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Your Weekly GRAMMY Social Roundup
Stephen Colbert, Enrique Iglesias and Kacey Musgraves are featured in the 10 tweets and Instagram posts we didn't want you to miss
In Atlanta after the Steve Harvey takeover and ran into one of my favorite artists Andre 3000. pic.twitter.com/dLD2iHmJrV
— Babyface (@KennyEdmonds) August 18, 2015
focus on the good pic.twitter.com/hpoLuQgArr
— Enrique Iglesias (@enrique305) August 26, 2015
Rebecca Sapp @TheGRAMMYMuseum pic.twitter.com/fdon7hjj2l
— Joy Williams (@joywilliams) August 21, 2015
We would like to thank everyone who came out this summer to see Willie Nelson & Family along w/ @crowmedicine . pic.twitter.com/5LfvQFLpvZ
— Willie Nelson (@willienelson) August 27, 2015
These are NOT the droids I’m looking for. pic.twitter.com/VsZQKDHMLv
— Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) August 25, 2015
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/WireImage)
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Justin Timberlake's Road To 'Everything I Thought It Was': How Revisiting & Accepting The Past Resulted In His Most Assured Album Yet
Revisit the journey that's led Justin Timberlake to his sixth album — both an homage to his past and a celebration of where he's going.
When Justin Timberlake played his new material for close friends, they had one resounding reaction: "This sounds like everything we know you for, everything we thought we wanted from you."
Those words inspired the title of Timberlake's first album in six years, Everything I Thought It Was, which arrived March 15. The Memphis-born singer has described the release as "incredibly honest" but also as having "a lot of f—ng fun" — a statement that encapsulates how his music has evolved in the past three decades.
Since his beginnings as a child entertainer on shows like Star Search and Disney's Mickey Mouse Club, and later as a member of best-selling boy band *NSYNC, Timberlake proved that he belonged on the stage. His charisma and passion made him stand out effortlessly, and those experiences foreshadowed his star power and the brilliant solo career he was poised to have.
When *NSYNC announced their hiatus in April 2002, it took Timberlake just six months to release Justified, his debut LP. For the first time in a decade, he was introducing himself as an artist with full agency over his work, and showing exactly the kind of music he wanted to create.
"I felt like I had so much to prove to myself because I was coming from such a humongous group and a humongous movement of pop music," he reflected in a 2023 YouTube interview for Beatclub. "There was a real sound around what people were considering pop music before I went solo ... I knew I wanted to make a different type of album."
Justified promptly shifted Timberlake's good-boy image into a grown-up stunner. Through R&B, hip-hop and funk beats, he wears his heart on his sleeve; there's lust in lead single "Like I Love You," pain in "Cry Me A River," joy in "Rock Your Body." It resonated with the public — the album peaked at No.2 on the Billboard 200 and spawned two top five singles, proving that Timberlake was more than ready to shine on his own. In addition, the album won him his first GRAMMYs in 2004 for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Cry Me A River"; he had been nominated nine times with *NSYNC, and once for "Like I Love You" the year prior.
Largely produced by the Neptunes and Timbaland, Justified also marked the beginning of a vital partnership for the singer. Timbaland was essential in shaping Timberlake's musical DNA, and helped produce a majority of his discography — including credits on two tracks of EITIW. "We share the same perspective that we always want to make something that reminds us of music that we love, but at the same time is something we've never heard before," Timberlake told GRAMMY.com in 2014.
Following Justified, Timberlake ventured into acting — another one of his burgeoning skills — landing roles in films like 2006's Alpha Dog and Black Snake Moan. However, 2006 was best known as the year Timberlake brought sexy back with his sophomore album, FutureSex/LoveSounds.
Considered by many as peak JT, FS/LS shot his popularity into the stratosphere and solidified him as a superstar in his own right. An avant-garde pop masterpiece, its 12 tracks weave R&B and electronic music, sprinkling in guitar solos and interludes, Timberlake's flawless falsetto and distorted synths. Its experimentalism laid the groundwork for what became known as Timberlake's signature sound, and what he would explore in the future — including on Everything I Thought It Was singles "Selfish" and "Drown." The album also marked Timberlake's first solo No.1 on the Billboard 200, and produced three No.1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 in a row.
According to Timberlake, those three singles — "SexyBack," "My Love," and "What Goes Around…Comes Around" — "started a sound that I feel like it went on for, humbly speaking, a whole decade." FutureSex/LoveSounds earned Timberlake four more GRAMMYs: Best Dance Recording for "SexyBack" and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "My Love" in 2007, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "What Goes Around…Comes Around" and Best Dance Recording for "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows" in 2008.
