Fan Fare
Entertainment behind the scenes
Can Tempah turn BRIT nods into awards?
He’s leader of the pack in terms of BRIT nominations tonight, but can London rapper Tinie Tempah convert them into prizes when the awards ceremony is held on Feb. 15? Bookmakers would have us believe that British pop’s biggest night could be one of disappointment, not delirium, with Ladbrokes backing the 22-year-old to scoop just one of his four nods, and arguably the least prestigious of them all — Best Breakthrough Act.
Not that the category is unimportant — a BRIT is a BRIT after all, and, after a Grammy, perhaps music’s most coveted statuette. But when you think that Tempah is in the running for best male solo, best British single and, most important of all, best British album, a Breakthrough prize alone may not be enough to keep him happy.
Elsewhere, the highlight of the nominations has to be Robert Plant, 40 years Tempah’s senior but a giant of rock as Led Zeppelin lead singer and, shockingly, a first-time BRIT nominee, according to the organisers. Given the huge success of his solo career after Led Zeppelin ceased to be, it seems almost scandalous. Not a whole lot of love for the singer among voting members, obviously, and the possibility of a heartbreaker if he doesn’t win. Or could it be celebration day? Enough bad Led Zeppelin puns.
Robert Plant blanked at BRITs
As the BRITs music awards got underway at Earls Court in London, one name stood out as a major absentee from the nominations announced last month — Robert Plant.
The ex-Led Zeppelin frontman was the big winner at the Grammys 10 days ago, scooping five prizes for his collaboration with bluegrass queen Alison Krauss. And yet the Englishman notched precisely zero nominations at the BRITs, the showcase for British music.
Led Zeppelin tour dead for now — Jimmy Page
Led Zeppelin fans praying for good news on a rumored reunion tour would not have been encouraged by guitarist Jimmy Page at a Toronto film festival press conference where he was promoting the documentary film “It Might Get Loud”.
The film, a love letter to the electric guitar, features Page, U2 guitarist The Edge, and White Stripes frontman Jack White discussing their musical backgrounds and jamming with each other on a soundstage.
