
The BRIT Awards with Mastercard 2021
Tuesday May 11 2021 - at The O2 arena on ITV and ITV Hub
The BRIT Awards celebrate the return to live music as the first major indoor music event - with a special audience of invited key workers
The BRIT Awards 2021 will be first major indoor music event to welcome back a live audience - a pivotal moment in the return of live music at scale
2,500 tickets to be gifted by the recorded music industry to frontline heroes - ballot for free tickets opens on brits.co.uk on Thursday 22nd April at 09.00 hours
***
This has been a long tough year for everyone and Im delighted the night will honour the key worker heroes who have cared for us so well during that time and continue to do so. They are quite simply an inspiration. The BRIT Awards are always special and this will truly make it a night to remember. - DUA LIPA
***
The BRIT Awards 2021 with Mastercard today confirm that they plan to welcome a live audience of 4,000 people at this year's event taking place on 11th May at The O2 arena in London, and to be broadcast live on ITV and ITV Hub.
The indoor ceremony and live show will form part of the Government's scientific Events Research Programme, using enhanced testing approaches to examine how events can take place without the need for social distancing1.
Working closely with the Government to adhere to safety guidelines, this means The BRITs, as the first live music show at The O2 in over a year, will play an important role in paving the way for the return of live music at scale as the UK emerges from the past year's restrictions.
2,500 tickets to be gifted by the recorded music industry to frontline workers
We are further delighted to announce that, in recognition of their extraordinary efforts during the pandemic, the BRITs is inviting key workers from the Greater London Area2 to make up most of the audience for the UK's biggest night in music. The majority of the tickets (2,500) will be gifted by record labels and the recorded music industry via ballot to frontline workers2 (and a guest of their choice) from a range of sectors to thank them for their remarkable hard work and selfless commitment.
All applicants and attendees must consent to participating in the Government's scientific Events Research Programme on the basis of its terms and conditions1.
The BRIT Awards 2021 is set to be an incredible night of reflection and celebration. A ballot for free tickets for key workers will open on www.brits.co.uk on Thursday 22nd April 2021 from 09.00 hours.
Speaking about this news, global superstar and multi BRIT nominated artist who will be performing on the night, Dua Lipa said:
This has been a long tough year for everyone and Im delighted the night will honour the key worker heroes who have cared for us so well during that time and continue to do so. They are quite simply an inspiration. The BRIT Awards are always special and this will truly make it a night to remember.
Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive BPI & BRIT Awards, said:
This year's BRIT Awards with Mastercard is one of the most significant in the show's history. Not only will we be celebrating the brilliant music and artists that have helped us through the pandemic, but we hope it will provide a path for the return of live music that fans and artists have so sorely missed. And as a thank you to the key workers who have kept our country going through the difficult times, we are inviting them to be our audience for the first live performances at The O2 in over a year.
We're buzzing about the show and working closely with Government, The O2 and all our partners to ensure all safety measures and guidelines are adhered to.
Danielle Kennedy Clarke, Deputy General Manager of The O2, said:
We're proud that The O2 has been selected to host the largest indoor capacity pilot event with The BRITs. This scientific trial is an important step on the path to recovery for the live entertainment industry, and our operational teams are making the final preparations to be able to welcome people into The O2 arena again for the first time in more than a year.
Mastercard return as headline partner for the 23rd year, having supported The BRITs for over two decades, bringing cardholders closer to music through a range of priceless experiences - from tickets to The BRITs, or Priceless Surprises with some of the UK's best loved artists. This year, Mastercard will continue to sponsor the much sought after Mastercard Album of the Year award, as well as British Single with Mastercard for the first time and is proud to carry on connecting people to priceless possibilities. Amazon Music is the Official Digital Music Partner for a second year and will host the Official BRIT Awards 2021 playlist as well as sponsor the Male and Female Solo Artist categories.
ITV Studios is handling international distribution for the Brit Awards.