Following FS/LS, Timberlake started a six-year release pattern that he has continued through Everything I Thought It Was. During those down periods, he still managed to maintain his star prowess by landing successful acting spots and producing songs for artists such as Rihanna and Madonna. And the first six-year hiatus was clearly fruitful, as his third LP was a two-part beast: 2013'sThe 20/20 Experience.
Produced by Timbaland and J-Roc, the double album displayed the singer at his most sophisticated yet, and reflected his growth in the decade since Justified came out. The first half's 10 tracks are lofty, lengthy meanderings inspired by neo soul and Timberlake's lasting love of '60s music.
"When we were making the record I said, 'If Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin can do 10-minute songs and Queen can do 10-minute songs, then why can't we?' We'll figure out the radio edits later," he told Capital FM at the time, according to NME. The album went straight to No.1 on the Billboard 200, spearheaded by the austere charm of "Suit & Tie," featuring Jay-Z, and the stirring emotions of "Mirrors."
Six months later, Timberlake dropped the second half of his project, The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2, and the compilation of both albums, The 20/20 Experience – The Complete Experience. Comprising songs with a more accessible structure (though they still averaged 7 minutes), 2 of 2 also debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200, and "Pusher Love Girl" won Timberlake his first Best R&B Song GRAMMY in 2014. Furthermore, its sounds pushed Timberlake's versatility to new edges, and deeply impacted his future releases.
As he entered his thirties, Timberlake's priorities shifted; he married actress Jessica Biel in 2012, and welcomed his first son, Silas, in 2015. A break from music was only natural, but this time it was also transformational — and reflected in his artistry. In 2016, in the middle of an album hiatus, Timberlake landed one of the biggest and most unexpected hits in his career: "CAN'T STOP THE FEELING!."
The disco-infused single was part of the soundtrack for DreamWorks Animation's Trolls, where Timberlake voiced the character Branch and worked as executive music producer. Attesting his talent for making simple, feel-good hits, "CAN'T STOP" was Timberlake's first No.1 single in almost a decade, and earned him a GRAMMY for Best Song Written For Visual Media and an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. It is also his biggest streaming song to date, with over 1 billion listens on both Spotify and YouTube.
Trolls brought Timberlake back into the limelight after years of focusing mostly on his personal life, and consequently created buzz around his upcoming releases. "I wouldn't say [my new material] is the antithesis of 20/20, but it does sound more singular," he teased in an interview with Variety in 2016. "If 20/20 sounded like it literally surrounds your entire head, this stuff feels more like it just punches you between the eyes."**
In 2018, Timberlake dropped his fifth studio album, Man Of The Woods, whose title derives from the meaning of Silas' name. The album itself was largely inspired by Timberlake's family and his Southern roots, and found him back with Timbaland and the Neptunes. The result is a record where Timberlake mixes his brand of funky pop while diving into the country and Americana sounds of his childhood. It's his most vulnerable work so far; in the album closer, "Young Man," for example, Timberlake takes the position of a doting father passing on his teachings, wrapping it up with vocal snippets from Biel and Silas.
Even though Man Of The Woods largely didn't have the same commercial impact as Timberlake's previous works, it still marked his fourth consecutive No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, and the release lined up with a headlining gig at the Super Bowl XXXV halftime show — a testament to his staying power.
In the years prior to Everything I Thought It Was, Timberlake kept busy by collaborating with artists like SZA ("The Other Side" from Trolls World Tour), Calvin Harris ("Stay with Me" with Halsey and Pharrell Williams), and Jack Harlow ("Parent Trap"). He also welcomed second son, Phineas, in 2020, and worked in several movies, including two Trolls sequels.
2023's Trolls Band Together, the latest installment of the franchise, also held a sweet, dreamlike surprise: Timberlake reunited with *NSYNC to release their first song together in 20 years. The heartwarming, funky "Better Place" was a reminder of the quintet's chemistry, and reignited hopes for further collaborations.
Luckily, fans wouldn't need to wait for too long. *NSYNC is among the three featured artists on Everything I Thought It Was, on a breezy track called "Paradise." (And those who were in attendance at Timberlake's "one night only" show at The Wiltern in Los Angeles on March 13 got to see the group's first performance together in over a decade, when they premiered "Paradise" and sang four *NSYNC classics.)
