Lessons From the 18th Century’s Donald Trump

As the 2024 presidential campaign kicks into high gear, many observers have highlighted the bizarre nature of Donald Trump’s hold on the GOP. He’s poised to yet again capture the Republican nomination, despite a presidency and post-presidency laden with controversy, as well as facing 91 felony counts in four different cases. These are unusual circumstances to say the least. And yet, surprisingly, there is a striking parallel in American history.

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Like Trump, 18th century Congressman Matthew Lyon from Vermont constantly attacked an allegedly elitist establishment and regularly—and gleefully—violated political norms. In fact, during his re-election campaign, he was arrested, and actually managed to keep his seat despite being in jail. Lyon’s story offers clues to Trump’s continued appeal and why it might take a switch in strategies from his opponents to defeat him.

Though Lyon’s political career bears striking resemblances to Trump’s, his origins are much humbler. Lyon came to North America from Ireland as an indentured servant in 1764. During the War of Independence, he found riches by buying up Loyalist-surrendered property. 

In 1797, he ran for a seat in the House of Representatives. Lyon campaigned as a political outsider and anti-elitist who spoke for “the industrious part of the community” and would counter the agenda of the “set of aristocrats” who populated government. Vermont voters rallied to this vision and sent Lyon to Congress.

Read More: President Trump Is Looking for Suggestions for Pardons. So We Asked 7 Historians for Their Thoughts

Once there, Lyon mocked the pomposity of his colleagues — refusing to participate in their rituals and traditions. For instance, he successfully put forward a motion to excuse those congressmen who did not wish to participate in the regular ceremonial procession to the president’s residence to thank him for his address to Congress. Lyon dismissed the procession as “vain adulation” and “pageantry.” This solidified his reputation as a man of the people, immune to the posturing, corruption, and backdoor-dealing of politics.

He was also prone to outrageous behavior. During the 1798 winter congressional session, Connecticut Congressman Roger Griswold insulted Lyon during a break in the official proceedings. Lyon responded by spitting in his face. Lyon’s opponents immediately clamored for his expulsion from the House. He must be removed from Congress, one man insisted, “as citizens removed impurities and filth from their docks and wharves.” The press likewise fixated on Lyon’s shocking lack of decorum and unfitness for office, nicknaming him “the spitting Lyon” and claiming that he acted no better than a common beast.

Meanwhile, Lyon’s backers cheered his audacity and unwillingness to be trampled upon by the elite. They were further gratified when the House’s expulsion resolution fell short of the required two-thirds majority and Lyon kept his seat.

Shortly afterwards, Griswold took matters into his own hands. He attacked Lyon on the House floor, beating him with his walking stick. Lyon fought back with a pair of tongs he grabbed from a nearby fireplace. The two then wrestled to the floor, punching each other wildly until onlookers eventually broke them apart. 

The fight further endeared Lyon to his supporters who claimed that his “honest, independent, and manly suppor[t]” of the “interests of the people” so angered “the aristocratic faction” that they had to resort to violence. The irreverent, rough-and-tumble nature of Lyon’s antics in Congress cemented his reputation as a common man fighting for the interests of his constituents against the establishment. And each time Lyon’s opponents criticized his conduct, they only strengthened those associations.

Later that year, Lyon was arrested for claiming that President John Adams was more interested in “ridiculous pomp, foolish adulation, or selfish avarice” than serving the public good. The federal court in Vermont convicted Lyon of violating the newly passed Sedition Law, which made it a crime to criticize the federal government.

His opponents hoped that this disgrace would ensure Lyon lost his re-election bid that fall. But, in fact, his arrest and conviction had the opposite effect, boosting Lyon’s prospects. From jail, the congressman claimed martyrdom, penning plaintive accounts of his mistreatment and denouncing his opponents for imprisoning their political enemies. He maintained that the only crimes he had committed were “refusing to sacrifice [his constituents’] sacred trust to the views of those who wish to see a luxurious court.” And so, as before, the attempts of Lyon’s critics to delegitimize him only made the congressman more compelling to the voters. 

Lyon won re-election, making him the first—and more than 200 years later, the only—person elected to Congress from jail. 

