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GRAMMYs

Macy Gray 

Photo: David Corio/Redferns via Getty Images 

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Macy Gray To Help Victims Of Police Brutality macy-gray-launches-mygoodorg-support-families-affected-police-brutality

Macy Gray Launches MYGOOD.ORG To Support Families Affected By Police Brutality

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The organization plans to help out with logistical costs, including hospital, funeral and legal expenses. It will also prioritize helping families with their mental health
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Aug 5, 2020 - 5:43 pm

Soulful R&B singer Macy Gray is lending a hand to people who've been affected by police brutality.

Gray has launched MyGood.org, a non-profit that will provide emotional and financial assistance to families who have lost a loved one at the hands of police. The organization plans to help out with logistical costs, including hospital, funeral and legal expenses. It will also prioritize helping families with their mental health. Gray wants to specifically have a big focus on mental health as she has seen her own aunt and uncle struggle mentally, emotionally and financially with the death of their son after a bar fight more than four years ago. MyGood.org will put the families in touch with support groups to help them cope with their loss. 



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Woulda been 18 today... My heart broke when I heard a 12 year old lwas murdered by the police. Can’t imagine what it did to his parents, to his family. There’s a new foundation to help the families of victims of police shootings. Coming soon. I’ll keep you posted. Prayers to his mom Samaria Rice and his sisters and brothers. While we’ll all have a good day probably, it’s going to be an impossible one for Tamir’s family.

A post shared by Macy Gray (@macygray) on Jun 25, 2020 at 8:28am PDT

"It’s impossible to ignore the fact that there are thousands of families in our country who are grieving from unaccountable deaths due to police brutality. We are here to identify those families and help them with grief counseling, legal and financial assistance," Gray said in a statement. "I’ve spoken with a list of mothers who have lost their children in this unthinkable manner and they need help. Everyone grieves in different ways but the common thread is their question of how do they continue on—they need support and this is what we’re here to do."

According to the Washington Post, police have shot and killed 976 people in the past year. The numbers show Black people are killed at a higher rate than white people. 

The new organization will also aim to bring more awareness to the issue by giving the families a platform to speak on their experiences. 

"It’s exciting to see people demanding that the police system be changed; and pressuring judges and juries to hold the officers who commit murders accountable. In reality, the police have been around since the 18th century and it will be a while before they flip. MyGood.org is here to help accelerate that process on behalf of those moms - and have their backs in the meantime," Gray said. 

Capturing Los Angeles' COVID-Closed Venues

GRAMMYs

Alicia Keys

Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

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Alicia Keys Pens Touching Poem To Her Son alicia-keys-pens-touching-poem-her-son

Alicia Keys Pens Touching Poem To Her Son

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Keys' poem may resonate with parents raising Black children in the U.S.
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jun 4, 2020 - 5:11 pm

Alicia Keys has written a poem for her youngest son, Genesis, that honors him and highlights what she hopes for his future as the death of George Floyd, who died after a police officer pressed his knee into his neck, continues to create conversations around race relations in the U.S.

"My beautiful baby boy ⁣/ So curious and pure ⁣/Yet SO clear about what you don’t want ," she wrote. " I hope that inner strength and fire/ Never extinguishes⁣/ And you never feel the sway to fit in⁣/ Or be silenced⁣."

https://www.instagram.com/p/CA_Fl-Zgvmq

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A post shared by Alicia Keys (@aliciakeys)

The "Underdog" singer ended the poem, posted on Instagram on Wednesday, June 3, with #Blacklivesmatter and guided her followers to a resource link on how to stay involved. 

Data shows Black Americans are two-and-a-half times more likely than white people to be shot and killed by police. Keys' poem touches on a strong sentiment that many parents raising Black children may relate to. 

Clint Smith writes about the experience Black parents face for the Atlantic. "Our children have raised the stakes of this fight, while also shifting the calculus of how we move within it. It is one thing to be concerned for my own well-being, to navigate the country as a black man and to encounter its risks," he writes. "It is another thing to be raising two black children and to consider both the dangers for yourself and the dangers that lie ahead for them."