This isn't the only callback to the past on the album, though. The chill beats and adoring message of lead single "Selfish" bring to mind a refresh of 20/20's "Not A Bad Thing"; second single "Drown" rides on the same wavelength of "Cry Me A River" and "What Goes Around…Comes Around," but tinged with more sadness than spite. Meanwhile, "Sanctified" is the pure ambition of FS/LS transmuted into a soul-opera-rock trip. Throughout the album's other 15 tracks, Timberlake also dabbles on heavy basslines ("No Angels"), disco melodies ("My Favorite Drug"), sweet R&B croons ("Love & War"), and sour, stingy ballads ("Flame").
As Timberlake declared himself on The Graham Norton Show, bits and pieces of all his previous works come together to form an updated version of himself on this album — one that is finally comfortable in being vulnerable, and thankful for everything he's been through. "I'm everything you thought I was/ I'm everything I thought I was/ It was everything I thought it was," he sings in the opening track, "Memphis."
"I'm having this moment in my life looking back on everything that has been, and accepting all of it. The good, the bad, the fast, the slow," he said on The Kelly Clarkson Show. "It's just about arriving at this place right now in my life, as an artist, as a husband, as a father, as a human. And I'm just really excited about what the future holds."
Justin Timberlake's Biggest Songs, From His Best *NSYNC Moments To The Solo Smashes
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15 Must-Hear Albums In March 2024: Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, Shakira & More
From the debuts of Tyla and rapper Tierra Whack, to a new salvo from Kim Gordon, women dominate the list of releases for March. While it may be Women's History Month, there are a few major releases from male artists, including Justin Timberlake.
March is Women’s History Month, and women in music are more powerful than ever.
The month begins with the comeback of several queens, starting with Kim Gordon’s The Collective and Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine. Later, country darling Kacey Musgraves will unveil Deeper Well, and Shakira will drop the empowering Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. Long-awaited debuts by GRAMMY-winning singer Tyla and singer/bassist Blu DeTiger will also join the lineup, with their respective Tyla and All I Ever Want Is Everything. Wrapping up March on a high note, Beyoncé will drop her highly-anticipated Act II on the 29th.
Men will release music in March as well: Expect new releases by Justin Timberlake, Bleachers, the last record from pop-punk band Sum 41, and (allegedly) Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s Vultures 2.
To make the most of this prolific time, GRAMMY.com compiled all the must-hear albums dropping March 2024.
Schoolboy Q - Blue Lips
Release date: March 1
On Feb. 1, Schoolboy Q’s website was updated with a mysterious countdown and a 37-second video. In it, the rapper finally unveiled the setlist and title of his much-awaited sixth studio album, Blue Lips, as well as its release date — March 1.
Blue Lips is Q’s first full record since 2019’s Crash Talk, although he had been teasing the album since 2020. Hopefully, it was worth the wait: Blue Lips holds 18 tracks and participations by Rico Nasty, Freddie Gibbs, and more. Q has also started a new vlog series on social media called "wHy not?," where he takes the viewers behind the scenes of making the album and previews snippets of the songs.
So far, the rapper shared tracks "Blueslides," "Back n Love" with Devin Malik, "Cooties" and "Love Birds" with Devin Malik and Lance Skiiwalker, as well as lead single "Yeern 101."
Bleachers - Bleachers
Release date: March 8
Fronted by 10-time GRAMMY winner and 2024 Producer Of The Year Jack Antonoff, rock band Bleachers will release its eponymous fourth studio album on March 8.
In a press release, Bleachers is described as Antonoff’s "distinctly New Jersey take on the bizarre sensory contradictions of modern life." The self-titled record will blend sadness and joy into "music for driving on the highway to, for crying to and for dancing to at weddings."
The band shared four singles so far: lead track "Modern Girl," "Alma Mater" featuring Lana del Rey, "Tiny Moves" and "Me Before You." Through serendipitous melodies and soulful writing, Bleachers commit to "exist in crazy times but remember what counts."
Bleachers will tour the U.K. in March and the U.S. in May and June.
Kim Gordon - The Collective
Release date: March 8
Former Sonic Youth vocalist Kim Gordon will release her sophomore LP, The Collective, on March 8. The album is a follow-up to her 2019 debut No Home Record, and furthers her collaboration with producer Justin Raisen, as well as additional producing from Anthony Paul Lopez.
"On this record, I wanted to express the absolute craziness I feel around me right now," said Gordon in a press statement. "This is a moment when nobody really knows what truth is, when facts don’t necessarily sway people, when everyone has their own side, creating a general sense of paranoia. To soothe, to dream, escape with drugs, TV shows, shopping, the internet, everything is easy, smooth, convenient, branded. It made me want to disrupt, to follow something unknown, maybe even to fail."
