SHE graced the Brits stage in 2024 when she performed her smash hit Greedy.
And now I’m told Tate McRae is in the mix to make a possible return to the show when it heads to Manchester on February 28.
My awards mole said: “Tate’s name has come up in conversations about performers for next year’s show.
“It’s the first Brits in Manchester and they’re going all-out to book the biggest artists to welcome in this new era for the ceremony.
“Since she appeared at the Brits, Tate’s career has gone from strength to strength and they have seen the reaction from fans for her Miss Possessive world tour — which saw her playing at London’s O2 Arena and Co-op Live in Manchester.
“Bringing back Tate for a longer set would be amazing and it’s definitely been discussed. There are so many spinning plates with the Brits so nothing is locked in yet. It all depends on schedules and if they can make it work. But Tate is definitely one of the names on the hit list.”
Earlier this month, Tate landed her first Rolling Stone magazine cover and her most recent album, So Close To What, is currently back in the Top Ten of the UK chart after the release of a deluxe version.
Back in June I told you how Brits bosses were going to be pulling out all the stops to welcome the ceremony to Manchester.
As well as organisers working on their wishlist of superstars, I was told they were lining up a host of Northern talent to help the inaugural Manchester show go off with a bang.
Noel and Liam Gallagher were the dream booking and I’m told Oasis’s huge reunion tour will be mentioned during the show.
Northern power houses Take That are also a likely bet, with Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen preparing for the reimagining of their Circus Live tour next year, as well as their former bandmate Robbie Williams — whose new album Britpop will come out just 22 days before the ceremony.
We’ll be in Manchester to bring you all the gossip, and with any luck it will be just as juicy for news and backstage shenanigans as this year’s event.
I’m looking at you, Danny Jones and Maura Higgins.
Zara’s gateau lot to be proud of
ZARA LARSSON celebrated her birthday in style this week – by performing to thousands of fans as part of a packed line-up of stars in Washington DC.
First the Midnight Sun singer posed on the red carpet with her birthday cake, while wearing a miniskirt featuring purse pockets.
Then she took to the stage at the Jingle Ball, alongside Brits Olivia Dean and Myles Smith.
Zara, who turned 28 on Tuesday, said she is feeling more supported than ever as a musician, particularly by other female artists.
The Swedish singer, who teamed up with Pinkpantheress recently for a new version of her tune Stateside, said: “I really feel like there’s this warmth among the girls – at least what I’ve experienced.
“It’s so exciting to have been working with amazing pop girls, and I look forward to doing more of that.
“I’ve collaborated with some incredible artists, but I wanna do more with the girls.”
Could it be Kylie this Xmas?
TODAY is the last day to stream, buy and download your favourite festive tune before the Christmas No1 is announced, and it looks like Kylie Minogue is going to clinch it.
My chart insider has given me the latest figures from the end of play on Tuesday, when there were 48 hours left, which showed that Kylie’s tune Xmas was leaps and bounds ahead.
At that point, the Aussie pop princess had shifted 38,617 copies, while WHAM!’s Last Christmas was almost 9,000 sales behind with 29,841.
Wham!’s festive favourite from 1984 has claimed the Christmas No1 for the past two consecutive years, while Kylie hasn’t had a chart-topping single since Slow, way back in 2003.
She has been given a massive boost by it being an Amazon Music original, which means it gets played when people ask their Alexa devices for seasonal tunes.
But Kylie, who is an adopted national treasure at this point, has also been doing loads of promo to back it, so good on her.
If she does succeed, it will be well deserved.
Why fans are seeing red over Rih
RIHANNA got into the spirit of the season in this red coat during an evening out in Los Angeles.
But she really made other people see red at a recent Mariah Carey gig, as a video has gone viral showing her being shouted at when she stood up during the show.
In the online clip, which has been watched millions of times, Rihanna got up to dance and blow kisses at Mariah as she sang We Belong Together during the concert in Las Vegas.
But that prompted others to yell at her to sit down and stop blocking their view.
Rihanna had been dressed down in a baseball cap, so something tells me her critics might have regretted heckling her when they realised it was the superstar.
Simon slaps back at stars
SIMON COWELL has issued a rather punchy riposte to former X Factor stars who’ve taken issue with their time on the ITV show.
Singers including Cher Lloyd and Katie Waissel have spoken out about their time on the long-running programme, which discovered stars including Leona Lewis, James Arthur and Olly Murs, as well as groups including One Direction and Little Mix.
Simon has now broken his silence and given his thoughts on the matter in a new interview with The Rest Is Entertainment podcast which comes out today.
He said: “Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, any artist is. The vast majority of people who came on the show made a lot of money and got what they wanted, which was fame.
“Did it go exactly the way they wanted? Possibly not. So certain people . . . they have just got it in for me. There’s nothing I can do about that.”
Simon added: “Every time we put someone on the show, they signed up to what they know the show was about. You never sign someone in the hope they fail, that would literally be insane.
“There were times you would go, for whatever reason, I can’t connect with this artist or they can’t connect with the audience.
“I used to say that I don’t have a magic wand, I can try but I can’t guarantee anything, but a lot of it has to come from you.
“So when people say I wasn’t backing them, I did back them.
“I did everything I possibly could but not everything worked out the way we wanted it to, but a lot did, fortunately.”
Gigi is glad to go grey
GIGI HADID looked like she had just been shipped off to a posh boarding school in this grey outfit, which I mistook for a smart school uniform.
In fact she was out in New York in the dead of night on Tuesday evening to shoot an advert, which will also feature Cardi B’s American footballer boyfriend Stefon Diggs.
Armed with a clipboard and a whistle, Gigi appeared to be playing a referee rather than a schoolgirl, and was seen standing on the sidelines screaming orders.
I think most of us would happily do whatever Gigi wanted us to do.
Weeknd’s Xmas treat
THE WEEKND’s family can expect some very generous Christmas presents next week – he’s just become a billionaire.
The Canadian superstar has secured a $1billion deal for the rights to his back catalogue, but will keep creative control of his work.
Over the past decade and a half, he has sold 75million records and had massive hits including Blinding Lights, Save Your Tears, Can’t Feel My Face and Take My Breath – all of which will be part of the deal with Lyric Capital.
But future releases won’t be included, which I’m sure will give him a kick up the bum to get back in the studio.
Star’s backing
I’VE already championed Brit singer-songwriter Sienna Spiro, and now she’s had a major A-list endorsement – with her voice being branded the best since Adele’s.
Sienna has had a cracking year with Die On This Hill becoming her first Top Ten hit, and One-Republic’s Ryan Tedder – who has written for Adele, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Beyonce – is a fan.
Speaking in the US, he said: “I heard her sing a cover a year ago . . . that voice is the best I’ve heard since maybe Adele.”
I see big things ahead for 2026
