If the first two months are any indication, 2012 is shaping up to be a truly GREAT year for the UK. At the Golden Globes back in January, British shows and performers brought home three awards, including Best Miniseries for the smash hit Downton Abbey.
Last night’s GRAMMYs kept the momentum rolling. The one and only Adele took it all as she went a perfect six for six, winning every category in which she was nominated. She brought down the house with a live rendition of “Rolling in the Deep,” her first performance since recent throat surgery. But she saved the best for last, picking up all of the night’s biggest awards in Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year. With the two GRAMMYs she had already won—2009’s Best New Artist and 2010’s Best Female Pop Vocal performance—she brings her career total up to eight.
She shared the GRAMMY stage with two performances by another of Britain’s music exports, one who has more than a passing familiarity with GRAMMYs himself: Sir Paul McCartney. His win for Best Historical Album last night gave Sir Paul 15 GRAMMYs since first winning 1965’s Best New Artist as a member of The Beatles, and a win in five of the last six decades. Anyone else winning a GRAMMY at almost 70 years old, maybe I’d be amazed, but for Rolling Stone’s greatest artist of all time it’s just another day.
But Britain’s great music talent on display went beyond just the night’s two big winners. Mumford & Sons and Coldplay tallied seven additional nominations between them. Paul Epworth won Producer of the Year (no surprise, given that he produced Adele’s 21). Even Sir Richard Branson got in on the GRAMMY action, recognized with the President’s Merit Award.
This week in New York, we’ll be keeping the focus on Britain’s cultural offerings as we kick off the GREAT campaign in the US. With fashion week in full swing and British designers on display, it’s the perfect opportunity to highlight the best that Britain has to offer in fashion and creativity. As the Olympic and Paralympic Games and Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee turn all eyes to the UK, 2012 is truly a GREAT year to experience and visit Britain.
(Did you spot all the song titles? There were 6)