Back in January, the singer unveiled the album’s moody first single, "Bye Bye," and a music video starring her daughter, Coco Gordon Moore. The second single, "I’m A Man," came out in February. Gordon will play six concerts in support of The Collective, starting March 21 in Burlington, Vermont.
Ariana Grande - Eternal Sunshine
Release date: March 8
It’s been almost four years since Ariana Grande’s last studio album, 2020’s Positions. The starlet spent the past few years filming Wicked, an adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name, and declared that she wouldn’t be releasing any new records until it was done.
The wait is finally over, as Grande announced her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine. The album’s first and only single, "Yes, And?," dropped in January, followed by an Instagram video of the soprano singer explaining the concept of the album to her Republic Records team.
"It’s kind of a concept album ’cause it’s all different heightened pieces of the same story, of the same experience," she said. "Some of [the songs] are really vulnerable, some of them are like playing the part of what people kind of expect me to be sometimes and having fun with it."
"I think this one may be your favorite," Grande wrote of Eternal Sunshine on her Instagram Story. "It is mine." The 13-song collection will reportedly explore house and R&B, and will have only one feature: Grande’s grandmother, who appears on the last track, "Ordinary Things."
Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign -Vultures 2
Release date: March 8
After a series of delays, Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s first collaborative album, Vultures 1, ultimately dropped on Feb. 10, 2024. Set to be the first installment of a trilogy, the album was released independently through West’s YZY label, and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, with all of its 16 tracks also charting on Billboard’s Hot 100.
Billed as ¥$, the duo plans to release Vultures 2 on March 8, and follow up with Vultures 3 on April 5. Although any other info about the upcoming volumes is still unclear, Timbaland recently shared on X (formerly Twitter) that Vultures 2 is "OTW." (Timbaland produced Vultures 1’s "Keys to My Life" and "Fuk Sumn" with Playboi Carti and Travis Scott.)
In the past month, West and $ign held a few listening parties for the album in the U.S. and Europe, but additional schedules are yet to be revealed.
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Glasgow Eyes
Release date: March 8
To celebrate their 40th anniversary, alt-rock band the Jesus and Mary Chain will release their eighth studio album, Glasgow Eyes, on March 8.
As it can be seen on lead single "Jamcod," the Scottish group still runs strong on the distorted synths and electrifying guitars that shaped their sound. "People should expect a Jesus and Mary Chain record, and that’s certainly what Glasgow Eyes is," vocalist Jim Reid said in a statement. "Our creative approach is remarkably the same as it was in 1984, just hit the studio and see what happens. We went in with a bunch of songs and let it take its course. There are no rules, you just do whatever it takes."
Glasgow Eyes also mends a six-year gap since the Jesus and Mary Chain’s latest album, 2017’s Damage and Joy. To further commemorate, the band will also release an autobiography and embark on a European tour throughout March and April.
Justin Timberlake - Everything I Thought It Was
Release date: March 15
Justin Timberlake is back with his first studio album since 2018’s Man of the Woods. The new record, Everything I Thought It Was, is spearheaded by singles "Selfish" and "Drown."
"I worked for a long time on this album, and I ended up with 100 songs. So, narrowing them down to 18 was a thing," said Timberlake in an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1. "I’m really excited about this album. I think every artist probably says this, but it is my best work." The Memphis singer also shared that there are "incredibly honest" moments in the album, but also "a lot of f—ng fun."
To celebrate his return, Timberlake announced his Forget Tomorrow World Tour. Set to kick off on April 29 in Vancouver, the tour will cross through North America and Europe until its final date on Dec. 16 in Indianapolis.
Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Well
Release date: March 15
Fresh off winning Best Country Duo/Group Performance at the 2024 GRAMMYs for the Zach Bryan duet "I Remember Everything," Kacey Musgraves announced her fifth studio album, Deeper Well..
"My Saturn has returned/ When I turned 27/ Everything started to change," she sings in the contemplative title track, exploring how she changed over the last few years. The single sets the tone for the rest of the record, which was co-produced by longtime collaborators Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian.
Featuring 14 tracks, Deeper Well was mostly recorded at the legendary Electric Lady studios in New York City. "I was seeking some different environmental energy, and Electric Lady has the best mojo. Great ghosts," the country star noted in a press release.
On social media, Musgraves wrote: "it’s a collection of songs I hold very dear to my heart. I hope it makes a home in all of your hearts, too." Deeper Well follows 2021’s star-crossed.
