What do you wear to [potentially] make Grammys history? Taylor Swift’s Grammys 2024 look is truly her being in her “era.” Nominated for six Grammy awards tonight, Swift could go down as the first artist to win Album of the Year four times. She’s also nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Pop Solo Performance, Song of the Year, Record of the Year for “Anti-Hero,” and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Karma.”
Swift showed up to the 2024 Grammys red carpet in a structured Schiaparelli couture white gown with a corset bodice, deep slit, and cascading train. She paired the dramatic dress with black opera gloves and matching black heels—plus five layered diamond necklaces. The singer styled her hair in a side braid, and as always, she finished the look with her signature red lip.
Stewart Cook/CBS/Getty Images.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 04: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Taylor Swift attends the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
What does Taylor Swift’s 2024 Grammys outfit mean?
Unsurprisingly, Swift’s 2024 Grammys outfit has fans scrambling for clues. Tay’s nothing if not intentional, and her Grammys look is likely loaded with hidden messages.
Some of the references we’ve picked up on:
Taylor’s diamond necklaces: Taylor’s Grammys jewelry is definitely Reputation-coded. Her layered diamond necklaces feel like a reference to the bathtub scene in her “Look What You Made Me Do” music video, where she was dripping in diamonds and jewels.
Taylor’s clock necklace: One of Tay’s layered necklaces features a clock, and the time is set to 3:15. Is she foreshadowing a potential album drop on March 15?
Taylor’s opera gloves: Taylor’s black opera gloves aren’t just elegant—they remind us of the statement sleeve she wore in several costumes during her Eras tour.
Los Angeles, CA – February 04: Taylor Swift at the 66th Grammy Awards held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Taylor Swift’s New Album Announcement
While onstage accepting her first Grammy award of the night, Taylor delighted fans with the announcement she’s dropping a brand new album on April 19, “Tortured Poets Department.”
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For the Grammys red carpet, Taylor wore a white dress with a train and leg slit and long black gloves. She accompanied her look with several silver necklaces, which fans believe is an Easter egg to the music video for her 2017 song, “Look What You Made Me Do” from her album Reputation, one of the two albums she hasn’t released a “Taylor’s Version” for, along with her debut album, Taylor Swift. Olivia, for her part, also wore a white bedazzled with beads. The two walked the red carpet about an hour from each other, according to the live telecast.
Swift was nominated for six Grammys: Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for her 2022 LP Midnights; Best Pop Solo Performance, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year for her 2023 single “Anti-Hero”; and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her song “Karma” featuring Ice Spice. Rodrigo, for her part, was also nominated for six Grammys: Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for her 2023 LP Guts; Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance for her 2023 single “Vampire”; and Best Rock Song for “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl.”
Later in the night, Olivia also performed her 2023 song, “Vampire,” which some fans believed to be about Taylor. During the performance, Taylor was seen in the audience singing along to “Vampire.” She also gave Olivia a standing ovation at the end of her performance.
Olivia sparked rumors of a feud between her and Taylor in June 2023 when she released “Vampire,” her lead single from Guts, who some some fans speculated to be about Taylor based on lyrics like “bloodsucker, fame fucker, bleedin’ me dry like a goddamn vampire!” Olivia addressed the rumors in an interview with The Guardian in August 2023. “How do I answer this? I mean, I never want to say who any of my songs are about. I’ve never done that before in my career and probably won’t. I think it’s better to not pigeonhole a song to being about this one thing,” she said. “I was very surprised when people thought that.” While Olivia hasn’t confirmed who “Vampire” is about, the most popular theory is that the song is about Olivia’s ex, Zack Bia. “I don’t think it’s really about me,” Zack told GQ in 2023 when asked about the song. “I think the Internet just ran with it.”
In an interview with The New York Times in August 2023, Olivia was also asked about whether she had attended Taylor’s Eras Tour. “I haven’t yet,” she said. “I’m going to Europe this week.” After she released her song “Deja Vu” from her debut album, Sour, Olivia was accused of plagiarizing Taylor’s song “Cruel Summer” from her 2019 album, Lover. Olivia’s song, “1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back” was also accused of copying the melody of Taylor’s song, “New Year’s Day,” from her 2017 album, Reputation. Olivia addressed the speculation in an interview with Teen Vogue in 2021.
“I came up with the ‘1 Step Forward’ concept and I sort of wrote a verse and a chorus. I was in the car on a road trip, and when I got home, I decided to sing it over the chords of ‘New Year’s Day,’” she said at the time.
The 66th annual Grammy Awards air on Sunday, February 4, 2024, at 8 p.m. on CBS. Here’s how to watch it for free.
The 66th annual Grammys are currently filming at L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena and some of your faves are stunning style standouts.
This year several stars opted for nude-toned looks including Victoria Monét.
Source: Kayla Oaddams/WireImage / Getty
The singer-songwriter wore a floor-length, brown bodice gown and happily posed for photos after nabbing two Grammys during the pre-show; Best R&B Album for JAGUAR II as well as Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for the project.
She was joined by her 2½-year-old daughter and Hazel’s father and Monét’s boyfriend, John Gaines.
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Similarly, Fantasia opted for a bronze-colored dress as well.
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
The songstress accessorized with intricate lip jewelry and a number of studded earrings.
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Just like the aforementioned celebs, the Bailey sisters stuck to the nude-toned script.
Chlöe completely switched up her look and donned auburn brown tresses and a sparkly dress.
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
“Don’t play,” she captioned photos of her look on Instagram.
As for her little sister, new mommy Halle Bailey, she donned a curve-caressing beaded gown and jet-black bundles over her locs.
Source: Kayla Oaddams/WireImage / Getty
She also brought her boyfriend/baby’s father DDG as her date.
Source: Kayla Oaddams/WireImage / Getty
Hit the flip for more style standouts at the 2024 Grammys.
Grammy-winner Coco Jones looked elegant on the carpet.
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
According to HelloBeautiful, the R&B Performance winner donned an ice-blue Celia Kritharioti gown.
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Also equally elegant was Janelle Monaé.
Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty
Source: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
The singer who always serves, did just that in an intricately beaded black dress while flexing her flawless face card.
Source: Neilson Barnard / Getty
Summer Walked turned heads in an enormous white hat and matching dress…
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
as did Ice Spice who made her Grammys debut while rocking her signature curls and Baby Phat from head to toe.
Source: Kayla Oaddams / Getty
Source: Kayla Oaddams / Getty
Source: Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty
Fellow Grammys-first timer Tyla looked gorgeous in for her awards debut.
