Dua Lipa stuns Manchester with surprise BRITs medley

Dua Lipa provided the defining moment of the 2026 BRIT Awards on Saturday, 28 February, after staging a spectacular surprise appearance at Manchester's Co-op Live arena. The 30-year-old Houdini singer, who notably skipped the red carpet to keep her presence a secret, sent the crowd into a frenzy when she descended from the rafters on a giant disco ball.

Lipa's set was the centrepiece of a celebratory segment for producer Mark Ronson, who was honoured with the prestigious Outstanding Contribution to Music award. Opening with a shimmering rendition of her Barbie hit, 'Dance the Night', Lipa was soon joined by fellow stars Lily Allen and Raye. The trio performed a high-octane medley of Ronson's most iconic productions, including a soulful tribute to Amy Winehouse with 'Back to Black' and a show-stopping finale of 'Uptown Funk'.

Ronson, who also performed with Ghostface Killah during the night, used his acceptance speech to pay an emotional tribute to the late Winehouse, marking nearly twenty years since they first collaborated.

Beyond the surprise performances, Olivia Dean was the evening's undisputed champion, sweeping four categories including Artist of the Year and Mastercard Album of the Year for The Art of Loving. Other major winners included Wolf Alice for Group of the Year and Sam Fender, who took home Song of the Year for 'Rein Me In', his collaboration with Dean. Rosalía was named International Artist of the Year, while Lola Young secured the Breakthrough Artist award.