Megan Armstrong is a contributor for GRAMMY.com.
Growing up in Deerfield, Ill., Alexander 23 wanted to be like his hometown hero, Michael Jordan. When high school ended, he was forced to accept that basketball stardom wasn't in the cards for him. Luckily, music was waiting for him all along — and a decade later, he's become an MVP in his own right. Born Alexander Glantz, Alexander 23…
The world couldn't get enough of Reneé Rapp after her August 2023 debut LP, Snow Angel, sold-out Snow Hard Feelings Tour, and starring turn as Regina George in the 2024 Mean Girls musical film. But as more people wanted more of her, the actress-turned-pop star realized she was losing herself. So, she silenced external demand in order to listen to…
From the outside looking in, it would seem like the past seven years have been the best of Jon Bellion's life. Along with co-writing/producing hits by the likes of Miley Cyrus, Jungkook, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, and Selena Gomez — and earning four GRAMMY nominations for his work with Jon Batiste, Justin Bieber, and Lizzo — he became a father…
"Selena only commits to things that move her and/or tell her story," Interscope chairman/CEO John Janick told Billboard in January 2020, when Selena Gomez released her album Rare. The singer did just that on her third LP, as well as her GRAMMY-nominated 2021 Spanish EP, Revelación. But nothing encapsulates Janick's characterization of Gomez more than I Said I Love You…
Linkin Park became ubiquitous with their 2000 debut LP, Hybrid Theory, and reinforced their status as the 21st century's definitive nu-metal band with each album thereafter. But it's been seven years since Linkin Park released new music, priming a new generation to discover their one-of-one impact — including Mike Shinoda's daughter. In September, the band's co-lead vocalist and producer told…
Bishop Briggs knew recording "Growing Pains" would be emotional. Her sister, Kate, died at 30 of ovarian cancer in January 2021. Six months had passed, but that didn't matter; the English singer/songwriter born Sarah McLaughlin felt Kate every second of every day. But Kate made her presence known in an absurd, funny and unforeseen way before Briggs' session even started.…
This time last year, Dasha trusted her gut. She had released her debut album, Dirty Blonde, in January 2023, and couldn't shake how detached she felt from the music after the release party in Los Angeles. After initially pursuing a songwriting degree at Belmont University in Nashville, the San Luis Obispo, California, native had gone all in on becoming a…
Offset understands the weight he shoulders as a former member of Migos, the eternally influential hip-hop trio that made Atlanta trap a global phenomenon. He carries his past with pride, even as he works relentlessly to define his artistry outside of Migos' shadow. "People always relate back to my group, and I'm putting so much into my creativity to be…
