The 2024 BRITS Awards will be applying some "major changes" in choosing nominees for their gender-neutral categories-especially the Artist of the Year award.
According to Daily Mail UK, the organizers of the event were called out and criticized by netizens earlier this year when it was revealed that the BRITS Awards snubbed several female artists like Charlie XCX and Florence And The Machine.
Harry Styles brought home the Artist of the Year award last January, and while many were happy for him, there were those who criticized the organizers of the event for having an all-male nominees list.
"I'm very aware of my privilege up here tonight," the "As It Was" singer said during his acceptance speech. "So this award is for Rina [Sawayama], Charli [XCX], Florence [Welch], Mabel, and Becky [Hill]."
BRITS Awards Increase Nominees List
Additionally, according to reports, the number of nominees per gender-neutral category will be increased from five to 10.
Through this new change, the BRITS Awards hope to make the ceremony more "inclusive."
"The BRITs' decision to create genderless categories was huge and they've now tweaked it again to try to make it more inclusive," a source revealed.
"The move to go genderless was meant to be progressive, and by making this change they are hoping that it reflects this."
BRITS Awards Recognize R&B
In line with their inclusivity decisions came the BRITS Awards adding R&B to its list of genre categories. The previous genres that were honored in the award are Alternative/ Rock, Dance, Pop and Hip Hop/Grime/Rap.
The organizers were also called out for the lack of representation in terms of music genres.
BRITS Awards nominee Mahalia took to social media to bring light to the issue: "Putting pop and R&B in the same category is really nuts to me and proves that the powers-that-be once again just do not get it."
"Forget putting us in this category. Give us our own! How many times do we have to scream at you?" She wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
"The BRITs is committed to making the show as inclusive and representative as possible, the changes to this year's categories are part of an ongoing process of evolution, and we will continue to review, listen, and learn," read the statement from the British Phonographic Industry in response to the criticisms and backlash.
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