Tierra Whack - World Wide Whack
Release date: March 15
When rapper Tierra Whack released her first album, 2018’s Whack World, she quickly garnered the admiration of both critics and fans. Comprising 15 one-minute tracks and music videos for each, the release was a refreshing introduction to a groundbreaking artist.
In 2024, the Philadelphia-born star is preparing to release World Wide Whack, labeled her official debut album in a press release. The cover artwork, created by Alex Da Corte, was inspired by theater character Pierrot, fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli and Donna Summer, and represents "the first reveal of the World Wide Whack character, an alter ego both untouchable and vulnerable, superhuman and painfully human, whose surprising story will unfold in images and video over the course of the album’s visual rollout."
The album follows Whack’s 2021 EP trilogy — Rap?, Pop? and R&B? — and is foreshadowed by the poignant "27 Club" and the eccentric "Shower Song."
Tyla - Tyla
Release date: March 22
After a glowing 2023 with viral hit "Water," South African newcomer Tyla started 2024 with a blast. Last month, she became the first person to win a GRAMMY for Best African Music Performance, and the youngest-ever African singer to win a GRAMMY Award at 22 years old.
Next month is poised to be even better: Tyla’s eponymous debut LP drops on March 22, featuring "Water" and other hits like "Truth or Dare," "Butterflies" and "On and On," as well as a guest appearance by labelmate Travis Scott.
"African music is going global and I’m so blessed to be one of the artists pushing the culture," Tyla shared on Instagram. Her unique blend of amapiano, pop and R&B is making waves around the world, and the star will rightfully celebrate by touring Europe and North America throughout this spring.
Shakira - Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran
Release date: March 22
The title of Shakira’s new album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, is a nod to her 2023 hit "Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53" with Argentine DJ Bizarrap. In the lyrics, she states that "las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan" — "women don’t cry anymore, they make money."
The single is a diss to Shakira’s ex-partner, footballer Gerard Piqué, and, like the rest of the record, served as a healing experience after their separation. "Making this body of work has been an alchemical process," the Colombian star said in a statement. "While writing each song I was rebuilding myself. While singing them, my tears transformed into diamonds, and my vulnerability into strength."
Las Mujeres will feature 16 songs, including her Bizarrap collaboration and singles "Te Felicito" with Rauw Alejandro, "Copa Vacía" with Manuel Turizo, "Acróstico," "Monotonía" with Ozuna, "El Jefe" with Mexican band Fuerza Regida, and "TQG" with fellow Colombian Karol G.
Back in 2018, Sheryl Crow said that the LP Threads would be her last — fortunately, she changed her mind. "I said I’d never make another record, though there was no point to it," the singer shared in a statement about her upcoming album, Evolution. "This music comes from my soul. And I hope whoever hears this record can feel that."
According to the same statement, "Evolution is Sheryl Crow at her most authentically human self," and its music and lyrics "came from sitting in the quiet and writing from a deep soul place."
The entire album was written in a month, starting with the title track, which expresses Crow’s anxieties about artificial intelligence and the future of humans. From then on, Crow and producer Mike Elizondo found bliss. "The songs just kept flowing out of me, four songs turned into nine and it was pretty obvious this was an album," she said.
In addition to the album's title track, Crow also shared singles "Do It Again" and "Alarm Clock."
Sum 41 - Heaven :x: Hell
Release date: March 29
After nearly three decades together, punk-metal mavericks Sum 41 are parting ways. Their final release will be a double album. Heaven :x: Hell, set to drop on March 29.
Heaven is composed of 10 pop-punk tracks reminiscent of the band’s early years, while Hell is 10 tracks of pure heavy metal, reflecting the direction they took more recently. "Once I heard the music, I was confident enough to say, ‘This is the record I’d like to go out on,'" frontman Deryck Whibley said in a statement. "We’ve made a double album of pop punk and metal, and it makes sense. It took a long time for us to pave this lane for ourselves, but we did, and it’s unique to us."
The band shared singles "Landmines," "Rise Up" and "Waiting on a Twist of Fate," and proved that they’re leaving on top of their game. "I love Sum 41, what we’ve achieved, endured, and stuck together through, which is why I want to call it quits," Whibley added. "It’s the right time to walk away from it. I’m putting all of my energy into what’s ahead."
But before embarking on new ventures, Sum 41 will spend the rest of the year touring throughout Asia, North America, and Europe.
Blu DeTiger - All I Ever Want Is Everything
Release date: March 29
At only 26 years old, Blu DeTiger has already toured with Caroline Polachek, played bass for Jack Antonoff’s band Bleachers, partnered with Fender, and appeared on the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30’s music list.
