6 Unforgettable Moments from the 2016 Brit Awards

Though the Grammys are often billed as music’s biggest night, it’s the Brit Awards that excite our friends across the pond. Wednesday evening in London’s The O2 arena, English chart toppers like Adele, Florence Welch, and Mark Ronson joined international tastemakers like Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Alexa Chung, Charlie XCX, and Lana Del Rey for a night of buzzy awards and sensational performances. And while Adele has plenty of reason to celebrate after taking home numerous accolades, she wasn’t the only star that wowed. See our list of the top moments from the show, below.

Coldplay Killed It

Fresh off of a headline-making Super Bowl halftime performance, Chris Martin and the boys of Coldplay kicked off the evening with a rock ‘n’ roll performance of “Hymn for the Weekend” before accepting the award for British Group. For the opening sequence, the band covered the stage with flowers that brought a positive, frenetic energy to the night. Is it Friday yet?

Little Mix Brought Major Girl Power

The women of Little Mix commanded the stage in matching ensembles that made us want to dance and celebrate, too. The four beauties performed “Black Magic” in glittery, curve-flaunting looks.

Rihanna and Drake Worked It On Stage

After arriving in a ruffled lavender slip dress, Rihanna swiftly changed into a white crop top and matching oversized pants with fringe detailing for her live performance of “Consideration,” a new track of her latest album, Anti. The Barbadian singer quickly transitioned into “Work,” with dancers shaking their assets directly behind her as she nailed each of the song’s notes. Minutes into the hit, Drake, who’s featured on the track, joined her on stage in what felt like a live remake of her just-released music video. Talk about star power!

Justin Bieber Fired Things Up

If his performance at the Grammys wasn’t hot enough for you, Bieber hopped on stage and delivered a paced-down version of “Love Yourself.” Dressed in a satin, palm tree-print print bomber jacket, the blonde crooner then moved onto a larger, circular stage to perform his hit single “Sorry.” During the second song, dancers paraded about the venue while flames flew into the air for what felt like an A-list, jam-fueled campfire. He also took home the prize for International Male Solo Artist.

Adele Gave a Kesha a Shout Out

As usual, Adele lent her powerful vocals to the mic and nailed a bone-chilling live rendition of "When We Were Young." The 27-year-old record-breaking star also took home one of the evening’s top prizes: British Female Solo Artist. In addition to thanking those on her team, she also delivered positive words for Kesha, who’s in the midst of legal battles. “I’d also like to take this moment to publicly support Kesha. Thank you very much,” she said as her speech wrapped. Adele also took home the award for British Album of the Year, British Single, and Global Success, which brought her to tears.

Lorde Channeled Bowie

To honor the late David Bowie, who received the BRITs Icon Award, 19-year-old pop star Lorde took the stage to perform alongside Bowie's band after a minutes-long mashup of the singer’s greatest hits played across the arena’s screens. With her angelic voice and cool-girl charm, the “Team” singer belted Bowie’s “Life on Mars” with panache. She rocked a sleek, parted ‘do and a pair of menswear trousers with a matching white shirt and vest—a legendary moment worthy of a standing ovation.