Which Brit Awards honor had Adele as its first recipient?

Adele was the first recipient of the Brit Awards’ Critics’ Choice honor.

The award was first presented at the 28th Brit Awards in 2008, with Adele winning ahead of fellow nominees Duffy and Foals. It recognized British artists considered likely to make a major impact in the year ahead, making it an important early marker of Adele’s rising career.

The honor was later known as the Rising Star Award and is now commonly presented under the Critics’ Choice name. It is selected by the Brit Awards voting academy, whose members include people from record labels, publishing, management, media and previous Brit Awards nominees and winners.

Adele’s victory came before the full scale of her international success. She subsequently won other Brit Awards, including British Female Solo Artist and British Album of the Year, but those were separate categories. “British Breakthrough Act” is another distinct award and was not her first Brit honor.