Now, she prepares to release her debut studio album, All I Ever Want Is Everything. "This album is about growing and becoming, settling into yourself and learning to love where you’re at through it all. It’s about learning how to be your own best friend," the bassist and singer wrote on Instagram.
"Dangerous Game," the lead single off the album, showcases DeTiger’s effervescent energy and potential for pop stardom. Starting April, she will also headline a U.S. tour across Boston, Washington D.C., New York, Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.
Beyoncé - Act II
Release date: March 29
What better event to announce a new album than the most-watched TV program ever? That’s what Beyoncé did during Super Bowl LVIII, on Feb. 11. At the end of a Verizon commercial, the singer declared "Okay, they ready. Drop the new music," while simultaneously releasing Act II’s lead singles, "16 Carriages" and "Texas Hold 'Em," on social media and streaming platforms.
Coming out March 29, Act II is the second part of Beyoncé’s ongoing trilogy, which was written and recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. The album is preceded by 2022’s acclaimed Act I: Renaissance, but instead of house and disco, the singer will reportedly take a deep dive into country music.
This isn’t Queen Bey’s first foray into the genre — in 2016, she released Lemonade’s "Daddy Lessons," and her 2021 IVY PARK Rodeo collection was inspired by "the overlooked history of the American Black cowboy," as she told Harper’s Bazaar. It was just a question of time for Beyoncé to enter her country era, and it is finally upon us.
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Photo: Kelly Christine Sutton
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Everything We Know About Kacey Musgraves' New Album 'Deeper Well': Release Date, Cover Art & More
On the heels of a history-making GRAMMY win, Kacey Musgraves announced that her fifth studio album is on the way. Take a look at all of the details she's unveiled so far.
A new Kacey Musgraves era is upon us! The country superstar teased the news with a cryptic social media post on Feb. 4: "I'm saying goodbye to the people that I feel are real good at wasting my time," she wrote in the caption. "No regrets, baby, I just think that maybe you go your way and I'll go mine."
That teaser coincided with a historic win at the 2024 GRAMMY Awards. The seven-time GRAMMY winner took home the golden gramophone for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "I Remember Everything," her 2023 collab with Zach Bryan; with that victory, she became the first artist to win in all four Country Field Categories. (She won Best Country Album and Best Country Song in 2014 and 2019 — for Same Trailer Different Park and "Merry Go Round," and Golden Hour and "Space Cowboy," respectively — and "Space Cowboy" also took home Best Country Solo Performance in 2019.)
Fresh off that achievement, Musgraves announced her forthcoming album, Deeper Well,and shared its folksy, introspective title track. As fans eagerly await its release, GRAMMY.com has rounded up everything to be found about the singer/songwriter's fifth studio set so far.
The Album Drops Sooner Than You Think
We're quickly coming up on three years since Musgraves released her fourth full-length, star-crossed, and suddenly, the release of Deeper Well is just around the corner. Just a few days after her GRAMMYs teaser, the country star revealed that her sixth album will be released in just a matter of weeks.
"My new album, Deeper Well, is arriving March 15th," Musgraves wrote on social media. "It's a collection of songs I hold very dear to my heart. I hope it makes a home in all of your hearts, too."
There Are Two Different Covers
In her social post, Musgraves shared that Deeper Well will have not one, but two different covers — both shot by the singer's younger sister Kelly.
The standard cover features the superstar gazing wistfully into the camera as she cradles a crimson clover in her hand. The limited edition cover is more evocative (and NSFW), with Musgraves laying nude, curled up in a verdant field with her back turned to the camera.
The Lead Single Is Also the Title Track
Ahead of the album's full unveiling, Musgraves dropped "Deeper Well" as its lead single. The gentle, finger-plucked track finds the singer/songwriter outgrowing relationships and choices that no longer serve her, blazing a new trail for herself and finding peace in the process: "I just think that maybe/ It's natural when things lose their shine/ So other things can glow," she sings.
"Sometimes you reach a crossroads. Winds change direction. What you once felt drawn to doesn't hold the same allure," Musgraves dished in a statement about the song's themes. "You get blown off course but eventually find your footing and forage for new inspiration, new insight and deeper love somewhere else."
She's Serving Cottagecore Space Witch In The First Music Video
Along with the song and album announcement, Musgraves shared the "Deeper Well" music video on Thursday — and the cinematic visual is a trip.