Source: Frazer Harrison / Getty
She went on to happily pose with her trophy for Best African Music Performance for her hit song “Water.”
Source: Emma McIntyre / Getty
Doja Cat’s Grammys look is the talk of Twitter for better or for worse.
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
The “Demons” singer wore what appeared to be faux tattoos and a tattered Dilara Findikoglu corset dress.
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
The 2024 Grammy Awards are underway, as artists from across the music industry hope to take home the coveted award.
The Grammy Awards are once again being held at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, with the show airing live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+, featuring performances from some of music’s biggest stars. Comedian and former “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah has returned to host the ceremony for the fourth time in a row.
SZA earned the most nominations of any artist this year with nine, including nods for album of the year, record of the year and song of the year. Although she had earned 15 Grammy nominations prior to this year’s selections, her sole win coming into Sunday was for best pop duo/group performance in 2022 for “Kiss Me More.”
Competing with SZA in the album of the year category is Taylor Swift and her 2022 album “Midnights.” A win in that category would give Swift four career album of the year awards, the most for any artist.
Serban Ghenea, an audio engineer and mixer who has worked with Swift and Olivia Rodrigo, earned seven nominations, along with Victoria Monét and Phoebe Bridgers, who got six nods with her band boygenius and one for her collaboration on SZA’s “Ghost in the Machine,” which earned the Grammy for best pop duo/group performance prior to the start of the televised show.
Several other awards were given out before the start of the show, including the new category, best pop dance recording, which went to Kylie Minogue for her track “Padam Padam.” The Beatles won best music video for “I’m Only Sleeping,” the group’s first Grammy since 1997.
And while the Oscars are still a few weeks away, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” both took home awards Sunday for best compilation soundtrack for visual media and best score soundtrack for visual media, respectively. Best song written for visual media also went to Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas for their song “What Was I Made For?” off “Barbie The Album.”
Finneas and Billie Eilish accept the Grammy for best song written for visual media, for “What Was I Made For?” at the 66th Grammy Awards on Feb. 4, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
You can find a list of awards won earlier in the evening here. The rest of the winners and nominees are below:
Jordan Freiman is an editor and writer for CBSNews.com. He covers breaking news, trending stories, sports and crime. Jordan has previously worked at Spin and Death and Taxes.
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It wasn’t exactly the midnight meeting time she requested in her song “Lavender Haze,” but Taylor Swift made it to the Grammys 2024 on Sunday nonetheless.
She stepped out on the awards show’s red carpet at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles in a strapless Schiaparelli couture look, a dramatic full-length white gown with a thigh-high slit and swirling train, topped off with a sculptural bodice. The sartorial drama didn’t stop there: She accessorized with black velvet opera gloves and layered black and white jewels around her neck, including a watch face set to—you guessed it—midnight. Swift wore her hair in a fishtail braid that wrapped from one ear to sweep over her shoulder, and capped it all off with her signature red lip (classic).
Gilbert Flores/Getty Images
The look, in a newsprint-worthy black and white and red all over color palette, isn’t doing anything to discourage rumors that the announcement of Swift’s Reputation (Taylor’s Version) album re-recording can’t be far off. That album’s original cover art used a newspaper motif of Swift’s face, referencing the media attention she’d been getting. No snakes (another repeated motif of her Reputation era) were immediately visible in her Grammys outfit, but that’s the thing about snakes, isn’t it? You can’t always spot them so easily.
“I wish I could go support Taylor at the Grammys and watch her win every single award that she’s nominated for,” he said. “But I think I’ve got practice on Sunday.”
He added: “Unfortunately, I’ve gotta get ready for this big old Super Bowl that we’ve got in a week.”
Of his relationship with Swift, Kelce said, “It’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it?” He continued: “Hopefully everybody realizes that we’re just two people in a relationship, supporting each other and having fun with it, man. It’s nothing more than that. However much the world wants to paint the picture and make us the enemy, we just have fun with it and we enjoy every single bit of it. And sure enough, I love it when Taylor comes and supports me and enjoys the game with the fam and friends. It’s been nothing but just a wonderful year, man.”
Dua Lipa.Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Dua Lipa made the 2024 Grammys red carpet sparkle.
Lipa, 28, shined in a custom silver Courreges gown as she graced the Sunday, February 4, awards ceremony at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The floor-length number was equipped with fringe-like beads and a plunging neckline. Lipa accessorized with a diamond necklace by Tiffany & Co. and a chrome ring.
The singer donned soft glam featuring sparkly eyeshadow, a warm contour and glossy lips. Her hair was parted down the middle and styled in beachy waves.
Lipa posed with her dad, Dukagjin Lipa, who sported a classic tuxedo.
The best in music brought their fashion A-game to the 2024 Grammys. Industry icons and buzzy newcomers rocked the red carpet at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 4. We’re talking billowing gowns, skin-baring frocks, eye-catching suits and out-of-this-world hair and glam. Footwear was also memorable, with fan-favorite stars strutting their stuff […]
This year, Dua is nominated for Song Of The Year and Best Song Written For Visual Media for her track “Dance the Night,” which was featured in Barbie.
This isn’t the first time Lipa has slayed at the Grammys. At the 2022 ceremony, she showed off her figure while rocking a vintage bondage dress from Versace’s 1992 fall/winter collection. The gown featured a bra top, a sheer bodice adorned with leather straps and a fitted black skirt. She elevated her ensemble with a chunky gold bracelet and a statement necklace.
Dua Lipa.Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Her locks, which were dyed blonde at the time, were worn down and straightened. Lipa’s makeup included a bold red lip and soft eyeshadow.
Dua Lipa knows how to work it. The pop star isn’t afraid to push fashion boundaries, slaying Us every chance she gets. When it comes to her wardrobe, the London native loves drama. She favors sheer catsuits, sparking gowns, daring minidresses and glorious vintage pieces. For her first-ever Met Gala in 2019, Lipa looked like […]
At the 2021 Grammys, the “Levitating” singer donned another fabulous look by Atelier Versace. The bedazzled gown featured a butterfly design over her torso, cutouts on her sides and a plunging neckline. Lipa’s sheer skirt was just as sparkly and complete with a thigh-high slit.
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Lipa twinned her glam to her dress and donned sparkly pink and purple eyeshadow as well as a fuchsia lip.
Through the years, Lipa has racked up a total of three Grammys and has been nominated for 10.
The red carpet is rolled out, the seating charts are set and final details are being worked out for music’s biggest night. And with a larger stage and a new color scheme, the 66th grammy awards show is all about the music. Danya Bacchus has a preview.
