Teenage R&B sensation Craig David heads the nominations for the Brit 2001 Awards. The WildStar Records artist is up for four awards -- best British dance act, best British male solo artist, best British newcomer, and best British album for "Born To Do It." As previously reported, David's album will be released in May in the US by Atlantic.
The awards will be presented on February 26th at London's Earls Court, and will be introduced by popular television hosts Ant and Dec, who also presided over the January 15th nominations soiree.
U.K. rock breakthrough act Coldplay received three nominations, including best British group and British album ("Parachutes"), as did pop-dance singer-DJ Sonique and Irish quintet Westlife. Radiohead were also nominated in the group and album ("Kid A") sections, while Coldplay also appeared in the newcomer section, which has a published shortlist of 20 acts to be voted on by listeners of BBC Radio 1.
Radiohead, Toploader, and Moloko were among 11 acts to receive two nominations each. The other UK artists to do so were David Gray (who appears on the best British album list with "Lost Songs 95-98," featuring material written before his "White Ladder" breakthrough), Robbie Williams, Badly Drawn Boy, Fatboy Slim, and Artful Dodger.
Female R&B discoveries Pink and Jill Scott have two mentions apiece among the international categories, and will vie for best international female solo artist with Madonna, Britney Spears, and Kylie Minogue. Westlife are up for both international group and newcomer, doing battle for the former with Santana, Savage Garden, the Corrs, and U2.
Eminem and Madonna have one nomination each, for best international artist. Eminem will compete with Ricky Martin, Ronan Keating, Sisqo, and Wyclef Jean, while Madonna is up against Scott, Pink, Spears, and Minogue.
Summarizing the main U.K. categories, best British group will be between All Saints, Coldplay, Moloko, Radiohead, and Toploader; the best British album category features the sets by Coldplay, Radiohead, and Gray, plus David's "Born To Do It" and Williams' "Sing When You're Winning." The best British male solo artist category features Badly Drawn Boy, David, Williams, Gray, and Fatboy Slim, and best British female has Dido, Sade, PJ Harvey, Jamelia, and Sonique.
Nominated for best soundtrack or cast recording are the soundtracks for "The Virgin Suicides" (by Air), "Selmasongs" (the "Dancer In The Dark" soundtrack by Bjork), "American Beauty," "Billy Elliot," "Shaft," and "The Beach."
The shortlist for best British single, voted by listeners of independent commercial radio, will be announced Jan. 23, as will that for best British video, voted by viewers of the Box.
U2 will receive the outstanding contribution to British music award, before closing the show with a live performance. Williams, Westlife, and David are also confirmed to play live at the awards, with more names to be added
