TheΒ BRIT Awards 2016 ceremony successfully concludedΒ on February 24 at The O2 Arena in London. While the main focus was to honour the achievements of British artists with colourful bespoke statues, we can’t deny this year’s highlights centred on the crowd-wowing live performances that put those fromΒ the Grammys to shame. Here are the five top performances you cannot miss.
Rihanna ft. Drake – βConsiderationβ / βWorkβ
We can finally cry in happy tears seeing Rihanna perform her new single after her last-minute Grammys cancellation. Beside the absolutely stunning lights and staging Rihannaβs voice was on point despite still recovering from vocal cords sickness; the one who needed to βworkβ more was her surprise guest Drake. Though our guess is everyone forgot everything when the two got their NSFW moves on.
Jess Glynne – βAinβt Got Far To Goβ / βDonβt Be So Hard On Yourselfβ / βHold My Handβ
Before Adele reclaimed her throne last October, Jess Glynne had easily been the female voice of 2015 in Brit pop. From bird-eye view, the British Female Solo Artist nomineeβs stunning medley performance started with her in standing at the centre of dancers moving in a synchronised circular routine. If anyone had happened to be falling asleep during whatever it was Ant & Dec were doing, theyβre up and chirpy again as Glynne bellowed her hits.
Justin Bieber – βLove Yourselfβ (ft. James Bay) / βSorryβ
Give it to the BRIT Awards and the O2 Arena to set the stage to Bieberβs Purpose eraβs best performance yet. The International Male Solo Artist winner delivered a low key but solid bonfire-by-the-beach performance of βLove Yourselfβ (our hats off to James βBaeβ for his contribution) before going on to end the segment with a tropical bang that is βSorryβ. Weβre pretty sure weβve seen a stage set on fire before (re: Kendrick Lamar at the Grammys) but Bieber nailed it in his own right.
James Bay – βHold Back the Riverβ
James Bay sure showed them what it is to be this yearβs British Male Solo Artist. Not long after winning his second Brit award and playing acoustic guitar for the Biebsβ βSorryβ performance, Bay powered his biggest hit βHold Back the Riverβ off the album Chaos and the Calm.
Lorde ft. David Bowieβs original backing band – Guitar medley / βLife on Marsβ
Duncan Jones has finally given his seal of approval to one tribute performance for his late father and itβs Lordeβs surprise coverβas opposed to Gagaβs extravagant Grammys homage. But thatβs not why we think itβs the best performance of the night. Itβs never the matter of βwhoβs done it betterβ; Lorde only showed us this is another way of honouring the beloved icon: with poignant and earnest simplicity. Whatever she sang, we sang with her. Whatever she felt, we felt with her.
https://youtu.be/P5mFh39FAxc?t=2h24m28s