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The rising Scottish artist - who was nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2025 and found their voice playing in Edinburgh’s folk community – follows in the footsteps of previous winners including Dua Lipa, Adele, James Blake and Michael Kiwanuka.
Accepting news of the award, Alon paid tribute to their beginnings: "In the wee town where I grew up in Scotland, it often felt like there was a limit to how high you could dare to dream. So being part of something like this makes me feel like I’m floating far above the sky. In a world full of broken and rusted jaggy edges, I’m grateful to find a place for softness still. And I will keep fighting for it. I really care about and believe in this music, and it makes my world brighter every time it reaches someone else. Hopefully this means some more beautiful people might find something in my album."
Alon's 2025 album In Limerence was produced by Dan Carey and saw them perform to a standing ovation at this year's Mercury Prize ceremony in Newcastle. Earlier this year, Alon also became the first Scottish winner of BBC Introducing’s Artist of the Year, was nominated for the Scottish Album of the Year Award, and was named one of BBC Radio 6 Music’s Artists of the Year.
The Critics’ Choice award was introduced in 2008 to identify the future stars of British music and is voted on by a panel made up of media, broadcast and the music industry. To be eligible, artists must not have yet achieved a Top 20 album or more than one Top 20 single and the award is open to British artists who, as of 31 October 2025, had not yet achieved an Official Album Charts Top 20 placing or achieved more than one Top 20 chart placing in the Official Singles Chart.
The BRIT Awards 2026 will take place on 28 February at Manchester’s Co-op Live, marking the first time the event has been held in the city and outside of London
Past BRITs Critics’ Choice / Rising Star winners and nominees
2008 Adele (Duffy, Foals)
2009 Florence + The Machine (Little Boots, White Lies)
2010 Ellie Goulding (Delphic, Marina and the Diamonds)
2011 Jessie J (James Blake, The Vaccines)
2012 Emeli Sandé (Michael Kiwanuka, Maverick Sabre)
2013 Tom Odell (AlunaGeorge, Laura Mvula)
2014 Sam Smith (Ella Eyre, Chlöe Howl)
2015 James Bay (George The Poet, Years & Years)
2016 Jack Garratt (Izzy Bizu, Frances)
2017 Rag ’n’ Bone Man (Anne Marie, Dua Lipa)
2018 Jorja Smith (Stefflon Don, Mabel)
2019 Sam Fender (Lewis Capaldi, Mahalia)
2020 Celeste (Beabadoobee, Joy Crookes)
2021 Griff (Pa Salieu, Rina Sawayama)
2022 Holly Humberstone (Bree Runway, Lola Young)
2023 FLO (Cat Burns, Nia Archives)
2024 The Last Dinner Party (Caity Baser, Sekou)
2025 Myles Smith (Elemiene, Good Neighbours)
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