Winner of the Brits Rising Star award revealed

Singer Holly Humberstone has been named as the winner of the rising star Brit Award ahead of the award ceremony in 2022.

The prize recognises future stars of British music and previous winners include Adele, Ellie Goulding, Celeste and this year’s winner, Griff.

The 21-year-old, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, said: “I remember watching the Brits with my parents each year and being totally awe struck by the artists coming together in what felt like another universe.

“Now to be named the Brits Rising Star and nominated alongside two other incredible women, with the songs that started within those four walls at home is so mad.

“It just doesn’t feel real. This year has been a wild ride and a year of firsts, and I am so grateful and thankful for everyone who has helped make this happen!”

Humberstone, whose debut EP titled Falling Asleep At The Wheel was released last year, was shortlisted for the award alongside Bree Runway and Lola Young.

Her second EP, titled The Walls Are Way Too Thin, was released in November and her rise to fame has seen her named the BBC’s Sound Of 2021 runner-up as well as clocking up performances on both Jimmy Kimmel and James Corden’s American chat shows.

She was nominated for the Ivor Novello Rising Star Award with Apple Music and was also chosen as one of YouTube’s next Artist On The Rise.

News of her win was announced by Clara Amfo on her BBC Radio 1 Future Sounds show.

Humberstone said: “It is something I never thought I would be able to experience, I am extremely lucky, I do not know how to go about processing it.

“Everyone experiences some kind of imposter syndrome, I am definitely feeling it. This award is a chance to reflect since releasing music, feeling proud of myself and appreciate that it is my job and I am so lucky.

“I was so excited and hyped just to be nominated, I was just gassed to be included as part of that sick group.”

On the show, it was revealed that former winner Sam Fender had broken the news to Humberstone while they were recording a new version of his song Seventeen Going Under, which was exclusively played on Radio 1.

She added: “I was obsessed with his album and I have been a fan for such a long time. I cannot wait for the Brits.”

Next year’s Brit awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on February 8, with nominations announced on December 18 during ITV’s The Brits Are Coming broadcast.

Male and female categories will be scrapped at next year’s awards ceremony, with gender-neutral gongs introduced in their place, it was announced last month.

Prizes will be handed out to the artist of the year and the international artist of the year, replacing best male and female solo artist and best international male and female solo artist.

The 2022 ceremony, hosted by Mo Gilligan, will also feature four new awards, which will all be decided by public vote – alternative/rock act; hip hop/grime/rap act; dance act and pop/R’n’B act.

The Brit Awards 2022 will air on ITV on February 8 live from the 02 Arena in London.