Myles Smith announced as winner of BRITs Rising Star award supported by BBC Radio 1

06 December 2024 - Press release

The BRIT Awards with Mastercard 2025

Saturday 1st March – at The O2 arena on ITV1 and ITVX

 

The BRIT Awards 2025 with Mastercard have today announced that Myles Smith is the winner of the prestigious BRITsRising Star award supported by BBC Radio 1. The news was revealed by Jack Saunders on his BBC Radio 1 New Music show. Myles is the first winner to be revealed for The BRITs 2025, and is pictured with the Gabriel Moses-designed award.

Myles said:“Winning the BRIT award for Rising Star is such a surreal moment. Music has always been about connecting with people, and to see it resonate on this level is incredible. I’m so grateful to my team, my family, and especially the fans who’ve supported me every step of the way. Your belief in me means everything. This is just the beginning, and I’m so excited for what’s to come—thank you for being part of this journey.”

Aged nine, Myles Smith received his first guitar – a gift from his mum. Soon after, Luton’s rising star taught himself to play the guitar along with the piano, and began performing on the local open-mic circuit from the age of 12, at pubs and Irish bars. In 2020, Myles started uploading cover songs to TikTok before, in 2022, he went viral with his version of the Neighbourhood’s ‘Sweater Weather’, and then again with his take on Amber Run’s ‘I Found’. After releasing a handful of acclaimed original songs like ‘Solo’ and ‘My Home’, he signed to Sony’s RCA label in 2023. 

Now, aged 26, there’s a core of honesty in Myles Smith’s songwriting – perhaps because, through open mics and internet communities, he understands music as a way of drawing people together; of self-expression and communion. You can hear it on the soaring ‘Stargazing’, his smash hit earlier this year which charted and went platinum globally and, at the time of writing, is closing in on 550 million streams on Spotify alone.

Earlier this year came the folk-pop, occasionally-country-adjacent bops of his debut You Promised A Lifetime, and then, of course, came ‘Stargazing’; and, with it, accolades from the Guardian, who named him “one to watch”, support from the BBC, a lauded debut US late night TV show performance on Jimmy Kimmel. His singles since have been gathering acclaim and charting in their own right, culminating in an exclusive virtual concert on Fortnite Island.  He has released his second EP, A Minute…, a magical collection that cements Myles as a stirring, timeless pop songwriter to be reckoned with.

Elmiene and Good Neighbours were also shortlisted for the award which has, since 2008, successfully predicted the future stars of music through an impressive roll call of nominees and winners; those who have been awarded The BRITs Rising Star award previously include Adele, Sam Smith, Sam Fender, Ellie Goulding, Florence + The Machine, Griff, FLO and 2024 winners The Last Dinner Party. Artists nominated for the award previously include Dua Lipa, Anne-Marie, Lewis Capaldi, Cat Burns, Michael Kiwanuka, Mabel, Years & Years. Global track streams for all previous winners has surpassed 80 billion.

The BRITs Rising Star award shortlist is selected by an invited panel of music editors and critics from the national press, online music editors, heads of music at major radio and music TV stations plus songwriters, producers and live bookers - those working with new rising talent on a regular basis. 

 

Past BRITs Critics’ Choice / Rising Star winners and nominees:

2008        Adele (Duffy, Foals)

2009        Florence + The Machine (Little Boots, White Lies)

2010        Ellie Goulding (Delphic, Marina and the Diamonds)

2011        Jessie J (James Blake, The Vaccines)

2012        Emeli Sandé (Michael Kiwanuka, Maverick Sabre)

2013        Tom Odell (AlunaGeorge, Laura Mvula)

2014        Sam Smith (Ella Eyre, Chlöe Howl)

2015        James Bay (George The Poet, Years & Years)

2016        Jack Garratt (Izzy Bizu, Frances)

2017        Rag ’n’ Bone Man (Anne Marie, Dua Lipa)

2018Jorja Smith (Stefflon Don, Mabel)

2019Sam Fender (Lewis Capaldi, Mahalia)

2020Celeste (Beabadoobee, Joy Crookes)

2021Griff (Pa Salieu, Rina Sawayama)

2022Holly Humberstone (Bree Runway, Lola Young)

2023FLO(Cat Burns, Nia Archives)

2024The Last Dinner Party (Caity Baser, Sekou)

 

The BRIT Awards 2025 with Mastercard will take place on Saturday 1st March - once again taking place on a Saturday in a primetime TV slot - and will broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX - from The O2 arena. 

This year the BRIT award has been designed by Gabriel Moses, an acclaimed British-Nigerian multi-disciplinary artist whose collaborators include Skepta, Little Simz, Burberry and more.

Mastercard will be celebrating their headline sponsorship which is now in its 27th year;  ITV remain as official broadcaster for the 32nd year, and The O2 arena will host The BRITs for its 14th year.

These long-standing partnerships will continue to support and amplify The BRITs’ vision and values, as the event maintains its fundraising for The BRIT Trust, the charitable arm of the awards, who distribute funds to charities that promote education and well-being through music, including The BRIT School and Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy.

Mastercard also continues to partner with the BRIT School to support and celebrate the next generation of creative talent.