Houston Rappers Talk George Floyd's Musical & Community Legacy

How 1996 Became The Year Of The Pop Diva

(L-R) Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston

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Big Voices: How Pop Divas Reigned In 1996 2021-pop-divas-1996-mariah-carey-whitney-houston-celine-dion

Big Voices, Ballads and Blockbuster Hits: How 1996 Became The Year Of The Pop Diva

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Shortly before Spicemania took hold, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion ushered in a more grown-up wave of girl power
Jon O'Brien
GRAMMYs
Mar 31, 2021 - 11:51 am

Mariah, Whitney and Celine—a.k.a. the holy trinity of pop divas with pyrotechnic vocal ranges—had enjoyed triumphant years before. Carey scored the biggest-selling album of 1991 with her self-titled debut, which spawned four consecutive No. 1s. Houston achieved the same feat in 1986 and 1993 with her eponymous first LP and The Bodyguard OST. And the chart-topping success of Celine Dion's "The Power of Love" in 1994 helped push its parent album The Colour of My Love to sales of more than 20 million. 

In 1996, the stars aligned for all three powerhouse singers to reach the pole position on Billboard’s singles chart. The trio essentially monopolized its first six months. You had to wait until May 18—when the distinctly non-pop-diva-like Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s hip-hop eulogy "Tha Crossroads" replaced Carey’s "Always Be My Baby"—to hear someone else at the top of the US Hot 100. 

This remarkable pop diva merry-go-round had actually started back in September 1995 thanks to "Fantasy." Sampling Tom Tom Club and featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard, the sublime Daydream cut pioneered the soon-to-be ubiquitous hip-hop sound. At eight weeks, it also became the longest-running of Carey’s first nine No. 1s before being unseated by her biggest rival’s "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)." 

That, in turn, was knocked off the top spot after just seven days by another Carey collaboration, with the slick vocal harmonies of Boyz II Men replacing the gonzo, growling rhymes of ODB. A tribute to the loved ones who they’d lost to the AIDS epidemic, "One Sweet Day" remarkably remained the nation’s most popular single until March of the following year. The song’s record-breaking 16-week stint wouldn’t be surpassed until another much less likely duet 23 years later, Lil Nas X’s and Billy Ray Cyrus’ hick-hop smash "Old Town Road."

The artist who finally toppled "One Sweet Day" ended up truly dominating 1996. Although Dion had already released a string of albums before Houston and Carey had set foot inside a recording studio, the Canadian only began making waves outside the Francophone market with 1990’s Unison. It would be another four years before she started being mentioned in the same breath. But by the end of her fourth English-language album’s campaign, Dion had become the new queen. 

A true blockbuster of a record, Falling Into You reportedly shifted a colossal 32 million copies, placing it in the same bracket as The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Eagles’ Hotel California. It spawned two No.1 hits: the slow-building theme to the Robert Redford/Michelle Pfeiffer romance Up Close and Personal, "Because You Loved Me," and the epic-from-the-get-go "It’s All Coming Back to Me Now." And it saw Dion recognized at every major award ceremony, including the Oscars, Golden Globes, and, most notably, the GRAMMYs. 

Of course, Houston had previously shared the Album of the Year award for her contributions to The Bodyguard OST. However, Dion was the first of her peers to achieve the accolade entirely independently: despite some rather snooty predictions, Carey’s Daydream had failed to win the category, or indeed any of the five others it was nominated for, in 1996. Falling Into You, which was additionally crowned Best Pop Album at the same 1997 ceremony, even beat another Houston-heavy soundtrack, Waiting to Exhale, to the glittering prize.

