Brit Award for International Breakthrough Act
The Brit Award for International Breakthrough Act was an award given by the British Phonographic Industry, an organisation which represents record companies and artists in the United Kingdom. The accolade used to be presented at the Brit Awards, an annual celebration of British and international music. The winners and nominees are determined by the Brit Awards voting academy with over one-thousand members, which comprises record labels, publishers, managers, agents, media, and previous winners and nominees.
History
The award was first presented in 1988 as awards as "International Newcomer" which was won by Terence Trent D'Arby. In 2003 the award was renamed to "International Breakthrough Act". The accolade was not handed out at the 2008 and 2009 ceremonies and has been defunct as of 2013.
Only six non-American artists won the award; Swedish singer Neneh Cherry in 1990, Icelandic singer Björk in 1994, Canadian singer Alanis Morissette in 1996, Italian composer Robert Miles in 1997, Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia in 1999, and Canadian singer Justin Bieber in 2011. The only other Swedish nominee was Cherry's half-brother, Eagle-Eye Cherry.