[end]
www.brits.co.uk
Notes to Editors
1 Through the Events Research Programme, the annual UK music industry showcase will test the safety of live audiences returning to indoor seated settings on a large scale. The research gathered from this year's BRIT Awards will build on the evidence collected at other pilots in the programme, including the World Snooker Championships at the Sheffield Crucible and an outdoor gig at Sefton Park hosted by Festival Republic. The evidence from these pilots will be used to inform government policy to bring about the phased return of fuller audiences to venues and events across England.
Audience members will not be socially distanced or required to wear face coverings in the arena, but they will be required to follow existing Government guidance when travelling to the venue and adhere to rules set out by the event organisers.
Attendees must have proof of a negative lateral flow test result to enter
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
03/11/2026
Employs German-made CK12 capsule
Myburgh have announced that their long-awaited M28 microphone is now shipping. Said to be the ideal choice for engineers in...
03/11/2026
New AI-powered denoise & stem separation tool announced
iZotope have just released a new GPU-powered tool that pairs stem separation with a powerful selecti...
03/11/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to demonstrate technologies supporting Europe's sovereignty ...
03/11/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, announces the launch of the iSphir OT s...
03/11/2026
Don't F*** with Fans comes to Sky Documentaries on 21 NovemberTuesday 3 Nove...
03/11/2026
From The Ghoster to The Flake, new research reveals the characters, chaos and ca...
03/11/2026
For every stage of creation From first idea to finished song, Scarlett is there for whatever comes next.
Start where you are Music-making rarely waits for t...
03/11/2026
Omar films with the 2017 Shotgun Microphone from DPA Microphones. By his estimate, he has used it for about a year and a half to two years, and he says he cant ...
03/11/2026
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced financial results for its fiscal 202...
02/11/2026
Latest virtual session musician announced
The latest expansion for Celemony's Tonalic library centres around Arianna Powell, a session guitarist whose p...
02/11/2026
7-14 November 2026
VEMIA's latest vintage gear auction is set to take place between 7-14 November 2026, and will be followed by their Second Chance Sund...
02/11/2026
Combines six processors with LFOs, envelope follower & macros
Pine DSP's latest offering brings together a set of six virtual processors, houses them in...
02/11/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents a new generation of DC power supplies with five interco...
02/11/2026
Rohde & Schwarz at Euronaval 2026: Turning platforms into tomorrow's network...
02/11/2026
Rohde & Schwarz welcomes the publication of the ITUs Spectrum Monitoring Handboo...
02/11/2026
Fotoware team
Last updated on: 2. November 2026
Oslo, Norway - 2 November 2026
Fotoware, a pioneer in Digital Asset Management (DAM) backed by Viking Grow...
02/11/2026
UK's biggest commercial news app to put video and personalisation at its heart as part of Sky News 2030Monday 2 November 2026
Sky News expands Arc XP partn...
02/11/2026
Production begins with Solly McLeod and David Dawson also joining the cast, with...
02/11/2026
Fox Corporation Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2027 Financial Results NEW YORK, NY, November 2, 2026 - Fox Corporation (Nasdaq: FOXA, FOX; FOX or the Company...
02/11/2026
SES and WELT TV have renewed their partnership in a new multi-year agreement for satellite distribution in Germany. Running into the next decade, the agreement ...
02/11/2026
Monday, 2 November at 9:35pm on RT One and RT Player
BUSTED is a new three-pa...
01/11/2026
Latest compact instrument revealed
Another compact instrument has just been added to the Waldorf line-up, and this time around the focus is on string ensemb...
01/11/2026
AACHEN, Germany - November 2026 - KLANG:technologies announces KOS 6.1, the latest update to its operating system and KLANG:app, which gives every mix its own r...
31/10/2026
Combines powerful sequencer with classic drum machine samples
Rapid Flow's latest release puts their sequencing expertise to work in a powerful new virt...
31/10/2026
Reproducing spatial binaural audio over speakers
In April 2025, we ran some news on Audioscenic, a UK-based company who specialise in delivering binaural au...
