Adele Back For Brits

Adele Set for Brit Awards Return, Newcomer Sheeran Leads Nominees

Adele is to make a triumphant live return at the Brit Awards in London next month (Feb12) a year after her tearful performance of Someone Like You at the 2011 ceremony wowed the world.

The singer was forced to pull out of a series of live shows and scrap aNorth American tour last year (11) to undergo surgery on her vocal cordsand she has been silent ever since - but she has been confirmed as a performer at the Brits, where she'll also compete for three honours - Best Female, Best Single for Someone Like You and Best Album (21).

Singersongwriter Ed Sheeran leads the nominations at Britain's Grammyswith four nods, including Best Male, Best Single (The A Team) and Best Album for his debut .

Jessie J is also up for three awards - she'll compete with Adele in theBest Female and Best Single categories and she's also in the running with Sheeran in the the Breakthrough Act vote.

He'll go up against James Blake, James Morrison, Professor Green and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds for the Best Male award.

Sheeran and Adele will compete with Coldplay (Mylo Xyloto), Florence the Machine (Ceremonials) and Mercury Music Prize winner PJ Harvey (Let England Shake) for the Best Album honour.

Sheeran isn't holding out much hope of winning that honour, stating, "Ithink any artist would really want to win the Best Album award - but to be honest I think Adele will win that one".

Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sande is already a Brit Awards winner - she was named the recipient of this year's Critics Choice Award and waspresented with her trophy by Jessie J at Thursday's (12Jan12) nominations launch event at London's Savoy Hotel.

Sande is also nominated for the Breakthrough Act award alongside Sheeran, Jessie J, Anna Calvi and The Vaccines.

Blur are already winners too - they will be presented with their Lifetime Achievement prize during the Brit Awards ceremony at the O2 Arena in London on 21 February (12).