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Get ready for the Grammys with this special Grammy Award edition of Saturday Sessions! Billy Strings is an acclaimed singer-songwriter and guitarist, and Chris Thile is a master mandolin player and composer. Both are nominated for separate Grammy Awards and have long admired each other. Here, they’ll play together for the first time. Here are Billy Strings and Chris Thile with “I Am A Pilgrim.”
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She might kill her ex. Photo: Andrew Chin/Getty Images
The Grammys are for the girls this year. An impressive number of women are nominated for music’s top honors, and now, many of them will be taking the stage too. The boys are performing with girls as well — Brandy is joining Burna Boy along with 21 Savage, while Tracy Chapman will duet her song “Fast Car” with Luke Combs. Grande Girlie Joni Mitchell will take the stage for the very first time in Grammys history. SZA, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, and Olivia Rodrigo are also set to perform — as well as Billy Joel, an honorary girlie after Rodrigo name-dropped him in her 2021 song “Deja Vu.” Variety also reported that Miley Cyrus was rehearsing to perform “Flowers,” which was perhaps meant to be a surprise given that she has yet to officially be announced as a performer.
Meanwhile,SZA, Phoebe Bridgers, and Victoria Monét are some of the night’s top honorees — not to mention Taylor Swift, who’s looking to set some records with Midnights. It all goes down February 4 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Below is everything you need to know before you get the girls together to watch.
SZA leads the Grammy pack with nine nominations for her second album, SOS, including in the top categories of Album, Record, and Song of the Year. Bridgers and Monét are just behind her with seven apiece, followed by the rest of boygenius, Jack Antonoff, Batiste, Brandy Clark, Miley Cyrus, Eilish, Rodrigo, and a little lady named Taylor Swift, all with six each. Women showed up strong when the nominees were announced on November 10, with female artists in seven out of the eight slots for Album, Record, and Song of the Year. SZA has a chance to add some serious hardware, Swift could set a record for Album of the Year wins — or Batiste could surprise us all again after playing the dark horse in 2022. Don’t put it past the Academy.
Even Burna Boy will be joined by a girlie, when Brandy takes the stage for the first time in decades alongside him and 21 Savage for the Grammys’ first-ever Afrobeats performance. Tracy Chapman will make an even rarer appearance to prove she really does like Combs’s “Fast Car” cover, dueting her hit with him. They’re just two legends scheduled, along with Mitchell (for the first time ever), Joel (for the first time in decades), and U2 (live from the Sphere in Las Vegas). SZA, Rodrigo, Eilish, and Lipa are also among the women performing — and some of the night’s top nominees. They could be part of a few brewing Grammy Moments™: a possible Barbie medley between Eilish and Lipa and a chance for Rodrigo to perform with one of her faves, Joel. Travis Scott will also perform.
Nope — it’s Trevor Noah again. The comedian is hosting the Grammys for the fourth consecutive year, the Academy announced on December 13. Hey, at least this show can hold down a host. Noah is also up for some hardware himself this year, in Best Comedy Album for I Wish You Would.
The women are back as announced presenters, however. Christina Aguilera, Meryl Streep, Samara Joy, Taylor Tomlinson, and Oprah Winfrey are all set to present. Oh, and Lionel Richie, Lenny Kravitz, Maluma, and Barbie boy Mark Ronson.
As usual, most of the Grammy Awards will be given out before the televised show. That happens at the Premiere Ceremony, which streams on February 4 beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on YouTube. And with a somewhat loaded list of performers, this year’s may actually be worth tuning in to. They’ll include singer-songwriter Clark, a top nominee with six nods, as well as nominees Laufey, Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, Kirk Franklin, Gaby Moreno, Adam Blackstone, and Bob James. Other performers will include Sheila E., Pentatonix, Larkin Poe, Jordin Sparks, and J. Ivy, plus drummer Harvey Mason Sr., father of the Recording Academy’s own CEO. Songwriter of the Year nominee Justin Tranter will host the preshow; presenters include current nominees Carly Pearce, Natalia Lafourcade, Rufus Wainwright, Patti Austin, and Molly Tuttle, along with Jimmy Jam.
Quite a lot, actually. Most prominently, the number of nominees in the Big Four categories (Album, Record, and Song of the Year, plus Best New Artist) is being reduced from ten to eight. The Academy had upped the nominees in those categories to ten just two years ago, out of diversity concerns; there had been eight nominees since the 2019 awards. Also, the Non-Classical Producer of the Year and Songwriter of the Year will move to the general category, where all Academy members can vote on those awards. The Grammys are adding three awards this year: Best African Music Performance, Best Pop Dance Recording, and Best Alternative Jazz Album. Oh, and at least you won’t have to worry about AI — the Academy added a rule against contributions by artificial intelligence to submissions.
The ceremony will air on CBS and Paramount+ With Showtime on February 4, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
This story has been updated throughout with additional information.
Since the first Grammys in 1959, there have been hundreds of artists nominated. Still, female Grammy winners and women with the most Grammys are underrepresented when it comes to the total number of Grammy winners. Of the 14 artists with the most awards in Grammys history, only two of those are women. (And yes, one of those women is Beyoncé.)
For many of us, this news isn’t a surprise. Women have been underrepresented and discriminated against in the music industry since the start in Hollywood. In 2018, the Grammys went viral with the hashtag #GrammySoMale after Alessia Cara was the only woman to be presented an award at the televised ceremony. The controversy became worse when Recording Academy President Neil Portnow told Variety that women need to “step up” to have as many awards as men.
“It has to begin with… women who have the creativity in their hearts and souls, who want to be musicians, who want to be engineers, producers, and want to be part of the industry on the executive level… [They need] to step up because I think they would be welcome,” he said. “I don’t have personal experience of those kinds of brick walls that you face but I think it’s upon us—us as an industry—to make the welcome mat very obvious, breeding opportunities for all people who want to be creative and paying it forward and creating that next generation of artists.”
Many fans and female artists slammed Portnow for his comments. Pink, who has won three Grammys, blasted Portnow on Twitter, writing, “Women in music don’t need to ‘step up’. Women have been stepping up since the beginning of time. Stepping up, and also stepping aside. When we celebrate and honor the talent and accomplishments of women, and how much women step up every year, against all odds, we show the next generation of women and girls and boys and men what it means to be equal.”
Sheryl Crow, who is one of the most decorated women in Grammys history, responded, “I wish the Grammys would return to female/male categories. Who will young girls be inspired by to pick up a guitar and rock, when most every category is filled with men? I’m not sure it is about women needing to ‘step up’, (as said by the male in charge).”