His victory hit his opponents hard. They were in disbelief that the voters could have backed Lyon once again. “How lost to decency [are] the servile advocates of such an animal!” railed one commentator. The press denounced his supporters as “low-class,” “ill-mannered,” and disloyal. Nevertheless, once he had served his sentence, Lyon returned to the House of Representatives as a hero in the eyes of his followers.

Read More: How MAGA Hijacked the Conservative Movement

The tale of Matthew Lyon carries an important warning for those who wish to defeat Donald Trump. Calling out bad behavior is important and prosecuting illegal behavior even more so. But, as Lyon’s story demonstrates, ridiculing and mocking distasteful opponents and their supporters can backfire significantly. Lyon’s constituents saw these reactions as a sign that Lyon was fighting for them against a corrupt establishment. The opprobrium, venom, and scorn Lyon faced only enhanced his popularity.

Trump’s critics on both the left and the “Never Trump” right have often resorted to similar expressions of outrage and demands for banishment. They, too, have mocked the MAGA movement and hurled insults at Trump voters. But Lyon’s example suggests that to defeat Trump, his opponents must work to understand his appeal.

Eighteenth-century Americans failed to tame Lyon. Whether 21st century Americans can crack the code of taming Trump remains to be seen.

Shira Lurie is assistant professor of History at Saint Mary’s University and author of The American Liberty Pole: Popular Politics and the Struggle for Democracy in the Early Republic. This article is drawn from her chapter in A Republic of Scoundrels: The Schemers, Intriguers, and Adventurers who Created a New American Nation.

Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians. Learn more about Made by History at TIME here. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors.

source https://time.com/6588325/donald-trump-matthew-lyon/

Supreme Court Rules States Cannot Kick Trump Off Ballot

The Supreme Court on Monday unanimously ruled that states cannot remove former President Donald Trump from the 2024 election ballot, overturning a Colorado court ruling that said he was ineligible to run for office because of his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack.

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The high-stakes decision in Trump v. Anderson, issued without the customary session in the courtroom, comes just a day before Colorado voters are poised to cast their ballots during the Super Tuesday primaries. At the heart of the dispute was the Colorado supreme court’s ruling in December, which found Trump ineligible to run based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, barring individuals who engaged in insurrection from holding office. Trump appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the state’s decision would disenfranchise millions of voters and could plunge the electoral process into disarray if other states followed suit.

“We conclude that States may disqualify persons holding or attempting to hold state office,” the Supreme Court’s unsigned opinion says. “But States have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially the Presidency.” The Supreme Court did not weigh in on whether Trump had engaged in an insurrection.

Trump wrote on his social media platform that the ruling marked a “BIG WIN FOR AMERICA!!!”

But in their unanimous decision, the Justices also rejected Trump’s argument that the President is not covered by Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, designed to prevent Confederates from returning to power. “President Trump asks us to hold that Section 3 disqualifies every oath-breaking insurrectionist except the most powerful one,” the Supreme Court wrote. “Both results are inconsistent with the plain language and history of Section 3.”

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, who controls the state’s ballot access, wrote on social media that she is “disappointed” in the court’s decision to not allow states to enforce Section 3 of the 14th Amendment for federal candidates. “Colorado should be able to bar oath-breaking insurrections from our ballot,” she wrote.

Legal experts noted the significance of the Supreme Court’s direct involvement in a presidential contest, drawing parallels to the landmark Bush v. Gore case of 2000. The ruling is expected to not only impact Trump’s candidacy in Colorado but also set a precedent for similar challenges in other states, including Maine and Illinois, where his eligibility has been questioned.

In the lead-up to Monday’s decision, the Justices appeared inclined to uphold Trump’s right to appear on the ballot, citing concerns over the potential disruption to the electoral process. During oral arguments, a broad consensus emerged across ideological lines, with liberal and conservative Justices expressing apprehension about the implications of barring a candidate who had garnered significant support from voters.

“The result could well be that a single candidate would be declared ineligible in some States, but not others, based on the same conduct,” the Justices wrote in their opinion. “Nothing in the Constitution requires that we endure such chaos—arriving at any time or different times, up to and perhaps beyond the Inauguration.”

All nine Justices agreed with the Trump v. Anderson decision. The three liberal Justices wrote a concurring opinion—disagreeing that disqualification for insurrection can only occur when Congress passes a certain type of legislation—as did Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who also took issue with the question of whether congressional legislation would be the only way to enforce Section 3.

