Sande wins best female artist
Chart-topping star Emeli Sande took the first of the honours at tonight’s Brit Awards as she collected the best female solo artist prize.
The 25-year-old – who is up for three trophies – beat stars such as Jessie Ware and the late Amy Winehouse to land the award.
Picking up the Damien Hirst-designed trophy from US star Taylor Swift, she said: “This feels amazing. This is incredible and and I’m so happy to win this award.”
The beaming star collected the prize a year after she won the Critics’ Choice Award at the Brits, which kick-started her career.
She was at the O2 Arena among the cream of British and international stars for tonight’s event.
Sande went on: “I don’t really know what to say – thank you to everybody who’s allowed me to make my music and allowed me to even be considered.”
The singer, who was raised near Aberdeen, thanked her husband, Adam Gouragine, whom she married last summer.
The show opened with rock band Muse, who were backed by a 60-piece string section as they performed their track Supremacy.
Presenter James Corden made reference to last year’s show in which he memorably cut off singer Adele as she collected her best album prize.
He pointed out that Swift had once been cut off mid-speech but there was no chance of such an occurrence tonight. “Not on my watch,” he joked.