Understandably, there needs to be a change in the Recording Academy. Women dominate the charts. Ahead are the female artists with the most awards in Grammys history.
Beyoncé – 32 Grammys
Image: Invision/AP/Shutterstock.
As of the 2023 Grammy Awards, Queen Bey became the equal most-awarded person in the history of the ceremony, with 31 awards. She’s tied with the late conductor George Solti. She also has more Grammys than her husband, Jay-Z. She received her first Grammy with Destiny’s Child in 2001. The girl group won two Grammys that year for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best R&B Song for “Say My Name.” Her first Grammy as a solo artist came in 2004, where she won five awards for her album Dangerously in Love and songs like “Crazy in Love” featuring her husband.
One of her most recent Grammys came in 2019 for Best Urban Contemporary Album for her dual album with Jay-Z, Everything Is Love. Bey tied the record with Alison Krauss at the 2021 Grammys after she won the Best Rap Song category for “Savage” with Megan Thee Stallion. She then proceeded to beat Krauss’ record when she won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance for “Black Parade.”
Alison Krauss – 27 Grammys
Image: Andrew Gombert/EPA/Shutterstock.
Krauss is one of the most awarded women in Grammys history and one of the most decorated singers ever. Krauss has the fourth most Grammys in history at 27 awards. She won her first Grammy in 1991 for Best Bluegrass Recording for her album I’ve Got That Old Feeling. Her most recent Grammy was in 2012 for Best Bluegrass Album for Paper Airplane.
Aretha Franklin – 18 Grammys
Image: AP/Shutterstock.
Franklin has been nominated at the Grammys 44 times and won 18 awards. Her first Grammy was 1968 for her song “Respect,” which earned her two awards that year. One of her most recent Grammys was 2008 for Best Gospel Performance for “Never Gonna Break My Faith” with Mary J. Blige.
Adele – 15 Grammys
Image: Invision/AP/Shutterstock.
Adele has a total of 15 Grammys and is tied as fourth most decorated woman in Grammys history. Her first award was for Best New Artist in 2009, as well as Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for “Chasing Pavements.” One of her most recent accolades was in 2017, where she took home five awards for her album 25 and song “Hello.
Alicia Keys – 15 Grammys
Image: Mark J Terrill/AP/Shutterstock.
Keys’ first Grammy came in 2002 for Best New Artist. That year, she also won four more songs for her album Songs in a Minor and her song “Fallin’” One of her most recent Grammys was in 2014 for Best R&B Album for Girl on Fire.
Ella Fitzgerald – 13 Grammys
Image: John Smart/ANL/Shutterstock.
Fitzgerald won her first Grammy in 1959 for Best Jazz Performance by a Soloist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. One of her most recent Grammys was 1996 for Best Historical Album for The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Songbooks. She also received a Lifetime Achievement accolade at the Grammys in 1967.
Emmylou Harris – 13 Grammys
Image: Kevork Djansezian/AP/Shutterstock.
Harris, a country singer, won her first Grammy in 1977 for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her album Elite Hotel. One of her most recent awards came in 2014 for Best Americana Album for Old Yellow Moon. She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.
Leontyne Price – 13 Grammys
Image: Douglas Pizac/AP/Shutterstock.
Price is an opera singer who has won 13 Grammys. Her first was in 1961 for Best New Artist followed and Best Classical Vocal Solo. One of her most recent was a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989.
CeCe Winans – 12 Grammys
Image: Jim Cooper/AP/Shutterstock.
Winans is a gospel singer who has won 12 Grammys. Her first was in 1988 for Best Soul Gospel Performance, while one of her most recent was 2018 for Best Gospel Album for Let Them Fall in Love.
Shirley Caesar – 11 Grammys
Image: Chelsea Lauren/Variety/Shutterstock.
Caesar is a gospel singer who boasts 11 Grammys. In 2017, she was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Chaka Khan – 10 Grammys
Image: Globe Photos/mediapunch/Shutterstock.
Chaka Khan is tied for 11th most awarded woman in Grammys history. She won her first Grammy in 1975 for her song “Tell Me Something Good” as part of the band Rufus. One of her most recent Grammys came in 2008 for her album Funk This and her song “Disrespectful” with Mary J. Blige.
Bonnie Raitt – 10 Grammys
Image: Matt Sayles/Invision/AP/Shutterstock.
Raitt is also tied at 11th place with 10 Grammys. Her first was in 1990 where she took home four awards, including for Album of the Year for Nick of Time. One of her most recent awards was in 2013 for Best Americana Album for Slipstream.
Linda Ronstadt – 10 Grammys
Image: Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock.
Ronstadt, who has sung country, rock and opera, is the recipient of 10 Grammys. Her first was in 1975 for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still In Love With You),” while one of her most recent was in 1999 for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for “After the Gold Rush” with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris. She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
Judith Sherman – 10 Grammys
Image: Paul Buck/EPA/Shutterstock.
Sherman, an audio engineer and record producer, is one of the most awarded female producers in Grammys history. She’s worked with composers like Philip Glass and John Adams and boasts 10 Grammys.
Taylor Swift – 12 Grammys
Image: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock.
Swift’s first Grammy came in 2010, where she took home four awards, including for Album of the Year for Fearless. One of her most recent accolades came in 2016, where she also won Album of the Year for 1989, as well as awards for songs like “Bad Blood. She is the youngest woman to win Album of the Year twice.
At the 2024 Grammy Awards, Swift was nominated in six categories: song of the year, record of the year and best pop solo performance for the No. 1 hit “Anti-Hero,” best pop duo/group performance for “Karma” with Ice Spice as well as best pop vocal album and album of the year for Midnights.
Mary J. Blige – 9 Grammys
Image: Str/EPA/Shutterstock.
Blige’s first Grammy win came in 1996 for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need to Get By” with Method Man. One of her most recent awards was in 2009 for Best Contemporary R&B Album for Growing Pains.
Janis Siegel & Cheryl Bentyne of The Manhattan Transfer – 9 Grammys
Image: Bei/Shutterstock.
Siegel and Bentyne, two female members of the jazz band The Manhattan Transfer, both boast nine Grammys with the group.
Natalie Cole – 9 Grammys
Image: Matt Sayles/AP/Shutterstock.
Cole has nine Grammys and is one of the most decorated female R&B artists. Her first award was for Best New Artist in 1976. One of her most recent awards was in 2009 for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Still Unforgettable.
Sheryl Crow – 9 Grammys
Image: Kathy Willens/AP/Shutterstock.