“Particularly in this circumstance, writings on the Court should turn the national temperature down, not up,” Barrett wrote. “For present purposes, our differences are far less important than our unanimity: All nine Justices agree on the outcome of this case. That is the message Americans should take home.”

While Monday’s decision settles one key question around Trump’s eligibility for the presidency, the nation’s highest court will soon hear another case about the controversial 45th President. In April, they will consider a separate case about whether he’s immune from prosecution for election-related charges.

source https://time.com/6837476/supreme-court-donald-trump-ballot-colorado/

Trader Joe’s Soup Dumplings Recalled For Possibly Containing Plastic

NEW YORK — More than 61,000 pounds of steamed chicken soup dumplings sold at Trader Joe’s are being recalled for possibly containing hard plastic, U.S. regulators announced Saturday.

The Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service noted that the now-recalled dumplings, which are produced by the California-based CJ Foods Manufacturing Beaumont Corp., may be contaminated with foreign materials—“specifically hard plastic from a permanent marker pen.”

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The recall arrives after consumers reported finding hard plastic in the Trader Joe’s-branded products, FSIS said. To date, no related illnesses or injures have been reported.

FSIS urged consumers to check their freezers. The 6-ounce “Trader Joe’s Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings” under recall were produced on Dec. 7, 2023—and can be identified by their side box labels with lot codes 03.07.25.C1-1 and 03.07.25.C1-2.

In an online notice about the recall, Trader Joe’s asked consumers to throw the impacted dumplings away or return them to any store location for a full refund.

A spokesperson for CJ Foods Manufacturing Beaumont Corp. told The Associated Press that the company was investigating the issue, which happened during the manufacturing process. In an emailed statement, the food maker added that “customer safety remains our No. 1 priority.”

Foreign object contamination is one of the the top reasons for food recalls in the U.S. today. Beyond plastic, metal fragments, bits of bugs and more “extraneous” materials have prompted recalls by making their way into packaged goods.

source https://time.com/6837469/trader-joes-soup-dumplings-recall/

Zyn Is the New Vaping

Not so long ago, Juul was seen as the new Marlboro. Smoking wasn’t that cool anymore—rates had plummeted among U.S. adults and teens—but then came Juul, a sleek, addictive product with flashy advertising tactics that took off like wildfire. It soon became clear that e-cigarettes were hooking teens who otherwise wouldn’t have gone near nicotine.

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Now, Juul is out and Zyn is in. It’s even more discreet than Juul, with no plumes of vapor. A user simply tucks a small pouch of nicotine, additives, and flavorings under their lip for up to an hour. Over that time, it releases a steady hit of nicotine—more than that in a cigarette, but delivered much more slowly. Like Juul, it contains no tobacco.

You’re not alone if you’re just hearing of Zyn, but it’s been for sale in the U.S. since 2014. Like other products that launched around that time, including Juul, it entered the market when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had few regulations for new tobacco and nicotine products. The agency retroactively required these brands to prove they benefit public health enough to stay on the market, and Zyn’s manufacturer has filed those applications, but the FDA hasn’t reached decisions yet.

A lack of regulatory oversight hasn’t stopped Zyn from becoming the latest product to lure people to a new and—at least seemingly—less-dangerous way to consume nicotine. “It’s a parallel world with what happened with e-cigarettes,” says Maciej Goniewicz, a nicotine and tobacco-control researcher at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York.

Still, Zyn is nowhere close to as ubiquitous as Juul once was, according to the most recent available data. About 4.5% of U.S. adults vaped and 11.5% smoked in 2021, but only about 2% used smokeless tobacco products. And just 1.5% of U.S. teenagers regularly used nicotine pouches in 2022. (For context, at the height of Juul’s popularity in 2019, 27.5% of U.S. high schoolers vaped.) “It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison,” says Corey Henry, director of U.S. communications at Zyn’s parent company, Philip Morris International (PMI). “To be honest, it’s not even an apples-to-asteroids comparison.”

But oral nicotine products have picked up significant traction in recent years. The Federal Trade Commission recently reported that the category’s U.S. sales doubled from $453 million in 2020 to more than $1 billion in 2022. And Zyn’s U.S. business grew by 62% from 2022 to 2023 alone, according to an earnings report from PMI.