Proving her double-threat credentials once again, Houston not only held her own against Angela Bassett in Forest Whitaker’s directorial debut, but she lent her unmistakable voice to three of its songs as well. "Why Does It Hurt So Bad" and CeCe Winans’ duet "Count on Me" later joined "Exhale" on Houston’s tally of Top 30 entries, as did "I Believe in You and Me" from The Preacher’s Wife OST later that same year, too. 

Houston wasn’t the only pop diva to score hits from the 12 million-selling Waiting to Exhale, which placed fourth behind Falling Into You, Daydream and Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill on 1996’s year-end album chart. Mary J. Blige’s defiant slow jam, "Not Gon’ Cry," became the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul’s biggest single to date before the sweetly-sung funk of Brandy’s "Sittin’ Up In My Room" followed in its footsteps by also peaking at No.2. Meanwhile, Toni Braxton’s emotive ballad, "Let It Flow," effectively topped the charts thanks to its memorable double A-side. 

Braxton had a remarkable 1996 herself, following up the No. 1 success of "You’re Makin' Me High" with the year’s defining power ballad, "Un-Break My Heart" (its parent LP Secrets went eight times platinum, too). Although she wasn’t entirely averse to bombast, Babyface’s musical protégé proved you didn’t have to shatter glasses to be considered a ‘90s pop diva. Alongside Brandy, Monica and another Waiting to Exhale contributor, TLC’s T-Boz, Braxton’s strengths lay in the kind of rich lower register that could melt butter.  

On the other end of the spectrum, the featherlight vocals of Aaliyah had found their perfect foil in the shape of Timbaland and Missy Elliott’s futuristic production on One In a Million. The sparse robotic funk of "If Your Girl Only Knew" was a prime contender for single of the year. Then there was Lauryn Hill, busy sowing the seeds for her frustratingly erratic solo career as the gritty but beautifully melodic voice behind 1996’s biggest hip-hop act, Fugees.

And although the States would have to wait until the following year for Spicemania to take hold, there were still plenty of groups bringing the girl power. SWV scored their final Top 10 hit with "You’re the One," 702 put themselves on the map with the slick street soul of "Steelo" and Total provided the sugary melodic hook for LL Cool J’s bedroom song "Loungin’." The self-ordained funkiest bunch of divas, En Vogue, also launched their comeback single, "Don’t Let Go," which in 1997 saw them come agonizingly close to the top spot for the third time. 

The new guard of pop divas, however, hadn’t completely shut out the old. Barbra Streisand reached the Top 10 for the first time since 1981 with "I Finally Found Someone," the Oscar-nominated Bryan Adams collaboration taken from her self-directed starring vehicle, The Mirror Has Two Faces. Gloria Estefan’s soaring "Reach" was chosen as the official anthem for the year’s biggest sporting event, the Atlanta Olympics. And Cher ("One By One"), Tina Turner ("Missing You") and Chaka Khan & Gladys Knight ("Missing You") all made deserved returns to the US Hot 100. 

Perhaps the most interesting pop diva development, though, arrived at the tail end of the year. Madonna had already settled into the demure balladeer phase of her career with the hits compilation Something to Remember. But she made an even more concerted bid for respectability with the leading role in Evita. The First Lady of Pop’s performance as the First Lady of Argentina was deemed the strongest in her filmography. Simultaneously, the accompanying soundtrack—recorded with musical impresarios Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice—silenced those who believed she didn’t possess the range. 

Of course, Madge would soon reinvent herself as the Earth Mother of electronica on 1998’s magnum opus Ray of Light, completely abandoning the showboating love songs that had become Carey, Houston and Dion’s forte. Yet whereas the latter went on to double down on the histrionics with Streisand duets and disaster movie themes, her two vocal counterparts also began to explore much more credible directions.

Carey roped in Q-Tip, Missy and P. Diddy for the urban pop of 1997’s Butterfly, a clear statement of independence following her split with manager husband Tommy Mottola. Houston, meanwhile, surprised everyone with 1999’s My Love Is Your Love, a masterful comeback guided by a who’s who of contemporary R&B including Rodney Jerkins, Wyclef Jean and Soulshock & Karlin.