Crow is the owner of nine Grammys. Her first came in 1994 for Best New Artist, as well as for her song “All I Wanna Do.” One of her most recent awards was in 2003 for Best Female Rock Performance for her song “Steve McQueen.”
Norah Jones – 9 Grammys
Image: Kathy Willens/AP/Shutterstock.
Jones is the recipient of nine Grammys. Her first was in 2003, where she took home five awards, including Best New Artist and Album of the Year for Come Away With Me. One of her most recent was as a featured artist on River: The Joni Letters, which won Album of the Year in 2008.
Rihanna – 9 Grammys
Image: Kevork Djansezian/AP/Shutterstock.
Rihanna has won a total of nine Grammys. Her first was in 2008 when she won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Umbrella” with Jay-Z. One of her most recent was for the same category in 2018 for “Loyalty” with Kendrick Lamar.
Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum – 9 Grammys
Image: Invision/AP/Shutterstock.
Scott of the country band Lady Antebellum has won nine Grammys. The artist, who is the lead singer of Lady Antebellum and the only female member, won her first Grammy in 2010 for their song “I Run to You.” One of her most recent win was in 2012 for Best Country Album for Lady Antebellum’s “Own the Night.”
Lady Gaga – 12 Grammys
Image: Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock.
Gaga has won a total of 12 Grammys. Her first was in 2010 for Best Dance Recording for “Poker Face.” One of her most recent wins were in 2019, where she took home three awards: two for “Shallow,” her duet with Bradley Cooper from A Star Is Born, and one for “Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?)” off her album Joanne.
The Grammys are taking place on Sunday, Feb. 4, and the competition is stacked this year. The coveted golden gramophones will be handed out at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. This year, music’s biggest night will focus on many nominated artists vying for a statue. SZA is the night’s most nominated artist, with nine nods, and is poised to win her first solo Grammy (she won her first ever award for her duet with Doja Cat on “Kiss Me More”). Victoria Monet and Phoebe Bridgers follow SZA, tying with seven nominations each.
The Grammys typically make for an eventful ceremony, with unexpected moments every year. We saw Beyoncé make Grammy history as the most-awarded artist in Grammy history with 31 wins after her 2022 album Renaissance nabbed a statue for Best Dance/Electronic Album. It was a heartwarming moment for Beyoncé, who was in tears as she took the stage to accept her award. And Harry Styles set off the discourse when he won Album of the Year for Harry’s House and said, “This doesn’t happen to people like me very often.” This caused an uproar on social media, as many fans wrote about Beyoncé losing the night’s biggest prize and only being awarded once in the ceremony’s Big Four category.
This year will surely come with its surprises and upsets, as the Grammys always do. Here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 Grammy Awards
When are the Grammy Awards?
The 66th Annual Grammy Awards will take place on Feb. 4, starting at 8:00 PM EST and lasting until around 11:30 PM EST.
Where to watch the Grammy Awards
For those watching at home, the ceremony will be available on the CBS Network and to stream on Paramount+.
Who is hosting the Grammy Awards?
Comedian Trevor Noah is slated to host the Grammys ceremony for his fourth consecutive year in the role.
Who are the major performers this year?
This year, audiences are being treated to some exciting performances by hitmakers past and present. U2 and Billy Joel are ready to perform at the Grammys. Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, SZA, Olivia Rodrigo, Luke Combs, Burna Boy, and Travis Scott round out the contemporary artists slated to take the stage at Sunday’s award ceremony. Joni Mitchell will perform on the Grammys stage for the first time ever.
The most anticipated nominations
Across the musical spectrum, there are some interesting match-ups. SZA is the most nominated artist this year, with Victoria Monet and Phoebe Bridgers trailing behind in the second-most nominated spot. This year, there are eight artists with six nominations, including Miley Cyrus, Jon Batiste, Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Brandy Clark, and Boygenius.
Before the awards ceremony even takes place on Sunday, Swift already broke the record for most nominations in the Song of the Year category after getting her seventh nod for “Anti-Hero,” although she has yet to win in this category. Eyes are also on her if she wins Album of the Year for Midnights, making her the most awarded artist in this category, beating out Stevie Wonder and Frank Sinatra, who each have three wins.
Boygenius could also become the second girl-group to win Record of the Year if they take home a trophy for “Not Strong Enough.”
Trevor Noah is returning to host the Grammy Awards for the fourth year in a row on Sunday, Feb. 4. The comedian and former “The Daily Show” host speaks with “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King about his favorite part of hosting the Grammys, how he overcomes nerves on stage, the surreal experience of being nominated for Best Comedy Album and more.
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Every year, Awards Season is special for one reason: we all come together in outrage against a very specific group of voters, and publicly shame them until we grow bored. The Golden Globes and Emmys are great predictors of who will be ultimately nominated for an Oscar…but this year, it appears that the Academy stopped watching movies altogether.
When I woke up yesterday, I was bombarded by thousands of Tweets calling for the evisceration of the Academy after the 2024 Oscar Nominee list was revealed. It’s your modern-day mob mentality — and get your pitchforks ready, because there were quite a few notable snubs.
Okay, so I was already up in arms about the lack of nominations for Jacob Elordi and Charles Melton. But nothing was more offensive than the glaringly obvious Barbie irony: the Academy chose to honor “I’m Just Ken” by Ryan Gosling in a movie created by women, for women, about the struggles of feminism in a male-dominated society.
This is no hate to Ryan Gosling, who has owned his Ken-ergy in the best, candid way possible. He has supported his cast and uplifted its women during every single press event, red carpet, and personal statement. But the fact that they chose to nominate the one song about men taking over is laughable. Commenting on the lack of nominations himself, Gosling took to social media to say:
“ But there is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally-celebrated film…To say that I’m disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement,”
Sure, Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For” was nominated considering it’s a beautiful, haunting ballad that perfectly fits the film. But the Oscars have proven they’re Billie stans before by honoring her James Bond ballad. What about the two women who made Barbie possible? Who revived cinema and brought millions of moviegoers to the theaters dressed in pink? Who created a whole movement surrounding celebrating women after years of being told we should bring each other down?
Barbie was a statistically bigger first-week success story than its release-day twin, Oppenheimer, and the biggest film of the year. Yet, no nomination for the director and face of the film. It’s almost like the Academy realized this movie was about them…
Here’s the worst part: you don’t have to let them win if you don’t want to. To not even recognize Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig’s work and impact on the 2023 cinemascape is like saying Taylor Swift didn’t dominate the music industry this year. It’s just a lie.