Helmed by A-list director Hannah Lux Davis and shot in Iceland, the clip finds the singer holed up in a picturesque cabin and wandering a stunning coastline strewn with giant, levitating boulders.
The costuming, meanwhile, leans more "homestead chic" as Musgraves rocks patchwork pioneer dresses, work bandanas and a cozily oversized shearling coat as she tends to a menagerie of farm animals, hangs laundry, gathers crops and, oh yeah, gets swallowed up by a magical, glowing orb by the video's end.
From the looks of Musgraves' Instagram — and her newly minted profile name, Kacey Mossgraves — it seems the farmcore aesthetic might ring throughout Deeper Well.
The Album Will Showcase The Singer's "Softer Side"
Musgraves teased the creative direction of Deeper Well in a new interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1. "I've found more of a connection to my softer side, my roots, like some of the Americana, the folk, the country, some of the stuff, really the warmth of that. I felt drawn to that.
"I felt like I was in a softer place myself after star-crossed and going through a divorce and doing a lot of therapy and honestly falling in love again and opening myself back up to the human experience," she continued. "These songs just kind of started coming out."
She's Releasing A Coffee Table Book
For another way to experience Musgraves' Deeper Well era, the singer/songwriter whipped up an 84-page 'zine with photos, lyrics, and stories behind the songs. Fans can purchase the soft-cover book — which comes with a CD — on her website, or at Barnes & Noble and indie record stores.
As Musgraves' punny Instagram caption notes, the book is another indication that she's "onto the next chapter (literally)."
The Track List Is Already Here
Musgraves is no stranger to delivering bodies of work upwards of a dozen-plus songs, and it looks like Deeper Well will be no exception. The 14-song track list was unveiled on Instagram, with song titles like "Giver / Taker" and "Jade Green" fitting both the theme of letting go as well as the cottagecore aesthetic seamlessly.
She's Working with Some Familiar Collaborators
According to her announcement, Deeper Well was co-produced by Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian, both of whom worked with Musgraves on 2018's Golden Hour — which won Album Of The Year at the 61st GRAMMY Awards — and 2021's star-crossed. If those albums are any indication, Deeper Well is bound to be another Kacey masterpiece.
Big First Wins At The 2024 GRAMMYs: Karol G, Lainey Wilson, Victoria Monét & More
Photo: ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images
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Here's What Happened At The Black Music Collective’s Recording Academy Honors 2024 GRAMMY Event Celebrating Mariah Carey & Lenny Kravitz
The power of staying true to yourself was at the center of the 2024 GRAMMY Week event. Honorees Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz were lauded by colleagues and performers, including Stevie Wonder, Quavo, Babyface and Andra Day.
On a wet but buzzing Thursday evening ahead of the 2024 GRAMMYs, leading lights in the music industry gathered for the third annual Recording Academy Honors Presented By The Black Music Collective. Along the event's black carpet, stars and industry insiders were showing out — taking photos, reconnecting with friends and collaborators, and chatting with the press.
The official 2024 GRAMMY Week event was held Feb. 1 — the first day of Black History Month — at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles and was sponsored by Amazon Music and City National Bank. Each year, BMC presents its Global Impact Award to legendary musicians advancing the culture, and 2024’s honorees Lenny Kravitz and Mariah Carey, loomed over the entire evening before they'd even arrived.
Flava Flav, sporting his patented clock necklace, was also hyped about the evening. "It means everything to be at the GRAMMYs tonight. This is big," Flav told GRAMMY.com. The rapper then spoke about the two transcendent stars being honored. "I feel real big about the honorees. Mariah Carey, always been proud of her and I love her songs…Lenny Kravitz is my dude. That’s my man. So congratulations Lenny!"
The significance of the event was felt from the first foot set on the black carpet. Afrobeats star Fireboy DML weighed in on the importance of the night. "I’m honored. It feels good. It’s always important to be in spaces like this," Fireboy told GRAMMY.com, adding that he's excited about his upcoming fourth album. "It’s important for the culture."
As attendees inside the jam-packed ballroom room eagerly awaited the main guests of the night, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. spoke about the momentum being built through Black Music Collective.
"[Last year] I spoke how great it was to be holding the second annual BMC event. To me it meant we established a new tradition. And now the tradition proudly continues," Mason Jr. told the audience, emphasizing how the influence of Black culture can be found in all corners of the world and across musical genres.
A performance by Nigerian superstar Davido, a first-time GRAMMY nominee, spoke to the power of musical diversity in the Academy and BMC. Although the crowd had sat down with their appetizers, many stood up to vibe out as Davido performed his nominated song, "Unavailable."
