Jacob Alon has won the BRITs Critics’ Choice Award.
The art-folk singer – who was on the shortlist for the prestigious prize alongside Rose Gray and SIENNA SPIRO – has been announced as the winner for 2026.
The news was confirmed on Monday (19.01.26) evening by Jack Saunders on BBC Radio 1.
In a statement, Jacob said: “Taing mhòr to the critics for recognising my work for this award, you absolute dotes!
“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.”
Jacob has followed in the footsteps of previous winners of the award – which was first introduced in 2008 – including Adele, Ellie Goulding, Sam Smith, The Last Dinner Party and Florence and the Machine.
They added: “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. Thank you to anyone who has ever listened.”
To be eligible for this year’s award, artists needed to be British and to not have landed a Top 20 album – or more than one Top 20 single – by October 21, 2025.
The prize is the first to be announced ahead of the BRIT Awards ceremony in Manchester on February 28, which will mark the first time the event has been held outside London in almost five decades.
Both the 2026 and 2027 ceremonies will be held at the Co-op Live Arena.
Dr Jo Twist OBE, BPI CEO and BRITs Committee member, previously commented: “The BRIT Awards have helped to tell the story of British music in all its brilliant diversity, capturing some of its most memorable moments, and this ground-breaking move to Manchester will only add to its rich legacy.
“This exciting new chapter celebrates not only the city’s exceptional musical heritage and its status as a powerhouse of British creativity, but the great depth of artistic energy and potential that exists all across the UK.”