BRIT Awards 2010: Lily Allen, Pixie Lott, Florence And The Machine to do battle
THE BRIT Awards 2010 could result in a catfight of pop royalty as the leading ladies go head-to-head.
The nominations for the BRIT Awards 2010 saw girl power reign supreme, with Lily Allen, Pixie Lott and Florence And The Machine leading the pack with three nods each.
It's Not Me It's You singer Lily Allen is nominated for Best Female Solo Artist, Best British Album and Best British Single for her chart-topper The Fear.
PICTURES: BRIT AWARDS 2010 NOMINATIONS LAUNCH
Gushing at the nominations, the 24-year-old said: “It’s a huge honour for me to have my music recognised in this way by the Brits.”
But the songstress - who has recently announced she is quitting the music industry - is facing some tough competition in her categories, going up against the likes of newcomer Pixie Lott.
The 19-year-old arrived for the nominations launch at the Indig02, London looking every inch the pop princess in a black silk, ruffled mini-dress, to hear she is a contender for Best British Female Solo Artist, British Breakthrough Act and Best British Single.
Asked which award she’d most like to receive, she said: “Any would be nice, so I’m not too fussy.”
The Essex singer - who rocketed to stardom in 2009 - is nominated alongside Florence And The Machine, a London band who are riding high in the charts this week.
You've Got The Love singer Florence will take on both Lily Allen and Pixie Lott in the British British Female category and will also face Lily for the Best British Album and Pixie in Best Breakthrough Act.
Kooky singer Lady GaGa - whose single Poker Face has been named as the most downloaded song of all time - is another of the female popsters dominating this year's awards.
The Bad Romance singer is nominated as Best International Female, International Breakthrough Act and Best International Album for her debut The Fame.
However one of the UK’s biggest-selling successes of the year, Susan Boyle, failed to make any shortlists.
Commenting on the decision, Gennaro Castaldo, of music retailer HMV, said: “Susan Boyle may have grabbed the headlines towards the end of 2009 with the year’s fastest-selling album, but the truth is the year undoubtedly belonged to Lady Gaga - making her a hot favourite to land a clean sweep of the international awards she’s been nominated for.”
X Factor runner-ups JLS were also nominated for 3 gongs - Best British Breakthrough Act, Best Group and Best Single for Beat Again.
The group will feature on the star-studded bill, which also includes Lady GaGa.
The ceremony, which will air live on ITV1 when it takes place next month, will be hosted by comedian Peter Kay.
Robbie Williams will be looking to extend his record-breaking tally of awards this year after making the Best British Male shortlist.
He is also assured of an honorary award as this year’s outstanding contribution to music winner.
Paolo Nutini and Dizzee Rascal are up for Best British Album for their releases Tongue N’Cheek and Sunny Side Up. They compete with Welch’s Lungs, Allen’s It’s Not Me, It’s You and Kasabian’s West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum.
Awards will be handed out on February 16 at Earl’s Court in west London at a star-studded show featuring performances by Florence And The Machine - duetting with Dizzee Rascal - plus Lady GaGa, JLS and Kasabian.
In addition to the usual clutch of award categories, organisers of this year’s event - officially called the Brit Awards 2010 with MasterCard - are searching for winners of two further categories drawn from the past 30 years.
They are best Brits performance including Sir Paul McCartney’s Live And Let Die rendition in 2008 and Michael Jackson’s Earth Song from 1996, which infamously featured Jarvis Cocker’s one-man stage invasion.
Brits bosses are also awarding a prize for the best album since the event began, drawn from releases by Coldplay, Dido, Dire Straits, Duffy, Keane, Oasis, Phil Collins, Sade, The Verve and Travis.
Up and coming act Ellie Goulding has already been announced as the winner of the BRITs Critics’ Choice Prize this year.
Ged Doherty, who chairs the Brits Committee, said this year’s nomination list was “as exciting and diverse a list of nominees as any in its history”.
“As it should be, the competition in many of the categories is going to be intense, and will make for a very exciting night,” he said.
BRIT Awards 2010: The nominees:
BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST
Calvin Harris
Dizzee Rascal
Mika
Paolo Nutini
Robbie Williams
BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
Bat for Lashes
Florence & the Machine
Leona Lewis
Lily Allen
Pixie Lott
BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT
Florence & the Machine
Friendly Fires
JLS
La Roux
Pixie Lott
BRITISH GROUP
Doves
Friendly Fires
JLS
Kasabian
Muse
BRITISH ALBUM
Dizzee Rascal – Tongue n’Cheek
Florence & the Machine – Lungs
Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You
Paolo Nutini – Sunny Side Up
BRITISH SINGLE
Alesha Dixon – Breathe Slow
Alexandra Burke Ft Flo Rida – Bad Boys
Cheryl Cole – Fight For This Love
Joe McElderry – The Climb
JLS – Beat Again
La Roux – In For The Kill
Lily Allen – The Fear
Pixie Lott – Mama Do
Taio Cruz – Break Your Heart
Tinchy Stryder Ft N-Dubz – Number 1
INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST
Bruce Springsteen
Eminem
Jay-Z
Michael Bublé
Seasick Steve
INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
Lady GaGa
Ladyhawke
Norah Jones
Rihanna
Shakira
INTERNATIONAL BREAKTHROUGH ACT
Animal Collective
Daniel Merriweather
Empire of the Sun
Lady GaGa
Taylor Swift
INTERNATIONAL ALBUM
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.
Empire of the Sun – Walking on a Dream
Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3
Lady GaGa – The Fame