Zyn is also starting to go viral, which raises concerns about the product appealing to teens who might otherwise stay away from nicotine, says Dr. Robert Jackler, a tobacco advertising expert and professor emeritus at Stanford University. “The market for these pouches is rapidly growing, and it’s being driven by many attributes that would be attractive to young people in the way e-cigarettes such as Juul were,” Jackler says, including appealing flavors and advertising that makes users look attractive, active, and cool. “We’ve seen this playbook before,” he says.

There’s even a name for people who post about the pouches—Zynfluencers—prompting concern from some public-health officials and lawmakers. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer recently called for a crackdown on products like Zyn, warning parents that companies “lock their sights on young kids—teenagers, and even lower—and then use the social media to hook ’em.”

Zyn does not hire influencers or use models younger than 35 in its ads, Henry says. It also bars anyone younger than 21 from accessing its website and flags social media posts that depict underage or dangerous use of Zyn to the platforms. But the company can’t “police the internet,” Henry says. Platforms including TikTok already prohibit posts that show or encourage underage drug, alcohol, or tobacco use, yet Henry says these policies don’t always catch everything.

Henry says PMI does everything required, and more, to prevent underage Zyn use. Its ads, he says, are meant to appeal to adult tobacco users looking to switch, not teenagers. The average Zyn user is 39 and previously used another tobacco or nicotine product, according to 2023 company research conducted among customers 21 and older.

Research on the safety of nicotine pouches is ongoing. But other oral products—including snus, which is similar to Zyn but contains tobacco instead of just nicotine—have been studied for decades and seem to present significantly lower risks of cancer and other diseases, relative to cigarettes. In 2019, the FDA allowed some snus products to be explicitly sold as lower-risk alternatives.

Based on what is currently known, Goniewicz, the nicotine researcher, says it’s safe to assume nicotine pouches don’t damage the lungs because users aren’t inhaling anything. Pouches also contain fewer of the cancer-causing chemicals found in traditional chewing tobacco, he says. Their biggest health risk for adult users, in his view, likely lies in nicotine’s potential to harm the cardiovascular system.

Products like these are also risky for oral health. “Anytime you park a foreign substance between your teeth and gums, you are taking a risk of dental problems,” such as cavities and gum disease, adds Jackler, who practiced for decades as an ear, nose, and throat physician.

Some researchers have raised additional concerns. One 2023 study found that oral nicotine products like Zyn contain low levels of potentially harmful substances, including ammonia and formaldehyde. And in a small 2024 study of adults who use nicotine pouches, almost all of them reported some kind of unpleasant side effect, including mouth lesions, nausea, and a sore throat or mouth. “They certainly seem to be safer than tobacco cigarettes,” says study co-author Ashley Dowd, a postdoctoral research fellow at Johns Hopkins University. “But having a general sense that they’re safe would concern me”—especially, she says, if it prompts people who don’t currently use nicotine to pick up a pouch thinking it’s harmless.

Dowd’s study also found that most pouch users continued to smoke or vape on the side. Another 2023 study found the same thing among users ages 15 to 24. Those findings suggest that some users can’t or don’t want to completely switch from smoking to using pouches—perhaps because they don’t deliver nicotine to the bloodstream rapidly enough to quell cravings, as some recent research hints. Using multiple nicotine products is concerning, Jackler says, since it can “deepen addiction and make continuing smoking more likely.”

But if people were to entirely quit cigarettes or vapes in favor of pouches, “as a physician, I would welcome that,” Jackler says. “On the other hand, I wish they never got addicted to begin with.”

source https://time.com/6836195/zyn-nicotine-pouches-popularity/

10 Surprising Facts About Women’s History Month

The U.S. and other countries, including the U.K. and Australia, are celebrating Women’s History Month in March, featuring International Women’s Day on March 8. 

This year, President Joe Biden said in his proclamation declaring Women’s History Month that during this time, “we celebrate the courageous women who have helped our Nation build a fairer, more just society.”

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Here are 10 surprising facts about Women’s History Month.

International Women’s Day was first recognized in Europe

Many reports trace the origins of a holiday honoring women to New York City in 1909, to the commemoration of a garment workers’ strike.