30/10/2026
Creates melodies from wavetables
BangZilla is the new plug-in division of The Audio Programmer, and their debut offering comes in the form of Wave Theory, a...
30/10/2026
30 October - 1 November 2026
This years AES Show is just around the corner, with this year's event marking the annual convention's first appearance ...
30/10/2026
Company launch new digitally controlled analogue hardware
Neve have just entered the world of digitally controlled analogue in style with not one, but four ...
30/10/2026
Luxembourg, 30 October 2026 - SES was selected by Air Astana, the award-winning flag carrier of Kazakhstan, to introduce next-generation inflight connectivity s...
30/10/2026
RT SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2026: WINNERS ANNOUNCED
FIRST PLACE AND 5,000 - JAMIE SAMSON FOR BUBBLE'
SECOND PLACE AND 4,000 - STEPHANIE O'CONNOR FO...
29/10/2026
Mastering plug-in treated to ground-up rebuild
With a few plug-in releases now under their belt, Musik Hack have revisited their debut offering and kitted i...
29/10/2026
New modular full-range monitoring system arrives
Following a few weeks of teasers, HEDD Audio have just revealed the latest addition to their high-end monit...
29/10/2026
SGL Carbon LLC ( SGL Carbon ) has received an additional order for the supply of nuclear graphite from X-energy Reactor Company, LLC ( X-energy ) in accordance ...
29/10/2026
Rohde & Schwarz introduces MXO AI Connect for AI-assisted oscilloscope workflows Rohde & Schwarz connects AI assistants to its MXO oscilloscopes through MXO A...
29/10/2026
The Sky Original returns to screens on November 26Thursday 29 October 2026
Ella Purnell is back in the killer new trailer for Sweetpea Season 2Turn on cookies ...
29/10/2026
In our increasingly climate conscious world, many cities are embracing nature, with more tree cover and open spaces such as parks, and restored wetlands, ponds,...
29/10/2026
Red Seat Ventures Announces Exclusive Partnership with Homecoming Golf Partnership Includes Homecoming Golf's New Drink Cart Scramble Series Featuring Hig...
29/10/2026
Oct. 29, 2026 - US-based Alliance for Audited Media (AAM) and the UK's ABC,...
28/10/2026
Two full-range, flat-response amps for electronic instruments revealed
Moog's latest announcement may come as a bit of a surprise to many, as rather tha...
28/10/2026
Annual event returns for 12th year in Bristol, UK
Returning for its 12th year, the annual Audio Developer Conference is set to take place between 9-11 Novem...
28/10/2026
Automation updates, Dim Solo mode, multiple Marker Tracks, MIDI 2.0 support & much more
The latest version of Fender's DAW software has just arrived, de...
28/10/2026
Combines tuning & harmony generation
Klevgrand's latest release offers a simplified take on Altitude, the pitch-correction and harmony-generation plug-i...
28/10/2026
Wednesday 28 October 2026
Claire Goodlass joins Sky as Commissioning Editor, Documentaries
Sky has appointed Claire Goodlass as Commissioning Editor, Document...
28/10/2026
Proximic by Comscore Expands Integration Across Magnites CTV Ecosystem First real-time contextual integration across Magnite SpringServe connects audience int...
28/10/2026
RT Supporting the Arts is proudly celebrating the arts this November with a diverse programme of exciting events and exhibitions across theatre, opera, film, l...
28/10/2026
RT is developing its next Statement of Strategy and wants to hear the views of people across Ireland the audience we serve. RT New Direction remains RT '...
27/10/2026
Popular compressor plug-in upgraded
Soundevice Digital have just released a new plug-in that builds on the success of their much-loved Royal Compressor. Ava...
27/10/2026
First closed-back headphone design unveiled
ADAM Audio's second pair of headphones have just been announced, introducing a flagship open-back design tha...
27/10/2026
Popular soft synth overhauled
Native Instruments have just announced the launch of Massive XL, the latest version of their hugely popular flagship soft synt...