Fresh from dominating the 2026 Brit Awards, Olivia Dean and Lola Young didn’t waste a second before celebrating.
Dean, who swept the awards with four major wins, and Young, crowned Breakthrough Act, headed straight from the Co-op Live Arena to Universal Music Group UK’s after-party.
There, acceptance speeches were swiftly replaced with toasts as the industry’s biggest names descended on Manchester’s The Ivy Spinningfields.
The pair, both alumni of the Brit School, were spotted celebrating side by side, visibly buoyed by their triumphs.
Harris Dickinson attended in support of his partner, Rose Gray, who took to the decks during the party.
The actor, who is soon to be seen portraying John Lennon in the forthcoming Beatles biopic, was pictured in conversation with Giles Martin, executive music producer on the film and son of legendary Beatles producer George Martin, alongside Martin’s daughter Lucy.
Meanwhile, Jeff Goldblum made an entrance in typically unflappable style, cutting a suave figure as he arrived. One of the evening’s most in-demand guests, he was quickly surrounded by well-wishers keen for a moment of his time.
Boy band December 10 were also in attendance, marking their first Brit Awards after-party appearance.
The previous evening, the group had been spotlighted by Universal Music Group at Aviva Studios, sharing a showcase bill with labelmates Flo and Holly Humberstone as part of a push to champion British talent set for international breakout over the coming year.
Elsewhere, Jacob Alon was in celebratory spirits having been named this year’s Critics’ Choice winner.
Dean was the undeniable headline act of the 2026 Brit Awards, walking away with four major prizes: Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Pop Act and Song of the Year for Rein Me In, her collaboration with Sam Fender from his album People Watching.
Collecting Album of the Year for The Art Of Loving, Dean became visibly emotional as she addressed the crowd.
“Making this album has changed my life, I feel so proud to have made it, and to work with everybody that I did on it…” she shared.
“Thank you so much for believing in me when I didn’t really believe in myself sometimes… this album is just about love and loving each other in a world that feels lovelessness right now, so I don’t know, thank you.”
Accepting Song of the Year later in the evening, she paid tribute to Fender, calling it “a beautiful song” and saying it had “been a pleasure to be a part of it”.
Fender returned the praise, revealing he had written the track four years ago. “Olivia made it her own, and I just want to say thank you to Olivia and her fans,” he said.
Elsewhere, Lola Young was named Breakthrough Act, using her speech to reflect on the wider cultural moment.
She said: “It is a great time in British music and music in general, and I’m just so proud to be a part of it.
“When the outside world can feel horrifyingly bleak and, quite frankly, pretty scary at times, music is a safe haven, a place to escape for so many, including myself.
“So tonight, I believe it’s a powerful celebration of incredible artists who feel things deeply and intensely and wear their heart on their sleeve in many different forms, all of which are precious and should be protected at all costs. Thank you. I love you all so much.”