In 1910, German activist Clara Zetkin suggested to the International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen the creation of an international holiday to honor women. Europeans recognized International Women’s Day in 1911, although the U.S. did not follow suit.

International Women’s Day’s date was chosen because of the Russian revolution 

The date of March 8 became significant in 1917, when women in the Russian capital of Petrograd protested and went on strike, demanding food and the end of the empire. A week later, the Tsar abdicated. Zetkin reportedly suggested in 1921 that March 8 become International Women’s Day as a result.

Women’s History Month started as a local week 

Women’s History Month began as a local week-long celebration in Santa Rosa, California in 1978, according to the online National Women’s History Museum. The Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women planned the week and timed it with International Women’s Day.

Local advocates then formed the National Women’s History Project, now the National Women’s History Alliance, to share women’s achievements. One of the group’s members, Molly Murphy MacGregor, participated in The Women’s History Institute at Sarah Lawrence College in New York, where others were inspired to start their own week celebrations, according to the group’s website. By 1986, 14 states had already declared March as Women’s History Month.

It took years for Women’s History Month to be federally recognized

In 1980, the National Women’s History Project led a coalition of women’s groups successfully lobbied President Jimmy Carter to issue a proclamation recognizing National Women’s History Week, National Geographic reported. It took until 1987 for Congress to pass a law designating March as Women’s History Month.

The U.S. president designates Women’s History Month every year

Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed resolutions requesting and authorizing the president to proclaim the special month. Since 1995, each president has issued an annual proclamation designating Women’s History Month.

Former President Barack Obama’s 2011 proclamation paid homage to the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, saying the holiday “is a chance to pay tribute to ordinary women throughout the world and is rooted in women’s centuries-old struggle to participate in society on an equal footing with men. This day reminds us that, while enormous progress has been made, there is still work to be done before women achieve true parity.”

There is an annual theme for Women’s History Month  

The National Women’s History Alliance sets a theme for the month every year. This year’s theme is “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.”

“The theme recognizes women throughout the country who understand that, for a positive future, we need to eliminate bias and discrimination entirely from our lives and institutions,” a statement from the alliance on its choice read.

Women’s History Month is celebrated differently in Canada 

Women’s History Month has spread around the world, from the Philippines to the U.K. In the latter, Mother’s Day is also celebrated in March. While Women’s History Month is generally commemorated in March, Canada holds their celebrations in October.

International Women’s Day is an official holiday in some countries 

Some countries mark International Women’s Day as an official holiday, Sky History reported. In China, many women can take a half-day holiday. In Serbia and Albania, International Women’s Day is also Mother’s Day.

International Women’s Day is celebrated with certain colors

Purple, green, and white are the colors of International Women’s Day, according to the International Women’s Day website. The colors reportedly originated from suffragists in the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the U.K. in the early 1900s and were transported to the U.S.

Actions this year will focus on abortion rights 

The Women’s March organization, which ran its first prominent march in 2017 a day after Donald Trump’s inauguration, is planning a rally in Washington D.C. on March 26, when the Supreme Court will begin hearing oral arguments in a case about the abortion pill.

The Supreme Court issued a temporary order in 2023 that put on hold a Texas federal judge’s order to suspend the federal government’s approval of the abortion pill. The March hearing will be the first major case concerning abortion since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

source https://time.com/6837254/womens-history-month-surprising-facts/

Shehbaz Sharif Becomes Pakistan’s New Premier as Imran Khan’s Allies Allege Rigging

ISLAMABAD — Lawmakers in Pakistan’s National Assembly elected Sunday Shehbaz Sharif as the country’s new prime minister for the second time as allies of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan in parliament shouted in protest, alleging rigging in last month’s election.

Khan is currently serving prison terms in multiple cases and has been barred from seeking or holding office. Sharif replaced him as prime minister after his ouster in a no-confidence vote in parliament in April 2022.

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Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said Sharif secured 201 votes, defeating Omar Ayub of the Sunni Ittehad Council who got 92 votes. The winner only needs 169 votes to get a majority.

Ayub was backed by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, whose candidates could not get enough seats to form a government on their own. The PTI refused to hold talks with its rivals to form a coalition.

Following days of negotiations, Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League party and his supporters formed an alliance after the Feb. 8 election, which was overshadowed by militant violence, a nationwide mobile phone shutdown, Khan’s exclusion from the vote, and an unusual delay in announcing the result.

