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Harry Styles opened the BRIT Awards 2026 at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena on Saturday evening with the very first live perfomance of his new single Aperture.
The singer, 32, send fans wild as he made his first red carpet appearance and much anticipated return to the stage following a three year career break.
Oozing confidence he cut a stylish figure, swapping his usual sequinned stage outfits for a subdued shirt and tie for very memorable routine.
Joined by a huge group of dancers he strutted his stuff energetically in a perfectly choreographed routine, complete with spirit fingers.
Fans rushed to social media, gushing: ‘He is so back!’: ‘That Harry Styles BRITs performance was GENUINELY incredible we are so back !!!!’: ‘HARRY STYLES ATE SO HARD’: ‘I just love harry styles’: ‘HARRY STYLES IS BAAAAAACK’: ‘
‘That was an EXTRAORDINARY performance from Harry Styles! The dancing, the dancers, the hands shaking, the gospel singers! He really levelled up and got a standing, screaming ovation from the audience! So unbelievably proud’.
Hitting the red carpet earlier in the evening, Harry wore his stage outfit but completed the suit with a double breasted blazer.
Later Olivia Dean, fresh off her win for Best Song Of the Year for her and Sam Fender’s Rein It In, to perform her solo track Man I Need.
The stunner, 26, sizzled in a sequinned mini dress and oozed old fashioned glamour as she showed off her incredible vocals.
Following her record breaking six awards at the 2024 ceremony, Raye was back and received a standing ovation from the Manchester audience.
The 46th edition of the BRIT Awards launch at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena for the first time tonight.
Since removing gendered categories, such as Best Male and Best Female, the ceremony has faced backlash for the low number of female artists nominated, particularly in 2023 when the Artist Of The Year shortlist was entirely male.
But 2026 will ring in the changes, with 70 percent of this year’s nominations being female or non-binary.
Lola Young and Olivia Dean lead the nominations with five each, closely followed by comeback queen Lily Allen, who has been recognised in three categories for her critically acclaimed fifth album, West End Girl.
The singer, 40, used the album to chronicle the collapse of her marriage to Stranger Things star David Harbour and his alleged infidelities while they were together.
She will go up against both Young and Dean for Artist Of The Year at the ceremony, while also competing for Album Of The Year and Pop Act.
Lola, 24, is also up for Breakthrough Artist and Alternative/Rock Act, but it is unknown if she will attend the ceremony.
Following the announcement, she said: ‘Five BRIT nominations, how is this even possible? I’ve had this dream a thousand times, so I’m slightly convinced that my alarm clock is about to wake me up.
‘Seriously, this means so much to me. I am so grateful for this moment and to be nominated alongside the incredible other nominees.’
Olivia, 26, became the first woman to claim the UK’s No 1 single and album in the same week since Adele in 2021, with her song Man I Need and album The Art Of Loving, both released in 2025.
She has been nominated in five categories and will be performing at the Award ceremony.
‘To go from being a student of The BRIT School in the crowd to being a performer 10 years later is really crazy, and I’m so excited to see everyone in Manchester,’ the singer shared in January.
Elsewhere, British rapper Dave has been recognised in three categories: Artist Of The Year, Album Of The Year, and Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act.
The 27-year-old released his third studio album, The Boy Who Played The Harp, in 2025 and has since become the first British rap artist to debut three albums at number one in the UK’s official chart.
Raye has been recognised in just one category this year, after scooping a record-breaking six awards last year.
The singer, 28, scooped the first gong presented on the night, Song of the Year for her hit Escapism ft 070 Shake, shortly before also taking home the R&B Act gong and Best New Artist.
She currently holds the record for the most BRIT Awards won at a single ceremony, a record which previously stood at four, jointly held by Blur in 1995, Adele in 2016, and Harry Styles in 2023.
Raye has also been announced as the final act to perform at this year’s BRIT Awards.
The singer, whose real name is Rachel Keen, will take to the stage during the star-studded show.
Speaking ahead of her performance, Raye said: ‘We are so grateful to the BRIT Awards for having us back on their stage. Me and the band are very excited. Lots of love, Raye.’
British icons Pulp have received their first nomination for Group of the Year since 1996.
Hollywood is also well represented in this year’s nominations, as Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters group HUNTR/X are nominated for International Song of the Year with Golden, and are shortlisted for International Group.
Meanwhile, Cynthia Erivo has secured her first nomination with her rendition of Wicked’s Defying Gravity in contention for Song of the Year with Mastercard.
Other international stars up for awards include Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga and Chappell Roan.
The BRIT Awards have been held annually at London’s O2 Arena since 2011, but the Daily Mail revealed that the annual showpiece, regarded as the biggest night in British music, will be held in Manchester this year and is likely to move around the UK in different locations for the foreseeable future.