So I will end this the way Taylor Swift would, with lyrics from “The Man”:
Nominees Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, and Olivia Rodrigo will hit the stage at the 66th Grammy Awards, as the first batch of performers for the biggest night in music, the Recording Academy announced.
The three singers have won a combined 14 Grammys and are all up for Song of the Year at this year’s awards. Billie Eilish is nominated for six Grammy awards this year, with “What Was I Made For?” up for Song of the Year, Dua Lipa is nominated for two Grammy awards with “Dance The Night” up for Song of the Year, and Olivia Rodrigo is nominated for six Grammy awards with “vampire” up for Song of the Year.
U.S. singer-songwriter Billie Eilish accepts the award for Best New Artist during the Grammy Awards on January 26, 2020, in Los Angeles.
Top nominees include SZA, who earned the most nods in nine categories, as well as Phoebe Bridgers, Serban Ghenea, and Victoria Monét, who earned seven nominations each. Jack Antonoff, Jon Batiste, boygenius, Brandy Clark, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, and Taylor Swift all earned six nominations.
Three new categories; Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Pop Dance Recording are included for the first time in this year’s award show.
The Grammy Awards will return to Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, with the show airing live on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+ at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
Additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks.
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The end of the year calls for reflection — hence our 2023 Popdust Music Awards, celebrating all of the great music we heard last year. And now, the beginning of the year indicates a time of anticipation. For that, we have our 2024 Artists to Watch, which also means that Awards Season is right around the corner.
Starting with the Golden Globes on January 7, we are about to experience countless red carpet shots, couples debuts ( still waiting for you, Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan), and teary-eyed acceptance speeches.
While there are the BAFTAs, the Emmys, the Oscars, and the SAG Awards, my speciality is music. And there is no bigger mecca for musicians than the GRAMMY Awards. Held on February 4, 2024, and hosted by comedian Trevor Noah, the GRAMMYs are music’s biggest night.
Awards Season brings out everyone’s inner critic. Suddenly, we think we know more than the Recording Academy. Every year, there are viral moments and scandalous decisions. The Recording Academy ultimately outrages the general public in some way or another — and inevitably, fandoms will take to apps like X to become the next Joan Rivers.
It’s a delicious time of year when your favorite celebrities are forced out of hiding and into the spotlight, and we can’t wait. To get everyone in the spirit of judgment, here are some way-too-early GRAMMY predictions for the year!
Record Of The Year: “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
Any Kid Harpoon song is a classic, and Cyrus’ return from a brief hiatus from music was met with high marks. It was Spotify’s most streamed song in a week ever, spent time at the top of Billboard’s Hot 100, and was the fastest song in Spotify history to reach 1 billion streams.
Album Of The Year: Midnights by Taylor Swift
She’s won this coveted award three times already, and it’s impossible to discredit the year of Taylor Swift. She is on track for the highest-grossing tour of all time with the Eras Tour, Midnights is Apple Music’s biggest pop album of all time in terms of first-day streaming, and the album is the reason she was all 10 of Billboard’s Top 10 Songs (the first time all women have dominated the charts ever). Give Swift her flowers.
Song Of The Year: “A&W” by Lana Del Rey
Another Jack Antonoff production, Lana Del Rey’s album is a spiritual awakening. With an essence of transcendentalism and a hint of gospel, it’s Lana to her core. “A&W” is hailed Song of the Year by many already, and it’s time we recognize her for the artist she is, was, and always will be.
Best New Artist: Ice Spice
I haven’t seen many people rise to the top as quickly as Ice Spice, nor have I seen someone garner such a passionate fanbase. The rapper has hits like “Deli” and collabs with rap queen Nicki Minaj on “Barbie World” and Taylor Swift on “Karma”, not to mention her Munchkin drink at Dunkin Donuts.
Producer Of The Year (Non-Classical): Jack Antonoff
Not only is Antonoff the mastermind behind many Taylor Swift albums, including Midnights, but he has Lana Del Rey’s multi-nominated album, “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard?,” under his belt. He can’t miss, and for that, he wins.
Best Pop Solo Performance: “What Was I Made For? [From The Major Motion Picture Barbie]”
This song is stunning, productionally perfect, and sonically flawless. Billie and Finneas continue to grow as an unstoppable singer-songwriter duo who can make any song fit any moment.
Best Pop Vocal Album: GUTS by Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo wanted to have fun with her sophomore album following the immense pressure and success of her debut, SOUR. With GUTS, we had viral singles yet again that promise Rodrigo is here for the long haul.
Best Dance/Electronic Recording: “Strong” by Romy + Fred again…
Developing a cult following in the electronic music world, Fred again… is one of the hottest house dance artists in the world right now. Following a successful bout of live shows and reaching fans on almost every platform imaginable, “Strong” is a winner.
Best Pop Dance Recording: “Rush” by Troye Sivan
Troye Sivan understands how to make out-of-the-box pop music, and seals it with one hell of a dance number. He’s the embodiment of a popstar, and “Rush” was just an example of the high precedent he’s set.
Best Rock Performance: “Not Strong Enough” by boygenius
Compiled of Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus, boygenius is a supergroup showing the world how to rock again. “Not Strong Enough” showcases what each member brings to the group in one sound synergy.
Best Rock Album: Starcatcher by Greta Van Fleet
Hailed as The Next Led Zeppelin, Greta Van Fleet brings you on a journey with their Starcatcher album. Each song a delight, Greta Van Fleet has developed their sound and found their stride.
Best R&B Performance: “Kill Bill” by SZA
SOS is one of the best albums of the year, and while I don’t see it winning in the Big 4 due to competitors like Swift, I still think it wins in general. “Kill Bill” was one of the biggest songs and continues to be one of the most viral.
Best Rap Performance: “Rich Flex” by Drake & 21 Savage
The saying “I like what Drake likes” holds true for many…and the collaboration album, Her Loss, with 21 Savage was one of the biggest of the year. “Rich Flex” makes sense for two of the biggest rappers out there right now.
Best Rap Album: Heroes & Villains by Metro Boomin’
Metro Boomin’ is the rapper and producer responsible for countless hits like Migos’ “Ric Flair Drip”. His Heroes & Villains album is a masterclass for high quality rap, intricate detail in production and songwriting, and straight up hits.
Watch the 2024 Grammy Awards live on February 4, 2024 at 8 PM EST exclusively on Paramount+!
Whether you are ready or not, we are officially in 2024. It’s okay if you’ve already abandoned your overambitious resolutions for more plausible goals — or if you’ve just given up entirely. There’s always next year.