Authorities said cutting communications was necessary to avoid attacks on candidates and security forces.

However, the delay drew criticism from Khan’s party, which insists the vote was rigged to stop it from getting a majority. The party claims it has evidence that its victory “was stolen during the vote count,” a charge the Election Commission denies.

Sharif, in his acceptance speech in parliament Sunday, said: “We were subjected to political victimization in the past but never took any revenge.” Without naming Khan, he said the previous ruler jailed many political rivals, including himself and his ally Asif Ali Zardari.

He also accused Khan’s supporters of attacking military installations while protesting his ouster in 2022, adding that now parliament and the courts would decide whether those involved in attacking the military installations deserved a pardon.

Holding portraits of Khan, some lawmakers stood in front of Sharif when he began his speech, shouting “vote thief” and “shame.” Sharif denounced their actions, saying they were causing chaos in parliament. He also said they should present their evidence of vote rigging to the relevant authorities.

Sharif then addressed the opposition saying, “I am offering you reconciliation. Let us sit together to work for the betterment of Pakistan.” But he was greeted with more protests and shouts.

The premier also spoke of repairing ties with the United States. Relations between the two countries have been strained after Khan accused the U.S., Sharif and the Pakistani military of conspiring to keep him out of office, following his ouster.

Sharif also said his biggest challenge was the economic situation as Pakistan has been relying on foreign loans to run the economy. His government faces multiple issues, including how to respond to a surge in militant attacks, improve relations with the neighboring, Taliban-run Afghanistan, repair crumbling infrastructure, and resolve year-round power outages. It must also maintain political stability as Khan’s party has vowed to continue protests against the alleged vote-rigging.

After losing to Sharif, Ayub addressed the parliament, commending “my leader” Khan for his “bravery” while facing the cases against him. He denounced the arrest of “thousands of Khan’s supporters” last year after they took to the streets following his ouster.

Ayub repeated the allegations of vote rigging and demanded a probe into last month’s poll. He said PTI votes were tampered with and “votes were stolen” to stop Khan’s party from forming a government.

He said Sharif can rule the country but “he cannot win hearts and minds because he came to power through a rigged vote.”

Last week, Khan wrote a letter to the International Monetary Fund, urging it to link any talks with Islamabad to an audit of February’s election. Khan’s move, which Sharif criticized in his speech, comes days before the IMF releases a key installment of a bailout loan to Pakistan.

Pakistan has been relying on bailouts to prop up its foreign exchange reserves and avoid default, with the IMF and wealthy allies like China and Saudi Arabia financing the country to the tune of billions of dollars. Under his previous term as prime minister, Sharif had to struggle for months to get a $3 billion bailout from the IMF.

The new prime minister has said he will seek a new IMF bailout after the end of March when the current one expires.

He is due to be sworn in on Monday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was among the first to congratulate Sharif on his election as Pakistan’s prime minister, the official Xinhua news agency reported Sunday

source https://time.com/6837284/shehbaz-sharif-new-pakistan-premier-imran-khan-allies/

The Best and Worst Moments of the 2024 BRIT Awards: U.K.’s Biggest Night in Music

The BRITs is an annual night of celebration for the music industry in the U.K., with the nation’s most talented and impactful artists honored for their successes. While the focus is on homegrown talent, international acts are also recognized for their contribution to music. The ceremony—often thought of as the U.K.’s answer to the Grammy Awards— is known for delivering incredible performances, which often go down in history. Perhaps none is more iconic than the Spice Girls’ 1997 medley of their hit songs “Wannabe” and “Who Do You Think You Are.” Thanks in part to the Union Jack dress adorned by Geri Halliwell (aka Ginger Spice), the performance is still spoken of today, especially when the subject of the BRITs comes up. While few BRITs moments since have managed to reach that stratospheric level of fame, there’s still a bevy of landmark performances to enjoy each year. 

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At the 2024 ceremony, which took place at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday, March 3, Australian superstar Kylie Minogue performed a streamlined medley of her greatest hits, in honor of her winning the coveted Global Icon Award. The “Padam Padam” singer was presented with the trophy by Dua Lipa, who also performed at the event, and took to the stage elsewhere in the show to accept the Best Pop Act award. Lipa beat out London-born singer Raye for the achievement, marking the only loss among Raye’s seven nominations. It was a wildly successful night for Raye. With six wins, she broke the record for the most gongs awarded to a single act in one night. The previous record of four was held by Adele, Harry Styles, and Blur.

