BRIT Awards reveals Critics’ Choice Shortlist for 2026
Jacob Alon, Rose Gray and Sienna Spiro are all up for the coveted gong.
The BRIT Awards have revealed the shortlist for the 2026 Critics’ Choice, with Jacob Alon, Rose Gray and Sienna Spiro all up for the coveted gong.
The three artists are vying to follow in the footsteps of recent previous winners such as Myles Smith and The Last Dinner Party, who have all gone on to huge success after scooping the gong. Other winners include Adele, Florence and The Machine and Ellie Goulding. It is usually considered a strong barometer of the acts who will go on to become household names.
The winner will be revealed in January and all three acts were required to be British and not have yet achieved a Top 20 album or more than one Top 20 single as of October 31, 2025.
Alon, who won the PlayNext Award at the Rolling Stone UK Awards last month, said: “Ya beauty! Tapadh leibh for recognising my work for this award you legends! Even though I’m Scottish & Irish before I’m British, I appreciate the BRITs critics for this recognition. I really care about and believe in this music and it makes my world brighter every time it reaches someone else. Hopefully this nomination means some more beautiful people might find something in this wee album. ‘Mon the gays!!!’”
Rose Gray, heralded as a bold new voice in dance music, said: “I’m so excited for this nomination!! This moment feels like a special reminder of how far this journey has carried me and what a crazy year it’s been. One year ago, I was manifesting so hard for my album ‘Louder, Please’ to travel, to find its people, to really get its light. And it did. Releasing this record has genuinely changed my life. I’m so grateful to everyone who’s been part
of this journey and I can’t wait for what’s to come. Thank you BRITs.”
Spiro released her debut EP ‘Sink Now, Swim Later’ in 2025 and achieved huge success on TikTok with the song ‘Die On This Hill’. “So beyond honoured and grateful to be nominated for this year’s Critics’ Choice BRIT Award!,” she said. “To think I started releasing music last year, I would never have expected this at all. Thank you so much!”