Just over a week after her spectacular sweep at the
Grammys,
British soul diva Adele triumphed on home soil Tuesday at the
annual Brit Awards in London.
The 23-year-old picked up
two awards — including the
prestigious British album of the year — to add to the six Grammys she won in Los Angeles, cementing her status as one of
Britain’s most successful pop exports in years.
Accepting the best album gong, she said: “Nothing makes me prouder than coming home with
six Grammys and then coming home and winning
British album of the year.
“I’m so proud to be British and to be flying the flag.”
The singer also thanked her record company “for letting me be the kind of artist that I’ve always wanted to be,” and her fans. “No one’s ever made me feel like I have to be any different, so thank you very much,” she added.
However, her global chart-topper
“Rolling at the Deep” was beaten to best single by British boy band One Direction’s
“What Makes You Beautiful.”
The home-town winner sang her hit song in front of a
packed 02 Arena, only her second performance since undergoing surgery to cure her throat condition.
Fans were shocked to read a post-Grammys interview in which the soul diva said she was taking five years off to
“be in love and be happy.” But the singer later laughed this off
Writing in her personal blog shortly afterwards, she said: “I’ve a few days off now, and then it’s the Brit Awards here at home and then I’m straight into the studio. BOYYAHH!
5 years? More like 5 days!”
It was also a successful night for folk-inspired singer/songwriter
Ed Sheeran, who won best British male and British breakthrough, and for
Coldplay, who were named best British group for a record third time.
US singer
Bruno Mars topped the best international male category, while compatriots
Foo Fighters picked up the best international group.
Barbadian superstar Rihanna — who was awarded best international female — was among the performers along with former Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher and Coldplay.
Veteran four-piece Blur brought the ceremony to a close with breezy renditions of
1990s indie classics “Girls and Boys,” “Song 2″ and “Parklife.”
