Rina Sawayama Finally Got the BRIT Award Nomination She Deserves

Rina Sawayama is FINALLY starting to get more of the mainstream recognition she deserves!

The pansexual hyperpop goddess, who is best known for tracks like "Lucid," "XS," and "Cherry," is officially one of three up-and-coming artists nominated for the Rising Star award at the 2021 BRITs (a yearly awards ceremony that can be called the British equivalent of America's Grammy awards). 

"I literally fell to the floor when I found out that I’d been nominated for Rising Star," Sawayama said in a statement, reacting to the news of the nomination. "I really can’t put into words how much this means to me given that I wasn’t eligible for this award a few weeks ago and now that door has been opened for future generations of artists like myself."

The news of her nomination comes on the heels of Sawayama herself calling for a change in the way the BRITs nominates and recognizes artists of different backgrounds. Last year, a controversy was stirred after the 30-year-old Japanese-born singer, whose 2020 debut studio album SAWAYAMA received universal critical acclaim from multiple music and cultural publications, learned she wasn't eligible to be nominated for a BRIT because she doesn't hold a British passport, despite having lived in the UK for the past 26 years of her life and personally identifying as British. 

According to a report from Yahoo! Entertainment, Sawayama was able to meet and have conversations recently with the British Phonographic Industry (the organizers of the BRITs) to push for a change of eligibility rules, and now artists who have been permanent UK residents for more than five years will now be eligible! Her impact! 

Rapper Pa Salieu and pop singer Griff are also nominated for the Rising Star prize this year, but I think you already know who we're rooting for!

The winner of the Rising Star award will be announced on Friday, March 19. The BRIT Awards are set to take place on Tuesday, May 11.