The real winners and losers

Nudity, swearing, petulance, club anthems, more nudity and a woman dressed as a horse – the 2025 Brit Awards had it all.

Charli XCX was the big winner, taking home five prizes in all – including best artist, best album and song of the year.

US star – and the BBC’s Sound of 2025 – Chappell Roan picked up two awards; while Ezra Collective, The Last Dinner Party, Fontaines DC and Stormzy got one apiece.

But no-one’s only interested in all that. Here’s what really went down at the 2025 ceremony at London’s O2 Arena.

Listen, this was never going to be anything other than Charli’s night.

The pop star’s seventh album, Brat, captured the cultural zeitgeist in a way that few artists ever manage.

Released in June, the record combined abrasive dance-floor beats, soaring hooks and meme-friendly artwork; as the 32-year-old assessed her place in the music industry, the real and imaginary rivals she’s accumulated along the way, and whether or not to leave it all behind to have a baby.

In the star’s ow…