Harry Styles might be skipping Manchester on his newly-announced Together, Together tour, despite being a part-owner of Co-op Live, but the city is getting him live after all – and he’s set to perform with one of the country’s hottest rising stars.
The former One Direction star has been confirmed to perform at the 2026 BRIT Awards ceremony at Manchester’s Co-op Live on 28 February, three years after his last BRITs performance in 2023, which saw him take home four awards. It comes after Styles announced his fourth studio album, Kiss All The Time, Disco, Occasionally, due for release on March 6, and released first single Aperture last week. Styles also confirmed on Instagram that he will set off on a global tour this summer.
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The BRITs arriving in Manchester for the first time in its nearly 50-year history was always going to be a big moment but Cheshire-born Styles’ involvement adds a new layer of intrigue, especially given his personal ties to the venue and the region. While it isn’t a full standalone Harry Styles show, it still gives fans the a taste of the former One Direction star on home soil.
And Styles won’t be the only headline name fuelling hype around the city’s first BRITs era. Fellow performer Olivia Dean will also take to the stage at the awards, but she’ll be in Manchester even earlier for a much more intimate live date of her own. As part of BRITs Week 26 for War Child, Dean will play a one-off set at Manchester’s Albert Hall on Thursday 26 February, two days before the ceremony. The special gigs raise money for War Child’s work supporting children affected by conflict, with proceeds going towards aid, education and specialist mental health support.
BRITs Week 26 is bringing a wider run of shows to Manchester too, including The K’s at Gorilla (20 February) and nights at YES featuring Josh Baker (25 February) and Rossi. (26 February), as the BRIT Awards expands beyond London with shows across the UK. But it’s the combination of Styles and Dean — a global pop superstar stepping onto the BRITs stage in Manchester, alongside one of the UK’s hottest artists also playing a rare, intimate Albert Hall gig — that makes this feel like more than just an awards ceremony moving city. Manchester may have missed out on a full tour stop, but for one week in February, it’s suddenly the centre of the UK’s biggest music moment.
