Sunderland Echo reporter asked to help choose this year's BRIT Award winners

The list of those in line to receive the biggest awards in British music, which was revealed tonight in a live nominations show on ITV hosted by Emma Willis, is selected by The Brits Voting Academy.

At the end of last year, our entertainments editor Katy Wheeler was one of 700 people invited to join the academy as part of a shake up.

The new members of the academy, which is made up of 1,200 people drawn from across the UK music industry, were invited to join in a bid to refresh the voting.

Though new members were invited in a bid to achiever greater gender balance, as well as increased black and ethnic minority representation, all members are also selected on the basis of their expertise across different aspects of music.

The shake up has been led by Ged Doherty, the BPI chairman (the organisation that owns and runs The BRIT Awards), who earlier this year gave a public undertaking to review the Voting Academy.

The invitee list for the Academy is made up from all areas of music throughout the UK, ranging from artists and promoters to managers, producers and members of the press.

Katy said: “It was a total, but pleasant, surprise to be asked to join The BRITS Academy as it’s not something I’d applied for. It was great fun making my votes for the awards, which celebrate the cream of British music.”

Ged Doherty, BPI chairman, said: “I’m really proud that we’ve taken firm action to refresh the Academy to ensure that it keeps up with trends in music and society at large.

“I believe that as a result of these changes the BRITs will be better equipped to reflect the diverse nature of Britain and British music. There’s been a long-held myth that BRITs winners and nominees are decided by industry executives in a smoke-filled room, but the simple truth is that the awards are voted for each year by a 1000+ strong Voting Academy made up of experts drawn from all areas of music.”

•The winners of the BRIT Awards 2017 with Mastercard will be broadcast live on ITV on Wednesday, February 22 from London’s O2 Arena.

The nominees announced tonight are:

•British Female Solo Artist

Anohni

Ellie Goulding

Emeli Sande

Lianne La Havas

•British Male Solo Artist

Craig David

David Bowie

Kano

Michael Kiwanuka

Skepta

•British Group

The 1975

Bastille

Biffy Clyro

Little Mix

Radiohead

•International Female Solo Artist

Beyoncé

Christine and the Queens

Rihanna

Sia

Solange

•International Male Solo Artist

Bon Iver

Bruno Mars

Drake

Leonard Cohen

The Weeknd

•British Single

Alan Walker - ‘Faded’

Calum Scott - ‘Dancing On My Own’

Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna - ‘This Is What You Came For’

Clean Bandit feat. Louisa Johnson - ‘Tears’

Coldplay - ‘Hymn For The Weekend’

James Arthur - ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’

Jonas Blue feat. Dakota - ‘Fast Car’

Little Mix - ‘Shout Out To My Ex’

Tinie Tempah feat. Zara Larsson - ‘Girls Like’

Zayn - ‘Pillowtalk’

•International Group

A Tribe Called Quest

Drake & Future

Kings of Leon

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

Twenty One Pilots

•Mastercard British Album of the Year

The 1975 - i like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it

Davie Bowie - Blackstar

Kano - Made In The Manor

Michael Kiwanuka - Love & Hate

Skepta - Konnichiwa

•British artist video of the year

Adele - Send My Love (To Your New Lover)

James Arthur - Say You Won’t Let Go

Clean Bandit - Rockabye

Jonas Blue ft Dakota - Fast Car

Coldplay - Hymn For The Weekend

Calvin Harris ft Rihanna - This Is What You Came For

Little Mix - Hair

One Direction - History

Tinie Tempah ft Zara Larsson - Girls Like

Zayn - Pillowtalk

•British Breakthrough Act

Anne-Marie

Blossoms

Rag’N’Bone Man

Skepta

Stormzy