Two artists accused of rape and assault were eligible for nominations at the 2025 Brit Awards ceremony, The Independent can reveal.
Rock singer Marilyn Manson, 55, and rapper Yung Filly, 29, appeared on the longlists for International Artist of the Year and Hip-Hop, Grime or Rap Act, respectively, as a panel of over 1,300 industry experts were asked to choose who they wanted to nominate. Voting for next year’s awards closed on Thursday evening (12 December).
Manson, who has been accused of rape, sexual assault and violent abuse by multiple women, appeared on the longlist for International Artist of the Year prize alongside pop stars Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Kylie Minogue, Post Malone and Billie Eilish.
The US rock artist has denied all allegations against him. In October, Game of Thrones actor Esme Bianco, who came forward against Manson in 2021, denounced District Attorney George Gascón in October for waiting more than two years to act on her case.
She and Manson settled her lawsuit in January 2023. Bianco’s attorney said in a statement at the time that his client wanted “to move on with her life and career”.
In November, Manson agreed to drop a defamation lawsuit he brought against his former partner, actor Evan Rachel Wood, after she accused him of “horrifically” abusing and grooming her during their relationship. He will pay her $327,000 in legal fees.
Meanwhile, UK rapper and YouTuber Yung Filly was arrested on rape and assault charges in Australia in October. He appeared on the longlist for Hip-Hop, Grime or Rap Act alongside stars such as Stormzy, Headie One and Dave.
The internet personality born Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday (9 October) charged with three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and four counts of sexual penetration without consent.
The 29-year-old, who was released on bail on strict conditions, has also been charged with one count of impeding another person’s breathing or circulation by applying pressure to the neck.
The alleged assault of a woman in her twenties took place on 28 September in a Perth hotel room, after a performance at the nightclub Bar120 on 27 September.
This week, it emerged that Mr Barrientos has also been charged with reckless driving while on bail.
Spice Girls star Mel B, a vocal campaigner against violence against women and five-time Brit Award-winner, said: “It is an indictment of the music industry that [men accused of abuse] continue to be celebrated – how long does it actually take for the world to see this should not happen?”
According to the Brit Awards’ rules, the eligibility list is “compiled by the Official UK Charts Company Ltd (OCC) – not including the genre categories – and [comprises] artists who have released recorded music and enjoyed chart success in the UK”.
Artists are automatically listed based on their achieving commercial success within the eligibility period and the longlists are only available to the 1,300-strong voting academy.
“The artists that are eligible will be included in the relevant Award category longlists in the dedicated and secure BRITs Voting Academy website,” the rules state.
Last year, The Independent reported that voters were given the option of nominating Tom Meighan, the former Kasabian frontman who was convicted of assaulting his then-fiancée in 2020, and rapper Slowthai, who is currently on trial for two charges of rape, to be shortlisted at the 2024 ceremony.
Slowthai, real name Tyron Frampton, has pleaded not guilty to both charges.
The Brit Awards voting rules state that the organisation “strongly supports the principle of artistic freedom of expression”.
However, it adds that it “reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to deem ineligible any artist(s) or recorded music product(s) which it considers either may breach the Ofcom Broadcasting Code and/or that may bring the Brit Awards into disrepute”.
“The BRIT Awards condemns any form of sexual violence or harassment,” a spokesperson told The Independent at the time. “We also believe in the due process of the law. Artists become eligible based on their musical impact in the previous 12 months as measured by success in the Official Charts.
“Members of the 1,300-strong BRITs Voting Academy (drawn from across the music industry and media) are then invited to make informed decisions to exercise their judgement to create the shortlist of nominees, and the eventual category winners. The Voting Academy is reviewed annually, as are the eligibility rules.”
The 2025 Brit Awards will take place on Saturday 1 March at the O2 Arena in London and be broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX.
