Becky Hill's hometown Bewdley celebrates Brit Award win

Becky Hill's hometown has been celebrating her first Brit Award win, after she was named Best Dance Act.

Born in Bewdley, Worcestershire, she grew up "being a little drum and bass raver", Hill said in her acceptance speech on Tuesday.

Past teachers, bosses and bandmates have all said how "proud" they are of the singer.

Former band member Daniel Brown said the award "couldn't have gone to a more deserving artist".

"We're really proud of her, her parents are really proud of her," said Mr Brown, who used to perform in the band Shaking Trees with the singer.

From being a pupil at St Anne's C of E Primary School, to pulling pints behind the bar at The Cock & Magpie pub, Hill was always determined to be a singer.

"She was always a determined young lady and wanted to follow her dream," said Linda Withey, from St Anne's.

In 2012, she came runner-up on the first series of The Voice UK.

However, it didn't take long for success as Wilkinson's single Afterglow, released in 2013, featured Hill's vocals and reached number one, inadvertently scoring the programme's first number one too.

She went on to collaborate with artists such as Shift K3Y, Sigala and David Guetta, who presented the award alongside DJ Pete Tong.

Fans had just two weeks to vote for Best Dance Act via TikTok. In an Instagram post addressing her followers, Hill said: "This Brit Award is ours, couldn't have done it without my BH family. Love you all, I don't have the words."

The winner was up against the likes of Calvin Harris, Joel Corry, RAYE and Fred Again.

The proud Midlander performed at The Sunflower Lounge in Birmingham last month, a venue she hadn't performed at since she was 16.

She told the intimate crowd: "I am West Midlands till I die."

It was BBC Introducing in Hereford and Worcester that gave Becky Hill her first radio play.

"I first discovered Becky making tracks with a bluesy-soul band called Shaking Trees - a million miles away from the kind of music she's making now," said presenter Andrew Marston.

"Back then, she was working behind the bar of The Cock & Magpie in Bewdley and her manager would regularly order her on to the mic to perform; she always did have an incredible voice."

In December 2020, Hill came back to her old primary school to perform with the pupils.

Ms Withey said her visit was "inspirational and aspirational" for the children, and her Brits win showed them that they can achieve their goals.

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