“Many will soon flock to Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on the first of February next year for the biggest award ceremony of the year: The 68th Annual Grammys” was the way I started an article I had wrote in November. “The Grammys are known for being the biggest night in music for both artists and those who work with them to produce songs, albums, and other types of music. Although there are several months until artists walk home with the most prized music award, the Recording Academy drums up hype for the ceremony by releasing the music that is nominated for the upcoming ceremony. The art is meticulously selected by the Recording Academy and is supposed to represent not only the best but also the most impactful releases of the year,” I continued. In the article, I reviewed the nominations for two of biggest categories of the year, including who I thought was going to win.
The first category I reviewed first was Best New Artist. I wrote that “This award is to highlight those who had breakout careers and those who will continue to shine in their careers as musicians,” and this sentiment still stands true. The artists who were nominated for this award were:
- Olivia Dean
- KATSEYE
- The Marias
- Addison Rae
- sombr
- Leon Thomas
- Alex Warren
- Lola Young
The Grammys Ceremony includes live performances of all the nominees, and this year was no different. As the lights dimmed, The Marias captivated the audience with their song No One Noticed. From there, the camera flashed from outside the venue to Addison Rae and her performance of Fame Is A Gun and then led into KATSEYE’S performance of their hit song, Gnarly. Now inside the venue, the performance transitioned into Leon Thomas’s performance of his titular song MUTT off of his album of the same name. Next, Alex Warren, Lola Young, and winner Olivia Dean all gave outstanding performances, and the showcase ended with sombr’s performance as well.
In November, I wrote that “‘I think that all of these artists have definitely ‘achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape’” as is outlined by the Recording Academy. I predicted that either Alex Warren or Addison Rae would win the award, saying that “Both Rae and Warren ‘blew up’ on TikTok during the pandemic, but waited to launch their music careers until they were ready to shine. Alex Warren released songs like ‘Ordinary’ and ‘Eternity,’ both of which were well received by the public. Addison Rae broke out with ‘Diet Pepsi’ and then released her self-titled pop record in June.” I was wrong, however, with Olivia Dean winning the award. I was not very familiar with her work until a couple months before her win. I think she is very talented and deserved to be congratulated for her award.
The next award I predicted was none other than Album of The Year. Album of The Year has long been known as the most coveted award in the music industry. “Album of the Year not only respects the creation of the art but also the impact that it had on people and the world” I think all of the albums on the list met this criteria and are as follows:
- “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” – Bad Bunny
- “SWAG” – Justin Bieber
- “Man’s Best Friend” – Sabrina Carpenter
- “Let God Sort Em Out” – Clipse, Pusha T, Malice
- “MAYHEM” – Lady Gaga
- “GNX” – Kendrick Lamar
- “MUTT” – Leon Thomas
- “CHROMAKOPIA” – Tyler, The Creator
I wrote that all of these albums deserved to be honored, specifically MAYHEM by Lady Gaga, GNX by Kendrick Lamar, and DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS by Bad Bunny. I said that “All three of these albums had critical acclaim and controversy surrounding them. Kendrick Lamar had a huge year with his and SZA’s ‘Grand National Tour’ and his previous performance at the Superbowl. Gaga also had a successful tour and her album was a masterclass in the inner workings of the Pop genre.” However, I said that these albums failed to compare to Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. “This album was not only fantastic, but also was social commentary on gentrification, ties to one’s culture, and overall themes of what it means to be a member of a marginalized community in the United States,” I wrote earlier. I was right, with Bad Bunny winning the award. Specifically, I said that “This album had a huge impact on the US and the world and I think the Grammys will choose to recognize this at this year’s ceremony. Bad Bunny is no stranger to the Grammys, and the Grammys seem to be interested in his work and influence. Being nominated for Album of the Year is a feat in and of itself, and all the albums nominated are definitely deserving of the award”
I was correct, marking my second year in a row. “Overall, the Grammys highlight musical excellency, and to be nominated for an award shows great talent and meticulous attention to detail. The Grammy is one of the most highly noted music awards and even being considered for one is a feat that many artists dream of.” I want to say congratulations to all of the artists because even being nominated for a Grammy is a huge accomplishment and a step further into the music industry. That being said, success is also measured in other ways. Some see not winning an award as rejection, but I believe that it is a learning experience. I hope the artists who did not win continue to make music and take this experience to learn and grow into their sounds.
