Brit Awards: Bree Runway, Lola Young and Holly Humberstone tipped for rising star prize

Bree Runway, Lola Young and Holly Humberstone have been nominated for the Brits rising star award, which recognises pop's ones-to-watch.

The prize, formerly known as the Critics' Choice, has previously gone to Adele, Sam Fender and Jorja Smith.

Runway and Humberstone both made this year's BBC Sound Of longlist, with Humberstone finishing runner-up.

Young is the voice behind this year's John Lewis Christmas advert. The winner will be announced on 10 December.

The award, supported by BBC Radio 1, recognises British artists who had not achieved a top 20 album or more than one top 20 single by 31 October this year.

Judged by a panel of industry experts, it will be handed out at the main Brits ceremony, due to be held at London's 02 arena on 8 February.

Here's a quick guide to the three contenders:

The singer and rapper performed to former US First Lady Michelle Obama as a schoolgirl aged 14, who told her to "keep going".

She followed this advice, studying music at university and eventually going viral with her mirror covers - filming herself singing to the mirror - that gained millions of views on social media.

The success of her 2000AND4EVA mixtape sparked the hit Hot Hot, which alongside her BBC Sound Of listing saw her pick up the BET award for best new international act.

Hot Hot also secured her a Mobo nomination for best video and a nod for best female.

Runway, now 29, said she feels honoured by this rising star Brit nomination.

"It's all so exciting, especially as previous nominees have gone on to do such amazing things, I hope I'm struck by that same luck.

"Attending the Brits alone has been something I've wanted to do for years, but attending as a rising star nominee is a dream."

The 21-year-old has drawn comparisons to Billie Eilish and Maggie Rogers through her tormented lyricism and lo-fi sound, but the title track to her first EP Falling Asleep At The Wheel proved a success very much her own - racking up 200 million streams to date.

After finishing runner-up in this year's BBC Sound Of, she went on to be nominated as an Ivor Novello future star, with critical acclaim also heaped upon her second release, The Walls Are Way Too Thin.

The Lincolnshire-born star, who told BBC music correspondent Mark Savage in January that she wants her lyrics to be tattoo-worthy, said she is "struggling to comprehend" her Brit nomination.

An open-mic veteran by the tender age of 13 when she won her first national competition, Young has described her Brit nomination as a "big step".

Growing up in south London, the powerhouse vocalist released a number of EPs to critical acclaim, before working with award-winning producer Paul Epworth in 2021, including on her latest smoky-guitar single FAKE.

Young also recently found mainstream success by soundtracking this year's John Lewis Christmas advert with a new version of 1984 classic Together In Electric Dreams by Philip Oakley and Giorgio Moroder.

"I can't believe I've been nominated for this award. It feels surreal and completely unexpected. I feel very excited to have been nominated," said the singer.

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