Rina Sawayama Nominated For Brit Award After Eligibility Reform

Rina Sawayama is a finalist for Brit's Rising Star Award

POSTED BY CATHERINE SHUTTLEWORTH

Until recently, musician Rina Sawayama wasn’t eligible for The Brit Awards due to being born in Japan. Sawayama holds indefinite leave to remain in the UK but retains a Japanese passport to maintain ties with her family who live in Japan. As Japan does not allow dual citizenship, she cannot have a British passport. This meant that Sawayama was not eligible for both the Brit Awards and the Mercury Prize.

However, after bringing up in an interview with VICE her concerns over the situation, she met with the BPI, which organises both the Brits and the Mercury Prize, leading them tor reviewing their criteria and changing the rules.

“I literally fell to the floor when I found out that I’d been nominated for Rising Star,” the 30-year-old artist said.

The other nominees for this year’s Rising Star category are Griff, the 20-year-old singer from Hertfordshire, and Pa Salieu, the 23-year-old rapper from Coventry. All the nominees for this category are people of color.

The winner of the rising star award will be announced on March 19, ahead of the Brit’s ceremony which has been moved to March in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

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