The Brit Award for British Female Solo Artist was an award given by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), an organisation which represents record companies and artists in the United Kingdom. The accolade was presented at the Brit Awards, an annual celebration of British and international music. The winners and nominees are determined by the Brit Awards voting academy with over one-thousand members, which comprise record labels, publishers, managers, agents, media, and previous winners and nominees. The award was first presented in 1977 as British Female Solo Artist and for the last time in 2021, as gendered categories have been dropped for 2022.
Annie Lennox holds the record for most wins in this category (six, including four as the vocalist of Eurythmics). Lennox also has the most nominations with nine, followed by Kate Bush with eight.
As international artist categories only began in 1989, American singer Randy Crawford won the award in 1982.
Winners and nominees
YearRecipientNominees 1977 (1st) Shirley BasseyPetula Clark
Cleo Laine
Dusty Springfield 1982 (2nd) Randy CrawfordSheena Easton
Toyah Willcox 1983 (3rd) Kim WildeSheena Easton
Toyah Willcox
Mari Wilson 1984 (4th) Annie LennoxAlison Moyet
Bonnie Tyler
Tracey Ullman
Toyah Willcox 1985 (5th) Alison MoyetSade Adu
Annie Lennox
Tracey Ullman
Kim Wilde 1986 (6th) Annie LennoxSade Adu
Kate Bush
Alison Moyet
Bonnie Tyler 1987 (7th) Kate BushSade Adu
Joan Armatrading
Jaki Graham
Kim Wilde 1988 (8th) Alison MoyetKate Bush
Samantha Fox
Sinitta
Kim Wilde 1989 (9th) Annie LennoxSade Adu
Mica Paris
Tanita Tikaram
Yazz 1990 (10th) Annie LennoxKate Bush
Mica Paris
Lisa Stansfield
Yazz 1991 (11th) Lisa StansfieldBetty Boo
Elizabeth Fraser
Dusty Springfield
Caron Wheeler 1992 (12th) Lisa StansfieldBeverley Craven
Cathy Dennis
Annie Lennox
Zoë 1993 (13th) Annie LennoxTasmin Archer
Kate Bush
Siobhan Fahey
Lisa Stansfield 1994 (14th) Dina CarrollBeverley Craven
Gabrielle
PJ Harvey
Shara Nelson 1995 (15th) Eddi ReaderKate Bush
Des'ree
Michelle Gayle
Lisa Stansfield 1996 (16th) Annie LennoxJoan Armatrading
PJ Harvey
Shara Nelson
Vanessa-Mae 1997 (17th) GabrielleDina Carroll
Donna Lewis
Eddi Reader
Louise Redknapp 1998 (18th) Shola AmaMichelle Gayle
Beth Orton
Louise Redknapp
Lisa Stansfield 1999 (19th) Des'reePJ Harvey
Hinda Hicks
Billie Myers
Billie Piper 2000 (20th) Beth OrtonGabrielle
Geri Halliwell
Beverley Knight
Melanie C 2001 (21st) SoniqueSade Adu
Dido
PJ Harvey
Jamelia 2002 (22nd) DidoSade Adu
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Geri Halliwell
PJ Harvey 2003 (23rd) Ms. DynamiteSophie Ellis-Bextor
Beverley Knight
Alison Moyet
Beth Orton 2004 (24th) DidoSophie Ellis-Bextor
Jamelia
Annie Lennox
Amy Winehouse 2005 (25th) Joss StoneNatasha Bedingfield
PJ Harvey
Jamelia
Amy Winehouse 2006 (26th) KT TunstallNatasha Bedingfield
Kate Bush
Charlotte Church
Katie Melua 2007 (27th) Amy WinehouseLily Allen
Corinne Bailey Rae
Jamelia
Nerina Pallot 2008 (28th) Kate NashBat for Lashes
PJ Harvey
Leona Lewis
KT Tunstall 2009 (29th) DuffyAdele
Estelle
M.I.A.
Beth Rowley 2010 (30th) Lily AllenBat for Lashes
Florence and the Machine
Leona Lewis
Pixie Lott 2011 (31st) Laura MarlingCheryl
Paloma Faith
Ellie Goulding
Rumer 2012 (32nd) AdeleKate Bush
Florence and the Machine
Jessie J
Laura Marling 2013 (33rd) Emeli SandéBat for Lashes
Paloma Faith
Jessie Ware
Amy Winehouse 2014 (34th) Ellie GouldingBirdy
Jessie J
Laura Marling
Laura Mvula 2015 (35th) Paloma FaithLily Allen
Ella Henderson
FKA Twigs
Jessie Ware 2016 (36th) AdeleFlorence and the Machine
Jess Glynne
Laura Marling
Amy Winehouse 2017 (37th) Emeli SandéAnohni
Ellie Goulding
Lianne La Havas
Nao 2018 (38th) Dua LipaPaloma Faith
Laura Marling
Kae Tempest
Jessie Ware 2019 (39th) Jorja SmithLily Allen
Anne-Marie
Florence and the Machine
Jess Glynne 2020 (40th) MabelCharli XCX
Mahalia
Freya Ridings
FKA Twigs 2021 (41st) Dua LipaCeleste
Lianne La Havas
Arlo Parks
Jessie Ware
Artists with multiple wins + Artists that received multiple awardsAwardsArtist6Annie Lennox2AdeleDidoDua LipaAlison MoyetEmeli SandéLisa Stansfield
Artists with multiple nominations
9 nominations Annie Lennox
8 nominations Kate Bush
7 nominations PJ Harvey
6 nominations
Sade Lisa Stansfield
5 nominations
Laura Marling Alison Moyet Amy Winehouse
4 nominations
Lily Allen Paloma Faith Florence and the Machine Jamelia Jessie Ware Kim Wilde
3 nominations
Adele Bat for Lashes Dido Sophie Ellis-Bextor Gabrielle Ellie Goulding Beth Orton Toyah Willcox
2 nominations
Joan Armatrading Natasha Bedingfield Dina Carroll Beverley Craven Des'ree Sheena Easton Michelle Gayle Jess Glynne Geri Halliwell Jessie J Beverley Knight Lianne La Havas Leona Lewis Dua Lipa Shara Nelson Mica Paris Eddi Reader Louise Redknapp Emeli Sandé Dusty Springfield KT Tunstall FKA Twigs Bonnie Tyler Tracey Ullman Yazz
See also List of music awards honoring women
Notes Lisa Stansfield (1990), Duffy (2009), Dua Lipa (2018) also won Brit Award for Best New Artist Adele (2008), Ellie Goulding (2010), Emeli Sandé (2012) also won Brit Award for Rising Star Ms. Dynamite (2003), Joss Stone (2005) also won Brit Award for British Urban Act
References