Following a lengthy campaign, Rina Sawayama has won the rights to compete for the BRIT Awards and the Mercury Prize.
Initially, the artist was told that she was “not British enough” to compete for the prizes due to her lack of British citizenship, despite having lived in the UK for 26 years. The BPI has now decided to change the rules of eligibility for all future nominees for the BRIT Awards and Mercury Prize. Starting this year, artists will be eligible for nomination even without British citizenship, expanding the rules to include those who have been a resident of the UK for five years.
Rina took to social media to share her thoughts, saying that ‘Without your collective voice this wouldn’t have happened. In my 26th year of living in the UK, I’m so proud that I can help make this systemic change for future generations so that in years to come we can see a more diverse definition of British musical excellence.”
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See also: INTRODUCING DIAN AND HER LATEST MUSIC VIDEO “BAILERINA”