By the time Andra Day, adorned in a bright red leather coat, got to the end of her rendition of "Strange Fruit" with support from trumpeter Keyon Harrold, everyone in the ballroom was on their feet. It was a great moment for Day, whose cover of Billie Holiday’s 1939 cry for justice hammered home the connection between Black artists across different genres and across time.
Gabby Samone garnered the second standing ovation of the night for her take on Nina Simone’s "Four Women." Simone has had a number of major cosigns as her star has grown brighter, and her fans include Jennifer Hudson and none other than Mariah Carey. Samone's performance was followed by a powerful song from Erica Campbell, whose I Love You is nominated for Best Gospel Album this year.
A set from DJ Mannie Fresh, Kravitz took the stage to receive the first BMC Global Impact Award of the night. Introduced by mentee H.E.R, she talked about "American Woman’s" genre-bending influence on her own career and Kravitz's own influence from childhood. "The fashion, the confidence, the badass walk, and the killer vocals made me at six years old say to my dad ‘I wanna play guitar.’ ‘I wanna be a rockstar.’ ‘I wanna be like Lenny Kravitz,’" H.E.R. said.
She then listed off some of Kravitz’s other accomplishments including working on "Rustin," the new Netflix film about critical civil rights architect Bayard Rustin, as well as Kravitz’s work in philanthropy through his Let Love Rule Foundation.
Once the din died down, Kravitz took a trip back to childhood, too. He shared how, when he went to go see the Jackson 5 with his family, and was so hooked that he dreamed of becoming part of the storied troupe. "I fantasized that I was their long lost brother and turned the Jackson 5 into the Jackson 6," he said.
Kravitz also spoke the various genres of music that helped mold him, drawn from many different corners. From his "grandfather’s block in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn," where he "witnessed the birth of hip-hop," to being shaped by legends like Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye and Nina Simone. He also shouted out his godmother, the late great actress Cicely Tyson.
In a particularly cool mashup of genre and generation, Quavo provided vocals to "Fly Away," flanked by P-funk all star George Clinton, Earth, Wind & Fire bassist Verdine White, and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. At the end of the performance, Kravitz went over to each performer and hugged them.
After a brief intermission, record producer and BMC Chair Rico Love shouted out leadership, including the Recording Academy board of trustees and Ryan Butler, Vice President of DEI. Love spoke about Black Music Collective as a space where everyone can feel at home. "The life of a creator is so hard. And lonely. That’s why it’s valuable to build community," he emphasized.
Black Music Collective’s scholarship program, in collaboration with Amazon Music, Love said, will once again support HBCU students who aspire to be in the next generation of music industry power players. In 2023, scholarships were awarded to students at Florida A&M University, Texas Southern University, Norfolk State University, among others. Love recalls the mentors he had when he was coming up and is glad BMC is also paying it forward.
Last night’s program found one of the few people on the planet that even Mariah Carey might be star struck by. Before the pop legend received her Global Impact Award, Stevie Wonder appeared and sat down over a keyboard.
"Very excited to be here to celebrate someone that has been a friend and I’ve been a fan of since the very beginning of hearing her voice," he said, before serenading Carey with "I Just Called to Say I Love You," ending the rendition with "I love you, I love you, you are my hero."
Mariah Carey was seemingly surprised and star-struck herself. Once she overcame the awe, Carey detailed the pressure she faced early in her career to avoid leaning into Black music. "When I first started in the music business, I was often told to ‘conform’ to certain expectations. I was not encouraged to focus on my love for Black music," she told the crowd.
Later, some of Carey’s other friends and collaborators performed, including Babyface, who once sang backing vocals on Carey’s "Melt Away." (Carey then returned the favor by singing on "Every Time I Close My Eyes.") Another Carey collaborator, Busta Rhymes, performed crowd favorite "I Know What You Want" and offered sincere thanks to Carey for her boldness and desire to "run with the wolves." Tori Kelly also sang "Vision of Love" during this segment and earlier in the night, gospel legend Yolanda Adams performed "Make It Happen." The third annual Recording Academy Honors/BMC event certainly did make it happen, as attendees flooded out of the ballroom and into the streets pumped with pride.
2024 GRAMMYs: See The Full Nominees And Winners List
Head to live.GRAMMY.com all year long to watch all the GRAMMY performances, acceptance speeches, the GRAMMY Live From The Red Carpet livestream special, the full Premiere Ceremony livestream, and even more exclusive, never-before-seen content from the 2024 GRAMMYs.