YOUR BRITS WRAP-UP

Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith took home two honors apiece at the BRIT Awards, while Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams, One Direction, Mark Ronson f/Bruno Mars, Royal Blood and Paloma Faith were among the other big winners.

In the company competition, Jason Iley's resurgent Sony led the way, picking up five of the 11 awards.

Sheeran was named British Male Solo Artist of the Year and took British
Album (excuse us, Mastercard British Album). Smith took British Breakthrough Act and was honored with1 the Global Success Award.

Smith, who performed a flawless rendition of “Lay Me Down,” expressed his gratitude to his Capitol U.K. and U.S. people.


International Female honors went to Taylor Swift (whose performance opened the show), and International Male went to Pharrell. Swift kvelled about the Virgin EMI team and her British fans, while Pharrell, in a taped segment, thanked RCA U.K.

Paloma Faith, a huge U.K. star who has yet to make a splash on this side of the ocean, won British Female Solo Artist. Her rain-soaked performance, the penultimate one of the night, earned a huge crowd response. In her chatty acceptance speech she thanked Sony U.K. chief Jason Iley (“my new superhero”) and Nick Raphael and Jo Charrington, who inked her at Epic U.K., among others.


Royal Blood’s trophy for British Group and Foo Fighters’ win for International Group were a big endorsement for rock (the former also turned in a
beautifully brutal performance). Mark Ronson f/Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” took Best British Single, in a major endorsement for funk.

One Direction’s “You and I” won British Artist Video of the Year, a category the band has dominated before.

Kanye West performed a new song, while 90s boy-band sensations Take
That and show-closer Madonna, who took a tumble and recovered briskly (a helpful Billlboard eblast: "Madonna: 'I'm OK'"), brought some classic BRIT energy to the proceedings.

Comedy duo Ant & Dec hosted the proceedings. We're sure their commentary was funnier in the original English. Kim Kardashian joined them onstage for a selfie.

After the show, everyone went off in search of pudding.

See the complete list of winners here.