’t be confused with the outstanding contribution to music award.
That was last awarded in 2019, with Pink becoming the first international artist to win the award.
There was a break in this category between 2013 and 2018, with previous winners including Spice Girls, Blur, Robbie Williams, U2, Pet Shop Boys, Oasis and Paul McCartney.
Taylor is also up for best international female solo artist tonight, facing Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Cardi B.
She has previously been nominated five times at the Brits since 2010, but has only won once, for international female solo artist in 2015.
Another pre-announced award winner at tonight’s Brit Awards is Griff, who won the rising star award – previously the critics’ choice – over Riya Sawayama and Pa Salieu.
The Brit Awards air tonight at 8pm on ITV.
