Search The Line of Best Fit
Search The Line of Best Fit
Mahalia pink fluffy hat at beach

Mahalia calls on BRIT Awards to give R&B its own category: "How many times do we have to scream at you?"

13 January 2023, 10:50 | Written by Cerys Kenneally

Mahalia has called on the BRIT Awards to give R&B its own category after all the 2023 Best Pop/R&B Act nominees were revealed to be pop artists.

Back in November 2021 it was announced that the 2022 BRITs would be dropping the gendered categories for four new genre-based categories including Alternative/Rock Act, Pop/R&B Act, Dance Act and Hip Hop/Rap/Grime Act. That year, Mahalia was one of many people who called out the BRITs for not giving R&B its own category, after Adele, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Joy Crookes and Griff made up the entire Pop/R&B Act category.

Yesterday (12 January) the 2023 BRITs nominations were revealed, and once again the Best Pop/R&B Act category was dominated by just pop acts. Cat Burns, Charli XCX, Dua Lipa, Harry Styles and Sam Smith are up for the 2023 Award, and Mahalia has once again called out the BRITs for not giving R&B a separate category.

While responding to the 2023 nominees list yesterday (12 January), Mahalia wrote, "Desperately searching for the R&B act."

"I’m sorry but UK R&B right now is THRIVING," Mahalia wrote in another tweet. "Forget putting us in this category. Give us our own!!!!! How many times do we have to scream at you?"

"Winning awards isn’t the reason why we make and release music," Mahalia added. "We do this shit out of love. But, at this point, it’s nothing short of disrespectful."

Tiana Major9, MNEK, Bellah and more also called out the BRITs for the lack of R&B acts in this year's category.

The BRIT Awards 2023 with Mastercard will take place on Saturday, 11 February.

Share article
Email

Get the Best Fit take on the week in music direct to your inbox every Friday

Read next