There were double wins for Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Ball & Boe on a star-studded night at the Royal Albert Hall as the Classic BRIT Awards returned for the first time in five years.
Kanneh-Mason (pictured), who starred at the Royal Wedding in May, won both Male Artist of the Year and the Critics’ Choice at last night's ceremony, while Michael Ball & Alfie Boe took Group of the Year and Album of the Year for Together Again.
Elsewhere, Dame Vera Lynn was honoured by the UK music industry in her 101st year with a Lifetime Achievement Award, Andrew Lloyd Webber received the Special Recognition Award for Musical Theatre & Education from Dame Shirley Bassey and Andrea Bocelli was awarded the Classic BRITs Icon award, which was presented by Sarah Brightman and Sarah, Duchess Of York.
Tokio Myers won PPL Classic BRITs Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and the Sound Of Classical Poll, open to classical artists aged 13-30, named saxophone player Jess Gillam as its inaugural winner.
Geoff Taylor, CEO, BPI & BRIT Awards, said: “We congratulate all The Classic BRITs winners on their deserved awards, which reflect classic music in all its diversity. It’s wonderful to see great icons such as Dame Vera Lynn and Andrea Bocelli being rightly honoured but also very encouraging to witness a new wave bristling with talent such as Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Tokio Myers and Sound of Classical Poll winner Jess Gillam breaking through. With such exciting new artists, classic music is evolving and embracing the opportunities that the streaming era offers to connect with new fans.”
Renée Fleming won Female Artist of the Year, while the new Soundtrack of the Year award went to chart phenomenon, The Greatest Showman OST.
Presented by Classic FM's Myleene Klass and Alexander Armstrong, performers included Katherine Jenkins, Andrea Bocelli & Sir Bryn Terfel, Ball & Boe, Alexis Ffrench, Pretty Yende and Beatrice Rana.
The Classic BRITs will be broadcast exclusively on ITV at 10.30pm on June 17.
