The Brit Award for International Female Solo Artist was an award given by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), an organisation which represents record companies and artists in the United Kingdom.[1] The accolade is presented at the Brit Awards, an annual celebration of British and international music.[2] The winners and nominees were determined by the Brit Awards voting academy with over one-thousand members, which comprise record labels, publishers, managers, agents, media, and previous winners and nominees.[3]
History
The award was first presented in 1989 as International Female Solo Artist. The accolade was not handed out at the 1990, 1992 and 1993 ceremonies, with the award for International Solo Artist (given to a male or female artist) being awarded instead.[4][5] The award for International Female Solo Artist was reinstated in 1994,[6] but was again retired in favour of the gender-neutral award following the abolition of gendered categories in 2022.
Björk is the artist with the most wins and nominations in the category, with four awards won out of nine nominations. Two artists achieved two consecutive wins; Rihanna in 2011 and 2012 and Billie Eilish in 2020 and 2021. Artists from the United States won the accolade sixteen times, more than any other country.
Winners and nominees
Artists with multiple wins
Artists with multiple nominations
- 9 nominations
- 8 nominations
- 6 nominations
- 5 nominations
- 4 nominations
- 3 nominations
- 2 nominations
See also
Awards by country
Countries by wins
| Country
|
Wins
|
First win
|
Last win
|
Artist/s
|
| United States
|
16
|
1989
|
2021
|
Tracy Chapman, Sheryl Crow, Macy Gray, Madonna, Pink, Beyoncé, Gwen Stefani, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish
|
| Iceland
|
4
|
1994
|
2016
|
Björk
|
| Australia
|
3
|
1999
|
2008
|
Natalie Imbruglia, Kylie Minogue
|
| Barbados
|
2
|
2011
|
2012
|
Rihanna
|
| Canada
|
1995
|
2007
|
k.d. lang, Nelly Furtado
|
| New Zealand
|
2014
|
2018
|
Lorde
|
| Ireland
|
1
|
1991
|
Sinéad O'Connor
|
Countries by nominations
| Country
|
Nominations
|
First nomination
|
Last nomination
|
Artist/s
|
| United States
|
100
|
1989
|
2021
|
Majority of nominees
|
| Australia
|
13
|
2017
|
Kylie Minogue, Natalie Imbruglia, Gabriella Cilmi, Sia
|
| Canada
|
12
|
1995
|
2012
|
k.d. lang, Celine Dion, Alanis Morissette, Nelly Furtado, Avril Lavigne, Feist
|
| Iceland
|
9
|
1994
|
2018
|
Björk
|
| Barbados
|
6
|
2008
|
2017
|
Rihanna
|
| Ireland
|
3
|
1989
|
1995
|
Enya, Sinéad O'Connor
|
| New Zealand
|
2010
|
2018
|
Ladyhawke, Lorde
|
| Sweden
|
1991
|
2011
|
Neneh Cherry, Robyn
|
| Cuba
|
2
|
2019
|
2020
|
Camila Cabello
|
| France
|
2017
|
2019
|
Christine and the Queens[a]
|
| Mexico
|
2019
|
2020
|
Camila Cabello
|
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d Now primarily known as Rahim Redcar, he was nominated in the female category prior to coming out as a trans man.[13] He still occasionally uses the name Christine and the Queens.[14]
- ^ "About the BPI". British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Archived from the original on 6 December 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- ^ "BRIT Awards". British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- ^ "And the nominees are..." Brits.co.uk. British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- ^ "1992 Brit Awards". Brits.co.uk. British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Retrieved 3 March 2014.
- ^ "1993 Brit Awards". Brits.co.uk. British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Retrieved 3 March 2014.
- ^ Rogers, Simon (12 February 2012). "Brit awards winners list 2012: every winner since 1977". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
- ^ "Brit Awards 2014: the nominations in full". The Independent. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
- ^ "BRIT Award 2018 nominations: Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, Paloma Faith, Dua Lipa and Little Mix among hopefuls". The Independent. 13 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
- ^ "BRIT Awards 2013: Lana Del Rey Wins International Female Solo Act". Capital. February 20, 2013. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
- ^ Mokoena, Tshepo (19 February 2014). "Lorde wins international female solo artist award at 2014 Brits". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
- ^ "BRIT Awards 2015 Winners List - Full List Of This Year's Awards". Capital (Global Radio). 26 February 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ Billboard Staff (January 14, 2016). "Adele, James Bay, Years & Years Lead Brit Awards 2016 Nominations". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ Sawyer, Miranda (6 November 2022). "'I'm changing and I don't think society helps at all': Christine and the Queens' journey to becoming Redcar". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ Durand, Alice (24 May 2025). "Christine and the Queens : « Avec Cerrone, j'ai trouvé une forme de mentor »" [Christine and the Queens: "With Cerrone, I found a kind of mentor."]. Le Point (in French). Retrieved 21 January 2026.
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