Lily Allen, Lady Gaga, Pixie Lott and Florence And The Machine prepare for Brits battle

11 April 2012
The Weekender

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The Brit Awards take place tonight with a raucous evening expected as the biggest event in the British music calendar celebrates its 30th show.

Lily Allen, Lady Gaga, Pixie Lott and Florence And The Machine make it a battle of the babes after heading the shortlists with three nominations each.

Twice the fun: Florence Welch will be performing with Dizzee Rascal

But there will also be an array of eye-catching one-off performances - and even a royal endorsement - for the anniversary night at London's Earls Court.

Prince Harry has recorded a special message to be aired during the live show, praising the event as it takes place for the 30th time.

There will also be spectacular collaborations - for which the Brits has become increasingly known - including a showpiece duet between Florence Welch and Dizzee Rascal - both of whom are hot tips to win trophies.

Other performers lined up for the show include Kasabian, Lady Gaga and Jay-Z, who will take to the stage with Alicia Keys.

Staying string: Cheryl Cole will make an appearance at the Brits despite so much trouble in her personal life

Allen is set to play, as is Cheryl Cole, whose husband Ashley is at the centre of newspaper stories about texts allegedly sent from his mobile phone.

Comedian Peter Kay will host the event, which will see Robbie Williams rewarded for his outstanding contribution to music with an honorary award. Williams will also round off the show with a live performance and is nominated in the best male category, against Calvin Harris, Dizzee Rascal, Mika and Paolo Nutini.

Crowd pleaser: Peter Kay will be hosting the event

Lott, Allen and Welch go head-to-head in the best British female category, with Allen and Welch also up for best British album. Welch - who took last year's critics' choice award - is also up for best British breakthrough against Lott.

Allen - who despite four nods in 2007 has remained empty-handed - rounds off her nominations by competing for best British single with The Fear.

US star Lady Gaga, who had the biggest-selling single of 2009 with Poker Face, is nominated as best international female, international breakthrough act and best international album for her debut The Fame.

Another act up for three prizes is boy band JLS, who will fight it out with established rock acts for the best British group title.

Dizzee Rascal and Nutini are also up for best British album for their releases Tongue N'Cheek and Sunny Side Up. They compete with Florence And The Machine's Lungs, Allen's It's Not Me, It's You and Kasabian's West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum.

In addition to the usual clutch of award categories, organisers of this year's event - officially called the Brit Awards 2010 with MasterCard - are searching for winners of two further categories drawn from the past 30 years.

They are best Brits performance, including Sir Paul McCartney's Live And Let Die rendition in 2008 and Michael Jackson's Earth Song from 1996, which infamously featured Jarvis Cocker's stage invasion.

Brits bosses are also awarding a prize for the best album since the event began, with Oasis's (What's The Story) Morning Glory? favourite to win against titles by Coldplay, Dido and others.

Up-and-coming act Ellie Goulding has already been announced as the winner of the Brits critics' choice prize this year.

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