I pull on my heels… and brace myself for what I envisage to be an exciting evening. As Company magazine winner I am the Brits Girl 2012. This means I get to attend both the nominations night and the actual Brit Awards. The ACTUAL Brit Awards. (Yes. I said that twice. For effect.)
Hesitantly I stand before my wardrobe and nervously pull the doors open. They slowly creak and as they do my old red graduation dress falls at my feet. The spider webs follow and might have been suitably placed if I was indeed still stuck in my Goth phase. Which admittedly only lasted five minutes. A five minutes that I’d rather not repeat I might add. But what my wardrobe seems to be telling me ,through the symbolism of desolation is that these are indeed (still) economically tough times. Damn it.
I turn the radio up.... ‘Struggling to pay the rent... stuck in her daydream.. been this way since 18…’. Ed Sheeran. Hits the nail on the head every time. And I think to myself. Can reality really compete with my daydreams…? Ok. So the first thing that needs to happen is to be dressed like a Brit Girl. Geri Halliwell in a Union Jack dress fleetingly passes through my mind. Hmmm…. No. Maybe..? No. I sit down at my desk and open my email… deep in fashion querying thought suddenly my ‘heart skips a beat’ and it’s as if the top dogs at Company HQ could read my mind. There would be a dress in my size waiting for me from Topshop and my hair would be styled by a salon called Headmasters. So there was really nothing else I needed to concern myself with. Easy. Peasy. Wow. How did they know?!
And so several hours later I’m dressed, made up and standing in front of the prestigious Savoy hotel, London. Dashing through the front doors the photographers look eagerly up as myself and the Company editorial team swiftly flit past as they hope to catch someone of celebrity status. Ushered into the media room – we join a swarm of photographers, journalists and musicians. Making the rounds I can make out Jessie J calmly charming the hundreds of microphones fighting for her attention. Then. Like a ray of light in the distance.. I see him. One of the greatest acts and the man I envisage to be a big winner at The Brits – it’s Mr Ed Sheeran himself. I approach tentatively.
The last time I saw Ed was six months before at Camp Bestival in the summer when I had made him and Fenech Soler fittingly (or so I thought) sing ‘The Cuckoo Song’. It was, after all a medieval themed festival!!!! And The Cuckoo Song IS a traditional English folk song.
‘Will you marry me now that you’re rich and famous’ I teasingly question Ed, towering at least a foot above him.
‘I’m not sure my girlfriend will be too happy with that…’ Ed replies nonchalantly ‘Didn’t you like the cuckoo song?’ I ask… ‘Oh God.. ‘ he replies, looking at me with sudden recognition.. covering his face with his hands.
“So you’ve done Nandos… who are you going to ask for advertisement from this year?” I grin.. “Robinson’s Fruit and Barley and tell them I’ll dress up like a big peach for the advert!” he sharply whips back at me. Quick off the mark it is clear to see how Ed’s quick wit, charm and confidence has gotten him in to four categories of The Brits 2012 this year; Best British male solo artist, British breakthrough act, British single and British album of the year. “Company Magazine weren’t you the one’s who first declared me a batchelor” he say’s and just like that Ed seems to float away on a shiny seabed of recording devices. Every media outlet wants a piece – just one golden line from the ginger haired lyrical genius.
I look behind me and can still see Jessie J interviewing. Her make up still pristeen, she is laughing with a different journalist this time “What do you think I should wear for the Awards ceremony” she throws his question back in his face and he is struggling to come up with an answer. She’s good. I fight my way through the crowd and manage to snatch a few seconds with Professor Green… “any words for Company Mag and your female fans Mr Green?” I query… “Behave!” he charmingly quips back “And be a lady… it’s attractive” waggling his finger suggestively into the camera lens. (At YOU not me).
We head in to the main room at the gorgeous Savoy – the Critics Choice Emeli Sande has taken the stage to perform. Eyes are glued… the floor is quiet…I close my eyes and my mind plays fast forward to 40 days time. We’re at the O2. But I’m not dreaming this time. This is reality. Blur are onstage. It’s the Brit Awards 2012 and they’ve won an Outstanding Contribution Award…
‘Churchill got his lucky number… but tomorrow there’s another
Could be me, could be you, no silver spoon
Sticky teeth they rot too soon,
You’ve got to have the best tunes…. or that’s it, you’ve blown it’
TO BE CONTINUED…
I know who I’m voting for… and you? JOIN THE CONVERSATION @ohDearyme @Companymagazine
Becki Bx
