Posted December 10, 200717 yr McCartney to receive special Brit Award Monday, December 10 2007, 11:45 GMT Digitalspy.co.uk By Alex Fletcher, Entertainment Reporter Paul McCartney will be given the Outstanding Contribution to Music award at next year's Brits. The veteran singer has turned the honour away in previous years because he believed it may signal the end of his music career. McCartney already holds an Outstanding Contribution Brit for his work with the Beatles. He will be given the new award for his solo material at the 2008 ceremony, which takes place at Earl's Court on February 20. The Brits Committee has also announced that the new Critics Choice gong, which is supposed to encourage fresh musical talent, will be given to female solo singer Adele. Do you think Macca deserves this award or do you think it is right that the likes of the Spice Girls, Eurythmics and Duran Duran have won this award before him?
December 10, 200717 yr Author The Times On Line December 10, 2007 Critics voice support for ‘new Amy Winehouse’ Adam Sherwin, Media Correspondent A teenage soul singer tipped to be the new Amy Winehouse will today be named the winner of the Brit Awards Critics’ Choice prize. Adele Adkins, whose smoky voice animates jazzy songs of teenage heartbreak, is the first recipient of the award, which has been created to encourage and launch new talent. The prize, chosen by a panel of 50 music writers, is open to artists who are yet to release an album. Adkins, 19, who goes by her first name, was spotted from songs she had posted on her MySpace page and was invited to perform on the BBC’s Later With Jools Holland before she had released a note of music. Her debut album is due to be released next month by XL, the independent record label that has Radiohead and the White Stripes on its books. “The whole album is about being between 18 and 19, about love,” she said. “It’s quite a sad album, with songs about being cheated on and not getting what you want. “I’m really chuffed and flattered to have won the new category. I’ve always wanted a Brit and I’m made up to be getting one so early on.” Although she still lives with her mother in North London, Adele said that she was ready for stardom. “I’ve always liked being the centre of attention.” She is also resistant to the more negative aspects of fame: “I’ve always been a size 14-16, and been fine with it. I would only lose weight if it affected my health or sex life, which it doesn’t.” Adele, who is friends with Lily Allen, is the latest star graduate of the Brit School for performing arts in Croydon, South London. Winehouse, Katie Melua and Kate Nash, herself tipped for Brit Awards success, are all former pupils at Britain’s “fame academy”. Like Winehouse, Adele was brought up listening to the jazz heroines Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James. The critics’ runner-up was Duffy, 22, a striking, blonde singer from Wales whose classic soul voice has prompted comparisons with Dusty Springfield. But it is Adele who will be invited to perform at the televised nominations launch next month and collect her prize in front of millions of ITV viewers at Earls Court, West London. The Times has also learnt that the Brit Awards organisers have pulled off a coup by persuading Sir Paul McCartney to accept the Outstanding Contribution award. Sir Paul had turned down the offer previously because he believed it implied that his creative days were over. Its acceptance by younger artists, including Oasis last year, helped to change his mind. He is also promoting the digital release of his solo hits, with the Beatles finally set to join the iTunes store. Sir Paul will close the show with songs from his latest album, Memory Almost Full, released through the Starbucks coffee chain, and classic hits. The Beatles were given an Outstanding Contribution prize in 1983, the same year that Sir Paul was named Best Male at the British Phonographic Industry awards. Mika, the Arctic Monkeys and Take That are also expected to appear at the awards, which will be presented by Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne.
December 10, 200717 yr Do you think Macca deserves this award or do you think it is right that the likes of the Spice Girls, Eurythmics and Duran Duran have won this award before him? Your mocking these artists arn't you :lol: too bloody right he does
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