It was a full-circle moment for Raye, who is a former pupil of London’s BRIT School, which is partially funded by the BRIT Trust. Some of the proceeds from the annual BRIT awards go toward the school, which is free to attend. Other notable alumni include Adele and Amy Winehouse. As well as celebrating the successes of former pupils, the BRITs, along with its sponsor, Mastercard, efforts a Next Generation campaign, aiming to spotlight and nurture up-and-coming talent. At the 2024 ceremony, Raye shared a sweet reunion with her old headteacher, Stuart Walden, and encouraged greener musicians to not give up.

Alongside performances and noteworthy acceptance speeches, there were also surprise cameos and skits along the way, and some rather impressive presenters.

See below for the best and worst moments from the 2024 BRIT Awards.

Most elevated performance

Dua Lipa made sure her show-opening performance of “Training Season” was one to remember and hard to miss. While BRIT-winner Lipa initially stayed grounded for the event, her dancers were suspended high above the stage in a circle formation ahead of her set, only to hurtle down to the stage mid-performance. They then lifted the singer into the air. You could say that Lipa and her creative team got things off to a flying start.

Best nostalgia hit

Global Icon Award winner Kylie Minogue continues to dominate the music charts each decade, and even won a Grammy Award earlier this year on account of her viral song “Padam Padam.” Alongside singing her more recent hit single, Minogue also delivered a welcome dose of nostalgia, belting out her beloved 2001 song “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” before launching into her sultry 2010 track “All the Lovers.” Our only complaint about her set? It wasn’t quite long enough for our liking.

Sweet and sour moment

The live crowd erupted into applause when Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong and Tré Cool took to the stage to present the International Group of the Year Award (which ended up going to Boygenius). It’s an award they’ve previously won themselves, so it was fitting they should be the ones to present it. However, the sweetness was somewhat undercut by a sour aftertaste, with the downside of their appearance being that they didn’t take to the stage to perform during the night. Perhaps next year, instead!

A wickedly good cameo

Bridgerton’s very own Jonathan Bailey, who will star opposite Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in the big screen adaptation of the musical Wicked, presented Raye with the Artist of the Year award. The actor said it was an “unbelievable honor” to hand over the gong, and later attended Raye’s BRITs after-party.

Best no-show

Miley Cyrus won the International Song of the Year award for her hit 2023 track “Flowers.” She couldn’t be in attendance, so sent a short acceptance speech via video, which ended up being one of the highlights of the night. Wearing a sparkly, backless minidress, Cyrus turned around and said: “Thanks for giving me somewhere to wear this dress.” She signed off by quipping: “I know this video is a little short, but I just wanted it to match my dress. Thank you.”

Best family moment

When collecting her sixth and final award of the night, the coveted British Album of the Year gong, Raye brought her grandmother, Agatha, on stage. The duo hugged and shared a sweet moment, as the visibly emotional singer admitted she was overwhelmed. Raye, born Rachel Agatha Keen, gets her middle name from her gran, who she thanked in front of the live audience.

Best new power duo

Alison Owen, known for her roles in 2023 blockbuster Saltburn and the TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends, walked onto the stage with none other than singer Charli XCX. With their dark, long dresses complimenting each other, the duo joined forces to present DJ Calvin Harris with the Dance Act award.

Most traitorous appearance

Much like in the U.S., hit reality show The Traitors has a strong hold on U.K. audiences. The most recent season finished airing on BBC One in January, but mother-and-son duo, fan favorites Diane and Ross, returned to the small screen for a fun cameo at the BRITs. Dressed in the famed Traitors cloaks they, along with the ceremony’s main hosts, teased Raye’s upcoming performance by writing her name down on a chalkboard in a similar fashion to what is done on the reality show.

paul just couldn't perform next… but @raye can. #BRITs pic.twitter.com/JrII9OIAix

— BRIT Awards (@BRITs) March 2, 2024

source https://time.com/6837260/brit-awards-2024-recap-best-worst-moments-music/