By this point, VH1 had belatedly recognized that we were in a golden era for female vocalists, launching their own charity concert series simply titled Divas. The annual show celebrated artists both established and emerging during its initial seven-year run, with Houston, Carey and Dion all making regular appearances.

However, thanks to their dominance of the Billboard charts and the emergence of countless names they inspired, 1996 remains the year when the pop divas—or perhaps more aptly, the elusive chanteuses—truly reigned supreme.

For The Record: Inside The Historic Legacy Of Carole King’s 'Tapestry' At 50

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Pandora LIVE: HAIM, Brittany Howard, CHIKA

Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Pandora

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Pandora LIVE: HAIM, Brittany Howard, CHIKA Perform haim-brittany-howard-chika-pandora-live-2021-grammys

HAIM, Brittany Howard and CHIKA Deliver Dynamic Performances and Tease A Collaboration During Pandora LIVE's Countdown To The GRAMMY Awards

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The GRAMMY nominees sang songs off their latest projects, spoke on their processes and bonded over their shared eagerness to get back on stage
Taylor Weatherby
GRAMMYs
Mar 18, 2021 - 6:40 pm

Between the nominees and performers for the 63rd GRAMMY Awards, female artists are an undeniable force to be reckoned with this year. Pandora LIVE's Countdown To The GRAMMY Awards on Thursday, March 12, was further proof of the abundant girl power, honoring GRAMMY nominees CHIKA, Brittany Howard and HAIM. Hosted by Chair & Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy Harvey Mason jr., the virtual GRAMMY Week event featured dynamic performances and an insightful interview with all of the above women.

Before the performances began, everyone spoke on the releases that resulted in their GRAMMY nominations. CHIKA remarkably earned her first nod following her debut project with Warner Records, Industry Games (the rapper/singer is nominated for Best New Artist). Perhaps even more notable, the album arrived just as COVID-19 hit last year. "I haven't gotten the normal experience that an artist has once they put out their first project to see the reaction," she said. "So, to get this acknowledgment in such a high regard off of my first year out is incredible to me, but also still something I'm processing." 

Howard touched on the doubts that arise when making a new record but ultimately had one way to describe her five nominations: "I'm shooketh." HAIM, who told Howard they can relate to the uncertainty artists often feel, discussed how the process of their album Women In Music Pt. III—up for Album of the Year—aligns with the isolation the world has seen in the pandemic.

"When we wrote this record in particular, we were all collectively in a depressive spiral," Este Haim, the group's bassist, said. "I think we all felt really isolated, so a lot of the subject matter on Women in Music Pt. III is about feeling alone. And then, lo and behold, we put out this record in the middle of a pandemic, where everyone collectively feels some version of loneliness. We're just really happy that it resonated with people during this really insane, crazy time in our lives. We just want to make people not feel so lonely."

The women bonded over several things in their conversation, with the most significant commonality being how much they all miss touring. "That's what we're so excited about," Danielle Haim said. "People are going to want to see live music so bad that I hope we're going to just be playing our asses off." Echoed Este, "It's going to be the Roaring '20s 100 years later."

"Music is such an energy exchange that making it is ... if you're doing it right, you feel exhausted afterward," CHIKA added. "The way that humans typically recharge is being in an electrifying room with people who genuinely support you … But there is no recharge unless you've begun to pivot and adapt to the circumstances that we're all under right now."

It was easy to see that all three artists are itching to get back in front of an audience, as they each gave their performances their all. CHIKA was up first, delivering a captivating medley of her tracks "My Power" and "On My Way." She closed with a sultry song titled "FWB," the lead single from her latest EP, Once Upon a Time, which arrived just hours after the performance.

Another topic everyone agreed upon was their desire not to be defined by one genre. Howard's GRAMMY nods particularly prove that she really is genreless: Her album Jaime spawned nominations in the Rock, Alternative, R&B, and American Roots Music categories.

