Olivia Dean's Brit Awards Triumph, Northern Vibes

0:00This is your global news update for March 1st, brought to you by Surfshark, Simple Affordable Online Privacy. Links in the episode description. Olivia Dean had a huge night at the Bird Awards, 2026, sweeping up four major trophies in Manchester, England, on February 28th. She grabbed artists of the year, song of the year, and two others, marking her as the big standout. The show marked a change, shifting from London of North to Manchester for the first time. Dean, a former student at the Brit School, lit up the stage with her song, Man I Need, fresh off her best new artist win at this year's Grammys. Harry Styles kicked things off with the TV debut of Aperture from his new album, Kiss All the Time, disco occasionally dropping next week. Fans and critics buzzed over the international knots, too, with Rosalia taking best international artist, R.O.S.E. and Bruno Mars napping best. International Song and Geese Winning Best International Group. Robbie Williams led an emotional tribute to the late Ozzy Osborne, who passed last year, joined by Black Sabbath members for a fresh take on No More.

1:08Tears. Jacob Alon picked up the Critics' Choice Award, stepping into big shoes left by Adele and Sam Fender. Ray, Sumbray, and others performed, while Mark Ronson earned the outstanding contribution to music honor. All in all, the night celebrated UK talent with a fresh Northern vibe, setting the stage for more hits ahead.