But if there’s one constant, it’s listening to music. If Spotify Wrapped taught me anything, it’s that I really can make it through anything with the right soundtrack. We’re edging closer to awards season, which means everyone is looking for the best of the best. Our inner critic comes out and, suddenly, we’re all members of the Recording Academy.
With the 2024 Grammy’s right around the corner, it’s easy to get caught up in the hits from yesteryear. But I’m already looking ahead to the new year of music. And it’s time to recognize artists who are about to have a huge year. Some of them may be familiar names and hopefully, others will become new favorites of yours.
Regardless, there have been four artists who stuck out to me this past year. These artists aren’t new per se, but they’ve skyrocketed with recent success leading the charts, making an impact on pop culture, and featuring prominently on Spotify playlists. Each artist has been selected because they have the It Factor — and finally everyone is seeing it.
Here are the four artists to watch in 2024!
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter via GRAMMY.com
Sabrina Carpenter press
Carpenter fell headfirst into a love triangle scandal alongside pop queen Olivia Rodrigo and her castmate, Joshua Bassett. In 2022, she released her fifth studio album, emails i can’t send, which solidified her as a certified pop songwriter who has every “It” factor you look for in a young starlet.
Her sound can span genres- with synthy, sexy pop/R&B blends like “bet u wanna” to stomp-and-holler-inspired “Already Over.” Her take on heartache and the increased public scrutiny is both refreshing and witty.
After opening for Taylor Swift this year and going viral for her “Nonsense” outros, and most recently performing for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, it’s hard to imagine that this is the last we’ll see of Sabrina.
Noah Kahan
Noah Kahan
Asyia Marotta
A favorite here at Popdust, Noah Kahan has perfected that aforementioned “stomp and holler” sound. After a year of country-folk renaissance, Kahan’s Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) deluxe edition released in 2023 and continuously broke records…leading to collaborations with artists like Post Malone, Hozier, Kacey Musgraves, and Lizzy McAlpine.
With a sold out stadium tour on the horizon, Kahan is skyrocketing. His storytelling through music is unmatched- painting pictures of woeful hometown memories, heartache, loss, anxiety, and more.
His self-deprecating humor and appreciation for success make Noah Kahan who he is. A longtime advocate for mental health, Kahan started The Busyhead Project to raise money for the cause. He has us in the palm of his hand, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.
Dom Dolla
Dom Dolla
donslens
In the world of Electronic Dance Music, Dom Dolla is a trailblazer. He’s spent the year performing to crowds of tens of thousands of people at festivals and headline shows, and releasing some of the biggest EDM mixes of the year with “Eat Your Man (feat. Nelly Furtado)” and the disco jam “Saving Up.”
He’s one of the most exciting producers for a reason: a chart topper who knows how to reach the ears (and hearts) of fans of house and EDM, and new listeners alike. He’s found new ways to incorporate sound bytes, big drops, bass, and classic tech-house style and create a league of his own.
Whether he’s remixing classic tracks like “Black Betty”, playing his own tunes, or performing B2B sets with a fellow hot topic, John Summit, the “Rhyme Dust” creator is one-of-a-kind. Nominated for his first GRAMMY for his remix of Gorillaz “New Gold” with Tame Impala and Bootie Brown, Dom Dolla is your EDM artist to watch.
Renee Rapp
Renee Rapp
Erica Hernandez
You may know her as Leighton from Max’s Sex Lives Of College Girls…or as Regina George in the 2024 remake of Mean Girls. But Renee Rapp is a whirlwind of a pop-R&B artist who knows how to make flawless music. She’s gathered a passionate fanbase behind her to prove it, and after her most recent album, Snow Angel, we’re dying to know what’s next.
2022 was huge for Rapp, with her Snow Hard Feelings tour accompanying the album. She’s the talk of the town, weaving tales of unrequited love, belting ballads of heartache, and balancing them out with punchy pop tunes that are worthy of a repeat.
She’s the face of both cinema and music right now, with a versatility of creativity that so few can achieve. It would be a mistake not to include her on our artists to watch this year, because we know Renee Rapp is only getting started.
Jelly Rollwas overcome with emotion after learning of his first two Grammy nominations.
“I’m not sure if I’ll post this or not because I’m so emotional but the greatest honor an artist can ever hear is that they’ve been nominated for a Grammy,” the singer, 38, told his fans in a Friday, November 10, Instagram video before breaking down in tears. “I got to hear that this morning. I haven’t cried like this since my daddy died. I tried to make this video seven times, y’all. I love y’all, man. So f—king much.”
The country star added that he was initially “embarrassed” to post the candid clip but his wife, Bunnie XO, told him that his “honesty and rawness” is what got him “this far.” Promising that he would post a “more complete thought” about the nominations when he gets his “head together,” he added, “I just never would’ve imagined.”
The singer is nominated for Best New Artist at the 2024 ceremony, in which other nominees include The War and Treaty, Ice Spice, Gracie Abrams, Fred Again…, Coco James, Victoria Monét and Noah Kahan. He’s also up for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for the remix of his song “Save Me” with Lainey Wilson, which was originally featured on his 2020 studio album, Self Medicated.
The countdown to music’s biggest night — the 66th annual Grammy Awards — starts now. On Friday, November 10, the Recording Academy recruited some powerhouse performers — Kim Petras, St. Vincent, Jimmy Jam, Jon Bon Jovi, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and more — to unveil the list of nominees for the 2024 Grammys. With the ceremony […]
Following news of his Grammy nods on Friday, friends and fans quickly took to Jelly Roll’s comments section to celebrate and applaud his vulnerability. Wilson, 31, who is also up for Best Country Album for her record Bell Bottom Country, wrote: “Jelly, I love ya. Your energy is contagious. See ya at the GRAMMYs.”
Fellow country singer Miranda Lambertalso showed her support with a heart and raised hand emoji, while Wynonna Judd wrote: “YOU DESERVE IT ALL!!!!!!! 🙌 We are so happy for you!!!!!!! Congratulations my sweet friend ❤️.”
It’s been a big year for Jelly Roll. The Grammy nominations come on the heels of his win for New Artist of the Year at the 2023 CMA Awards, which took place on Wednesday, November 8, in Nashville. In April, he walked away with Male Video of the Year, Male Breakthrough Video of the Year, and Digital-First Performance of the Year for his single, “Son of a Sinner.”
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After the Recording Academy released the full list of Grammy nods on Friday, Jelly Roll opened up to American Songwritingabout such an esteemed recognition coming just days after his big CMA win.