"I love everything, I like everything," Howard explained of her boundary-pushing sound. "I find life to be really suspenseful. Experiences, emotions, colors—it's just musical to me. All of that belongs in my music. I'm just putting out what I'm experiencing. The fact that I'm nominated across all of these genres makes perfect sense to me. That's how I absorb sounds, whatever it is."

Howard flexed her versatility with her four-song performance, playing Jaime tracks "Stay High," "Baby," "Goat Head," and "13th Century Metal." Her stage setup transported viewers to the venue, as she had a full backing band and a draped curtain backdrop illuminated by blue and pink lighting. The bridge of "13th Century Metal" felt like Howard was leading a congregation as she chanted, "We are all brothers and sisters!" and tromped around the stage with strobe lights flashing around her.

HAIM closed out the show with four effervescent tunes. Although they opted not to play their Best Rock Performance honoree "The Steps," the sisters did stick to tracks from Women In Music Pt. III, including "Summer Girl," "Gasoline" and "I've Been Down." For the final song, HAIM's lead singer Danielle tackled "Man From the Magazine" solo with an acoustic guitar, making for a powerful finish to the female-dominated event.

Before signing off, the women teased that this might not be the last time fans see them all in one place. "I'll produce beats for you, CHIKA," Howard offered, to which Haim's Este yelled, "I'll play bass!" CHIKA excitedly urged, "We need to trade contact info." If the night's performances were any indication, that would be one heck of a collaboration.

Women In The Mix 2021 Recap: How Female Powerhouses Convened To Close The Wage Gap And Amplify Women's Voices Across The Music Industry

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Sounds of Change 2021

Sounds of Change 2021

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What To Expect At "Sounds Of Change" 2021-preview-recording-academy-cbs-grammy-salute-sounds-of-change

Here's What To Expect At "A GRAMMY Salute To The Sounds Of Change" 2021 Special

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Hosted by three-time GRAMMY winner Common, "A GRAMMY Salute To The Sounds Of Change" will feature Gladys Knight, LeAnn Rimes, Patti LaBelle, Terrace Martin, Leon Bridges, Brad Paisley and more
Morgan Enos
Recording Academy
Mar 16, 2021 - 5:24 pm

With the 2021 GRAMMY Awards show in the rearview and GRAMMY season winding down for the year, The Recording Academy and CBS will present "A GRAMMY Salute To The Sounds Of Change." The show will broadcast Wednesday, March 17, at 9–11p.m. ET/PT and will also be available via livestream and on-demand on Paramount+, ViacomCBS' newest global streaming service. The show will illuminate unforgettable songs that catalyzed social change, both reflecting and shaping their times.

Here's what to expect at "A GRAMMY Salute To The Sounds Of Change."

What To Expect At "Sounds Of Change"

Common Will Host The Event

The three-time GRAMMY-nominated rapper Common will be the master of ceremonies.

John Lennon Will Loom Large

Cynthia Erivo will perform a piano-led version of a solo Beatle classic.

John Prine Will Get His Due

As part of a section focused on environmentalism, the late John Prine will get the spotlight. (So will Marvin Gaye and Woody Guthrie.)

Two Generations Of Country Greats Will Meet

Chris Stapleton will perform a Willie Nelson classic.

Women's Empowerment Will Get The Spotlight

Expect classic GRAMMY performances from Shania Twain and Kesha.

Revisit A Classic Anti-Racist Anthem

Andra Day will sing a song Billie Holiday made immortal.

A Superstar Ensemble Will Sing A Prescient Classic

Gladys Knight, Sheila E. and more will join forces to perform a totemic Marvin Gaye tune.

The Recording Academy And CBS Announce "A GRAMMY Salute To The Sounds Of Change" Special: Gladys Knight, LeAnn Rimes, Cynthia Erivo, Brad Paisley, Chris Stapleton And More Confirmed

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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.