Scottish indie singer Lewis Capaldi and rapper Dave will go head to head in this year’s Brit Awards, with both shortlisted for the same four prestigious awards.
The pair have been nominated in the male solo artist, song of the year, new artist of the year and album categories, organisers announced late Saturday.
London rapper Dave, 21, broke through last year with his album ‘Psychodrama’, which topped Britain’s album chart, while Glaswegian Capaldi is up for ‘Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent,’ the country’s best-selling album of 2019.
The singer also received a Grammy nomination for his single ‘Someone You Loved’, which topped the US chart.
Grime rapper Stormzy, who headlined Glastonbury Festival in 2019, is shortlisted in three categories, as is singer Mabel, daughter of Swedish star Neneh Cherry.
The best international male award pits Bruce Springsteen against Nigerian singer Burna Boy.
The winners will be announced during the annual awards show at London’s O2 Arena on February 18.
Rockers The 1975 stole last year’s show, with US singer Pink also honoured.
The awards have recognised the cream of British pop music since they were first held in 1977, and have often been peppered with scandal and farce.
Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker stormed the stage in protest while Michael Jackson performed surrounded by children in 1996.
In 1998, Chumbawamba vocalist Danbert Nobacon dumped a bucket of iced water over then deputy prime minister John Prescott.
And Madonna suffered whiplash injuries at the 2015 edition when she fell off the stage wearing a giant cape and surrounded by dancers wearing bondage-style costumes and horns on their heads.
The British music industry contributed £4.5 billion (Dh21.5 billion) to the UK economy in 2015, and British artists accounted for one of every eight albums purchased worldwide.
