Breakthrough artist SOMBR confirmed to perform at 2026 BRIT Awards alongside a star-studded lineup following his rapid rise to fame

by

SOMBR has been confirmed as the latest act set to take to the stage at this year’s BRIT Awards. 

Twenty-year-old Shane Michael Boose, known as a singer-songwriter, became famous in 2025 with his popular song “Back To Friends.” The song quickly reached the top spot on both Spotify’s worldwide and U.S. charts.

He also cracked the Billboard Hot 100 top-ten singles and landed number one pop song in America.

He quickly became incredibly popular, selling out concert tours across the US, UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. His shows also featured unexpected performances by artists like Sam Smith and Laufey.

The musician from New York City is also up for two international awards: International Artist of the Year and International Song of the Year for his popular 2025 song, “Undressed.”

SOMBR is the latest addition to the exciting list of performers at the ceremony on February 28th.

The lineup already includes Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI (who provides vocals for HUNTR/X), Wolf Alice, Mark Ronson, ROSALÍA, and Alex Warren.

SOMBR expressed their excitement about performing at the BRIT Awards, calling it a real honour. They also shared gratitude for all the support they’ve received over the past year, and said the UK feels like a second home to them, expressing their love for the country and its people.

Lola Young and Olivia Dean are the frontrunners for this year’s awards, each receiving five nominations. Lily Allen, making a successful return to music, is also a strong contender with three nominations.

After eliminating separate male and female award categories in 2022, the award show has received significant criticism for the lack of female nominees. This was especially noticeable in 2023 when all the nominees for Artist of the Year were men.

This year, there’s been a significant shift, as women and non-binary individuals now make up 70% of the nominations.

Lily returned to music in October 2025 with “West End Girl,” her first album in seven years, which she described as a project fueled by overcoming past challenges.

Oh my god, you guys, her new album is everything. It’s basically a raw, heartbreaking diary of what happened with her and David Harbour. She totally lays it all out there – how their marriage fell apart, and… well, she even hints at him having an affair while they were still together. It’s so painful to listen to, but you can feel every single emotion. I’ve listened to it like, ten times already!

Lily is competing with Lola and Olivia for the Artist of the Year award at the February 28th ceremony. She’s also up for Album of the Year and Pop Artist of the Year.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve seen firsthand how heartbreak can fuel creativity, and Lily’s latest album is a powerful example. It bravely chronicles the end of her four-year marriage to David, and she doesn’t shy away from sharing the pain caused by his affair. She really lays bare the emotions surrounding his infidelity in her songwriting – it’s incredibly raw and honest.

Lola, age 24, has been nominated for both Breakthrough Artist and Alternative/Rock Act. However, it’s unclear whether she’ll be at the awards ceremony.

She reacted to the news with disbelief and excitement, saying she couldn’t believe she’d received five BRIT Award nominations. It felt like a dream come true, so much so that she half-expected to wake up at any moment.

I’m truly touched and so grateful for this honor. It means the world to me to be recognized with such a talented group of nominees.

After collapsing onstage during a New York concert, she canceled the rest of her tour in September to focus on her well-being.

In September 2024, the singer had to be helped off stage during a performance. She later let her fans know that she was okay.

In December 2025, Lola shared a heartfelt message upon her return to social media, saying she was feeling much better emotionally.

In a recent post, Lola shared her thanks to everyone who gave her the time and support she needed to feel better.

‘I’ve felt so much love and support from you all and it has helped more than you will ever know.

I’m slowly starting to perform again and work towards my goals, which feels great. Wishing everyone happy holidays, and I’m looking forward to seeing you all in 2026! Life has its ups and downs, but I’m feeling good today. Sending lots of love, Lola.

Olivia, age 26, had a breakout year, becoming the first female artist since Adele in 2021 to simultaneously reach No. 1 in the UK with both a single (“Man I Need”) and an album (“The Art Of Loving”).

She has been nominated in five categories and will be performing at the Award ceremony.

It’s amazing to go from being a student in the audience at The BRIT School to performing there ten years later, and I can’t wait to see everyone in Manchester, shared Ms. Dean.

The star began writing songs at the tender age of 16, and taught herself to play guitar and piano.

Olivia trained at the Brit School, a performing arts and technology institution, and is up for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.

She first gained attention in 2018 with her debut single, “Reason To Stay,” and followed it up with two EPs released in 2019 and 2020.

In 2021, Amazon Music recognized her as an up-and-coming artist, and her version of Nat King Cole’s “Christmas Song” reached number 19 on the UK singles chart.

Aside from being nominated, Olivia is also reported to perform at the Brit Awards.

After winning the 2025 Mercury Prize for his album ‘People Watching’, Sam Fender is up for four awards at the BRITs.

Dave won awards in three categories: Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Best Hip Hop, Grime, or Rap Act.

Last year, the 27-year-old musician released his third album, ‘The Boy Who Played The Harp.’ He’s now made history as the first British rapper to have three albums reach the top of the UK charts.

Raye received one nomination this year, following her impressive win of six awards last year.

The singer won the first award of the night – Song of the Year for her popular track “Escapism” featuring 070 Shake. She later also received awards for R&B Act and Best New Artist.

This artist now holds the record for winning the most BRIT Awards at a single event. Previously, Blur, Adele, and Harry Styles each held the record with four wins.

British icons Pulp have received their first nomination for Group of the Year since 1996.

This year’s nominations include strong representation from Hollywood, with the KPop-inspired group HUNTR/X from Netflix receiving a nomination for International Song of the Year for their track “Golden,” and also being considered for International Group of the Year.

Cynthia Erivo received her first nomination for Song of the Year with Mastercard for her performance of “Defying Gravity” from the musical Wicked.

Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga, and Chappell Roan are also nominated for awards alongside other international artists.

The BRIT Awards are back on February 28th, and this year they’re being held in Manchester at the new Co-op Live arena – a major center for music and culture.

The annual music awards show, traditionally held at London’s O2 Arena since 2011 and known as the biggest night in British music, will be held in Manchester this year. According to the Daily Mail, the event is expected to move to different cities around the UK in the years to come.

Jack Whitehall is back to host The BRIT Awards for the sixth time. He’s hosted the show before, in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2025.

He left the show in 2022, with Mo Gilligan hosting for the next two years. In 2024, Maya Jama, Roman Kemp, and Clara Amfo all co-hosted the event.

Read More

2026-02-19 20:21