PinkPantheress has been named the Producer of the Year at the 2026 BRIT Awards, becoming the youngest recipient and the first woman to win the honor. The announcement highlights her innovative contributions to British pop music. The ceremony will take place in Manchester for the first time outside London.
PinkPantheress has received the Producer of the Year award for the 2026 BRIT Awards, marking her as the youngest winner and the first woman to earn this recognition. The decision was made by a panel of expert judges from the music production sector, placing her alongside past recipients such as A.G. Cook, Calvin Harris, Fred Again.., and Paul Epworth.
In a statement, PinkPantheress said, “As the first woman to win this award, I’m grateful to be recognised. My music production is the thing I’m proudest of, and I’ve worked really hard at it, so I hope this inspires others to pursue their passion.” Stacey Tang, chair of the 2026 BRIT Awards Committee and co-president of RCA Records UK, praised her work: “PinkPantheress is both an inventive and instinctive voice in British pop right now. As a producer, she’s precise and playful, building bold, boundary expanding sounds that travel beyond the UK. She’s quietly reshaping what modern pop can be, and in doing so, opening the door for a new wave of female producers to step forward. Celebrating her at the BRITs is both timely and significant.”
The award comes amid the success of her 2025 mixtape Fancy That and its remix project Fancy Some More?, with the single “Illegal” named NME’s song of the year. Described as an “adrenaline-fuelled thrillride” blending storytelling, sampling, and dance beats, “Illegal” gained traction partly through a TikTok trend and its timeless sample, according to PinkPantheress: “I don’t know if it’s anything too deep, other than having a [TikTok] trend for it helped and also the sample is quite timeless. I think the power of the beat itself is what people really like about it.” Fancy That ranked No. 10 on Pitchfork’s list of the 30 best pop albums of 2025.
Additionally, gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu performed a routine to the “Stateside” remix featuring PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson at the 2026 Olympic Exhibition Gala. PinkPantheress is also nominated for Artist of the Year and Dance Act at the ceremony.
The 2026 BRIT Awards will be held on February 28 at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena, the first time the event leaves London in nearly 50 years. Hosted by Jack Whitehall for the sixth time, the ceremony features performers including Harry Styles, Rosalía, Olivia Dean, Wolf Alice, Mark Ronson, and others. It will broadcast live on ITV and YouTube at 1 p.m. EST / 6 p.m. GMT. Other honors include Jacob Alon’s Critics’ Choice Award, Mark Ronson’s Outstanding Contribution to Music, and Noel Gallagher’s Songwriter of the Year.