A Subdued Lady Gaga to Honor McQueen at the BRIT Awards

Tonight, the 30th annual BRIT Awards will honor England's best and brightest musical stars (just think of them as the English Grammys). In honor of its 30th year, the ceremony will include special award categories commemorating the top-performing albums and musicians from the throughout the years.

For the past 30 years, the BRITs have not only been honoring the best in British music, they have also been using the ceremony as a way to give back. Through the music industry's charity body, the BRIT Trust, the show donates profits from the awards ceremony, including any money made from TV rights and merchandise, to causes like Music 4 Good, the National Youth Music Theatre, and Drugscope. The organization also helps fund the BRIT School, a performing arts high school whose graduates include Amy Winehouse, Leona Lewis, and Adele.

The biggest news to come from the UK about this year's awards, however, is the news of Lady Gaga's last-minute performance change. As of last week, the singer with a penchant for over-the-top performances was set to headline the awards with a set sure to rival her Fame Factory at the Grammy's. After the death of her good friend Alexander McQueen last week, though, the artist known as Gaga has told BRIT organizers that she doesn't feel it would be right.

According to the Daily Mail, "Originally Gaga was to arrive onstage in a wreck of a car, packed with musical instruments, to perform a medley of her biggest hits, including 'Poker Face.' Now she is planning on singing less-well-known songs 'Telephone' and 'Dance In The Dark.'" A BRIT Awards insider also revealed to the paper: "Lady Gaga has been left absolutely devastated by [McQueen's] death. She was a huge fan of his talents as a designer — but more importantly a good friend of his. And she is determined her show will be a tribute."

Despite Lady Gaga's somber — and entirely appropriate -—tribute to the visionary designer, the BRIT Awards will still retain the pomp and circumstance worthy of their 30th anniversary celebration. Even Prince Harry has joined in the celebrating; he recorded a message for the ceremony and released the following quote: "The BRITs is a celebration of all that is totally outstanding and unique about British music. And what’s less well known about the BRITs is the fantastic work it does raising millions of pounds for the BRIT Trust which has benefited thousands of young people to develop their talents and generally enrich our society."

Photo by SpreePiX via Flickr.