Country music stars are celebrating big wins at the 2023 CMA Awards. This year’s ceremony, which takes place on Wednesday, November 8, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, is being hosted by NFL legend Peyton Manning and country music’s own Luke Bryan for the second year in a row. In addition to his hosting duties, […]
“There is no greater honor than to be nominated for a Grammy — and to have it all happen two days after winning CMA New Artist of the Year is unbelievable,” he told the outlet. “To be in an all-genre category representing country is beyond an honor. To be able to write a song like ‘Save Me’ with someone that I grew up with and for the Academy to acknowledge it with a nomination — and for Lainey Wilson to have added her talent, heart, and spirit on it — I’ve been crying all morning.”
Michelle Williams is many months removed from her latest Oscar nomination, for The Fabelmans, as well as one of her most recent films, Kelly Reichardt’s delightfully minor key Showing Up. Yet she’s given what might be the fall’s most talked-about performance as the narrator of Britney Spears’s memoir, The Woman in Me.
The book has been topping charts since its release on October 24, but it’s clips from Williams’s audiobook narration that keep going viral—capturing Justin Timberlake’s cringeworthy approach to Ginuwine, or Spears’s sister being a “total bitch.” The contrast of Spears’s conversational writing style and Williams’s carefully trained voice is funny in 15-second clips, but completely captivating in longer stretches. It’s Spears’s story, of course, but Williams is breathing a different kind of life into it, one survivor of the child-star industrial complex lending her voice to another.
Williams has been nominated for an Oscar five times, and while most sensible people continue to root for her to finally win, another possibility now looms: Could Michelle Williams win a Grammy for this? That’s how Viola Davis cemented her EGOT this year, after all, by winning a Grammy for narrating her own audiobook. Williams already has an Emmy, for Fosse/Verdon, and a Tony nomination for Blackbird, so this could be what really gets her EGOT run going.
Williams will have to wait a while, however. This year’s Grammy nominations will be announced on November 10, but the eligibility cut off was September 15, which means The Woman in Me will have to wait until next year for consideration.
But the bigger hurdle might be Grammy voters themselves. The category now known as best audio book, narration and storytelling recording has evolved many times since it was established in 1959, under many different names but called best spoken word album from 1998 and 2022. That deliberately broad umbrella makes room for a lot of unlikely competitors; the 1971 award went posthumously to Martin Luther King Jr., winning over fellow nominee Bill Cosby, and in 2003 Maya Angelou triumphed over a recording of Tim Robbins reading The Great Gatsby. Winners have included everyone from Orson Welles to Magic Johnson to Barack Obama. More than perhaps any other category at the always chaotic Grammys, here, anything goes.
But in recent years, while the nominees have been all over the map (Davis beat Lin-Manuel Miranda reading a YA book, for example), the winners have trended fairly seriously. Jimmy Carter won his third Grammy in this category in 2019. Don Cheadle won in 2022 for reading a book by John Lewis. Though celebrity memoirs like Davis’s or Carrie Fisher’s (the 2018 winner) still triumph sometimes, being a former president or a very, very old celebrity is still a pretty unbeatable advantage.
Spears has her own checkered history with the Grammys. She didn’t win a statuette until 2005, for best dance recording for “Toxic,” and famously lost the best-new-artist statuette in 2000 to Christina Aguilera. A whole lot has changed since then, from the makeup of Grammy voters to Spears’s career, and the triumphant comeback narrative around her memoir could easily extend to the Grammys as well. But as much as Williams is likely to be the most talked-about audiobook narrator of this year (or next), the Grammy might not come as easily as we’d like.
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On this tropically humid Monday in July, however, it is still his so-called year of relaxation. “I’ve eaten about 70 croquetas,” he tells me in Spanish as still more plates arrive.
He’s been wearing the same outfit every day for days—a striped polo, moisture-wicking shorts, and squishy slides, all in buttery shades of beige. His thicket of curls is topped with a backward snapback. He has piano fingers, a cropped circle beard, and pristine teeth. The only stealth hints at his global superstardom—other than the fact that my cab driver just declared his fealty—are a few diamonds here and there, including on the face of what looks like a women’s Chanel watch on his wrist. His trademark septum piercing is conspicuously missing—he wanted to change it up, he said, to be more relaxed. He hasn’t even been working out lately.
“It is too much and your mental health can be impacted,” Martínez says when I ask about his well-being. “There are days where I feel strong and powerful,” but from time to time, he says, “I feel vulnerable. There are days where I feel like I can’t handle my own life, you know what I mean?”
Before Bad Bunny was Bad Bunny, he was actually a very good bunny: choirboy in the Catholic church where his mother, Lysaurie Ocasio, served as a devout congregant. “I learned that I was the best in the choir and I worked the hardest,” he says, laughing, though he’s not kidding. Church was hot and boring, but it affirmed his passion for music at a foundational age. Though he’s popularly known for spitting staccato beats, listen closely and his discography reveals an expansive, confident range. Even the seemingly offhand “eys” that punctuate his songs are filled with pathos.
Martínez was an imaginative child. The son of Ocasio, a teacher, and Tito Martínez, a truck driver, Benito Antonio eschewed sports, preferring to play-wrestle with action figures; his little brothers, Bernie and Bysael, hatched storylines for each toy. “I am a person who always liked to live in my own world,” he says. Lucha libre captivated all three boys, perhaps explaining why, even now, Martínez does not consider himself too prestigious to moonlight as a WWE star, appearing to slam a guitar into Mike “The Miz” Mizanin at Wrestlemania. “I liked everything—the creativity, the characters, the fact that each wrestler has his own entrance song, like a soundtrack that identifies you,” Martínez explains. The clothes, too. Those neon briefs and bedazzled belts laid the groundwork for Bad Bunny’s eventual ascent of the Met Gala steps in a Burberry boiler dress, or in backless Jacquemus, his white rosette cape scraping the carpet. Martínez never quite blended. “Benito was the class clown,” says Jomar Dávila, his personal photographer and friend since age 11. “He was always a very smart kid, too—super funny and outspoken.”
Influenced by his mother’s penchant for pop, his father’s traditional taste for salsa and merengue, and his personal pull to Latin trap, in 2016, he began uploading his own songs to SoundCloud. He anointed himself Bad Bunny after an infamous-among-his-family Easter photo. What happened next is legend: While enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo, where he studied communications and bagged groceries at Econo on the side, one of his songs—“Diles” (“Tell Them”), a braggadocious track about his sexual prowess with a reverent nod to female pleasure—caught fire. His origin story carries a hint of the divine, though Martínez doesn’t attend Mass anymore. “God is everywhere,” he told me, “so why do I need to go to church?” He landed his first record deal.
