ritish singer-songwriter Calum Scott has said he would feel “conflicted” if he scooped the best international song of the year prize at the Brit Awards ahead of renowned global megastars competing in the category.
Scott has been nominated for his track Where Are You Now with DJ Lost Frequencies, but faces tough competition from Beyonce’s Break My Soul, Anti-Hero from Taylor Swift, Peru from Fireboy DML and Ed Sheeran and Lizzo’s About Damn Time – which won record of the year at the Grammys.
Also in the running are We Don’t Talk About Bruno from the cast of Encanto, Gayle’s abcdefu, Bebe Rexha and David Guetta’s I’m Good (Blue), First Class from Jack Harlow, and OneRepublic’s I Ain’t Worried.
Scott, who was born in the city of Hull, told the PA news agency that being nominated for a Brit Award “blows my little Yorkshire mind”.
He said: “Having a hit with it and having it Brit nominated is the golden seal of approval for me.
“In the same vein, I’m more than happy with just the nomination, I don’t feel I need to win, I don’t feel like I’m going to win, there’s Encanto, Beyonce, Lizzo, OneRepublic, Taylor Swift. I mean, what are the chances.”
The 34-year-old explained how he would feel remorseful if he won the prestigious award over pop royalty.
“I’ll be devastated, I’ll be so conflicted. I’d be like ‘Yay’ but also guilt,” he told PA.
Scott, who rose to fame on ITV talent show Britain’s Got Talent with his cover of Robyn’s Dancing On My Own in 2015, admitted his dream collaborator would be global megastar Adele.
He told PA: “I would love to work with Adele, I don’t think she’s ever done a duet so I’m not sure whether that would happen. I might have to say hi (at the Brits), I recently bumped into Shania Twain so literally anything can happen.
“I think it will be amazing to work with Adele, it would (also) be amazing to work with Harry (Styles). I remember listening to Under Pressure with David Bowie and Freddie Mercury and I always refer back to that, because that was a power duet. Two voices of that moment, superstar level, and I just think it’d be so cool to bring those together.
“Me and Harry Styles or Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, but then ultimately, I’ve had an amazing time working with Leona Lewis and all these incredible artists across the world. I’d love to just make something beautiful, using somebody else’s creativity.
“Of course Adele’s at the top but I’d work with anybody who is different to me, like Cardi B, I’m literally an open book, especially after doing these dance songs. I’m just excited to be amongst it.”
Scott said he presumed he would return to working in human resources after his appearance on Britain’s Got Talent but “worked incredibly hard” to “carve a path” in the music industry.
He told PA: “But even working the way I do, I didn’t imagine for a second I’d have a second Brit nomination. In some ways I feel like I’ve achieved more than I would have ever dreamt and then in other ways I go ‘Oh my God, there’s still more to come’. It’s bizarre.
“If I had to go back in time before my audition and warn myself about what was to come, I don’t think 2015 Calum would grasp the gravity of where I’m at now. Every day is a dream and a blessing and I’m grateful that I’m in the position I’m in.”
Scott added that every now and then he messages pop superstars including Swift and Miley Cyrus to see if they would be interested in collaborating because “you’ve got to shoot your shot, crazier things have happened”.
– The Brit Awards, hosted by Mo Gilligan, will be broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX from London’s O2 Arena from 8.30pm.
