British performers dominated the 68th Grammy Awards, with several former students of the Brit School in Croydon, south London, taking home top honors. Olivia Dean won best new artist, Lola Young earned best pop solo performance for her hit Messy, and FKA twigs took home best dance/electronic album for Eusexua. Raye, another alumnus, was also recognized earlier in the week with the Harry Belafonte award for social change for her song Ice Cream Man. Since opening in the 1990s, the Brit School has focused on performing and creative arts, becoming a major launchpad for global talent. Its alumni list reads like a British music and entertainment who’s who, including Adele, Amy Winehouse, Jessie J, Tom Holland, Leona Lewis, and Loyle Carner. Even artists who never attended, such as Ed Sheeran, reference the school in songs. Stuart Worden, a teacher since 1994 and principal since 2012, described this year’s Grammys as “a brilliant celebration” of free arts education. “These women are fantastic role models of what’s achievable if you give young people access to the arts,” he said. While FKA twigs spent only a brief period at the school, Dean, Young, and Raye joined at age 14. “They started in year 10, all pretty close together,” Worden recalled. “Lola and Olivia stayed through sixth form. Raye left after her GCSEs because she was already making progress in her music career.” Dean, blending soul, jazz, and pop, is the first British performer to win best new act since Dua Lipa in 2019. Multiple tracks from her sophomore album The Art of Loving reached the UK Top 10 simultaneously. Young’s hit Messy topped charts worldwide, while Raye is already a seven-time Brit award winner. Worden praised the students’ work ethic. “None of these artists are overnight successes. They’ve played small venues and worked on records for years.” He noted that what united Dean, Young, and Raye was their desire to write about meaningful subjects. The school aims to help students find their own voice. “What do you care about? The next step is up to them,” Worden said. Raye’s Ice Cream Man examines harassment, Young’s Messy explores life’s challenges with honesty, and Dean writes about the complexities of love. “They are not manufactured, they are themselves, and that’s powerful,” he added. Students are not taught how to become stars, but professional standards and values like kindness are instilled. Worden explained, “If you allow people to be kind and open to emotion, that creates possibilities.” The three women maintain close ties with the school. Worden recalled Raye at 14 confidently saying, “I’m going to do this, sir.” Alumni often collaborate with the school, bringing new students to shows and mentoring young talent. “Olivia met her bass player in the canteen. Adele met her guitarist here at 16,” he said. Former Brit School students have collectively sold nearly 300 million albums, amassed over 70 billion streams online, and won major awards including Grammys, BAFTAs, Oscars, Oliviers, and Brits. The school hosts more than 200 shows or events each year, combining core academic studies with arts specialization. Diversity is central to the Brit School’s mission. Of its 1,450 students, 40% are of global majority heritage, 50% come from low-income backgrounds, and a third have a special educational needs diagnosis. Worden emphasized the importance of representation in the arts. “We need many different voices. Giving access to those from low-income or neurodiverse backgrounds creates opportunities that might not otherwise exist.” The success of Olivia Dean, Lola Young, and FKA twigs at the Grammys demonstrates how free arts education can nurture genuine talent and prepare young performers for global achievement.