The BRIT Awards 2024 with Mastercard have today announced the shortlist of three acts for the prestigious 2024 BRITs Rising Star supported by BBC Radio 1 as Caity Baser, The Last Dinner Party and Sekou.
The Rising Star award has, since its inception in 2008 (originally known as Critics’ Choice), has successfully predicted the future stars of music through an impressive roll call of nominees and winners; those who have been awarded The BRITs Rising Star award previously include Adele, Sam Smith, Sam Fender, Ellie Goulding, Florence + The Machine, Griff and the 2023 winner FLO (the first group to receive the award), and artists nominated for the award previously include Dua Lipa, Anne-Marie, Lewis Capaldi, Cat Burns, Michael Kiwanuka, Mabel, Years & Years. Global track streams for all previous winners has surpassed 60 billion.
The BRITs Rising Star award shortlist is selected by an invited panel of music editors and critics from the national press, online music editors, heads of music at major radio and music TV stations plus songwriters, producers and live bookers - those working with new rising talent on a regular basis. The award is open to British artists who, as of 31st October 2023, have not yet achieved an Official Album Charts Top 20 placing or achieved more than one Top 20 chart placing in the Official Singles Chart.
The 2024 Rising Star award winner will be announced on Thursday 7th December.
Introducing the 2024 BRITs Rising Star shortlist....
Caity Baser
“When I heard that I've been nominated for the BRITs Rising Star award this year, I literally screamed for 5 minutes and chucked everything around my room!! I used to watch the awards on TV every year when I was a kid but had no idea how a kid from an estate in Southampton would ever get there. Now to be shortlisted for the Rising Star award for next year...me! Little old me… All I have to say is I am so happy and thank you so much. It's really a dream come true!”
Caity Baser, the 21-year-old singer & songwriter from a council estate in Southampton, has gone from working in a supermarket, writing songs in her bedroom to being the UK's one to watch pop star. Her first singles include 'Friendly Sex', 'X&Y' and recent breakthrough record 'Pretty Boys' from her forthcoming mixtape. The unstoppable Slaysers, her devoted fan base, have helped make Caity a Gen Z role model for self-confidence, honesty and female empowerment. Recently - as a thank you to those fans - she capped her ticket prices during the cost of living crisis, a pledge which earned her headlines across the UK. This year Caity packed out the stage at Reading & Leeds Festival, appeared on national TV and radio and received widespread acclaim for her music. Caity is set to embark on her biggest tour, including a show at London's Hammersmith Apollo and will release her highly anticipated 14-track mixtape 'Still Learning' in March 2024.
The Last Dinner Party
“We’re so honoured and thrilled to be nominated for the Rising Star award! It’s very overwhelming and exciting to be up for something as prestigious as a BRIT at this stage in our career and we’re so grateful. We’ve had an amazing year and can’t wait for all that’s to come!”
At the turn of the year, The Last Dinner Party was little more than a new name being shared by those that had inadvertently caught them live. Great songs, strong aesthetic. Five women writing and performing melody-rich, guitar-heavy leftfield indie-rock dramas. Spending much of 2022 adding to their older songs, writing new ones, road-testing them all, and taking the fruits of that process into the studio to record with producer James Ford, it wasn’t until April 2023 that the band released the instantly more-ish Nothing Matters and seemingly everyone had quickly formed an opinion on them. It was an introduction that took the online world by storm, and yet behind all the excitement and narrative was a fantastically confident song by a band doing it the old-fashioned way, out on the road. By July, The Last Dinner Party had released Sinner, another gloriously infectious, leftfield pop epic that fuelled the now fully-formed zeitgeist and set the band up for a Summer packing tents at festivals across the UK and Europe. It was a breakthrough Summer for one of the most talked about new British acts in years, delivering on all that early promise emphatically. The crunching snarl of My Lady Of Mercy confidently compounded all the buzz and excitement. And as they line up their debut album, Prelude To Ecstasy, for February 2024, everyone is staking a seat at the table for The Last Dinner Party.
Sekou
“Being nominated for BRITs Rising Star is absolutely crazy. I grew up in a small town and watched the BRITs every single year. The performances were always amazing - Adele, Amy, Sam Smith, Beyoncé. I remember being 10 years old when Adele sang ‘Someone Like You’ for the first time and being like… YES that’s gonna be me one day. Don’t even get me started on Beyoncé. I’m so grateful to be considered for this. For me, this feels like God telling me to continue to work harder and keep pushing. Thank you BRITsssssss!!!!”
Born and raised in Ashby, Leicester, Sekou is a rising star having recently attended East London Arts and Music (ELAM). At the age of 16, he gained recognition after posting soulful covers online, leading to his discovery by NWS Music. With roots in the church and an appreciation for Gospel music, Sekou's powerful and emotive vocal ability has captivated audiences. Drawing inspiration from legends like Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, and Beyoncé, he brings a blend of classic soul and contemporary pop to his music. His breakout single 'Better Man,' performed for the first time at BBC Introducing's tent at Glastonbury in 2022 (selected by Arlo Parks and presenter Dean Jackson), showcased the now 19-year-old’s remarkable vocal range and heartfelt songwriting. Sekou's up-tempo follow-up single 'Forgiving Myself' and debut EP 'Out of Mind' further highlighted his artistry and solidified his place in the music industry. Selected as a Music 'Up Next' artist and one of Clash Music's 'Next Wave' talents, Sekou continually shows us why he's the one to watch in the U.K. music scene.
Past BRITs Critics’ Choice / Rising Star winners and nominees:
2008 Adele (Duffy, Foals)
2009 Florence + The Machine (Little Boots, White Lies)
2010 Ellie Goulding (Delphic, Marina and the Diamonds)
2011 Jessie J (James Blake, The Vaccines)
2012 Emeli Sandé (Michael Kiwanuka, Maverick Sabre)
2013 Tom Odell (AlunaGeorge, Laura Mvula)
2014 Sam Smith (Ella Eyre, Chlöe Howl)
2015 James Bay (George The Poet, Years & Years)
2016 Jack Garratt (Izzy Bizu, Frances)
2017 Rag ’n’ Bone Man (Anne Marie, Dua Lipa)
2018 Jorja Smith (Stefflon Don, Mabel)
2019 Sam Fender (Lewis Capaldi, Mahalia)
2020 Celeste (Beabadoobee, Joy Crookes)
2021 Griff (Pa Salieu, Rina Sawayama)
2022 Holly Humberstone (Bree Runway, Lola Young)
2023 FLO (Cat Burns, Nia Archives)
The BRIT Awards 2024 with Mastercard will take place on Saturday 2nd March - once again back in a primetime Saturday night slot - and will broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX - from The O2 arena.
Mastercard returns as headline partner of The BRIT Awards for the 26th year, bringing cardholders closer to their passion for music through a range of BRITs experiences. Mastercard continues to partner with the BRIT School to support and celebrate the next generation of creative talent.
Further campaign announcements will be made in the coming months.
