Brit winner urges people to 'protect' music venues

Myles Smith won the Brit Rising Star Award for 2025 at last night's ceremony

Brit Award winner Myles Smith has urged people to "protect" grassroots venues in his acceptance speech.

The 26-year-old from Luton, Bedfordshire, won Rising Star 2025 and talked about his home town at Saturday night's ceremony at the O2 Arena in London.

He said: "If artists selling out your arenas and your stadiums started in grassroots venues, what are you doing to keep them alive?"

Smith urged the government, companies that own venues, and music executives to protect foundations for new and upcoming artists.

Others who have scooped the same honour previously include Sam Fender, Adele, and Rag 'n' Bone Man.

He also talked about growing up in Luton, adding: "I grew up in a town that, according to loads of clickbait articles, is the worst town...

"But yet I'm somehow here, a four-time Brit nominee, a graduate from a Russell Group university," he added.

Myles Smith held up his Brit Award as he gave his acceptance speech on Saturday night

The singer was announced as the winner of the Brit Rising Star Award for 2025 in December last year.

To be nominated for the honour, artists cannot have had a top 20 album or more than one top 20 single by 31 October.

During his speech, Smith addressed issues he said faced the music industry.

He said: "To the biggest venues in the country and around the world - if artists selling out your arenas and your stadiums started in grassroots venues, what are you doing to keep them alive?"

He told people to "stick with artists past their first viral hit" and "moments, they fade, but careers last forever".

Smith, who rose to fame on TikTok, performed his songs Stargazing and Nice To Meet You.