Omar Apollo_PPAH

Omar Apollo

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Press Play At Home: Omar Apollo Lays Down Emotional Version Of "Useless"

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For the latest episode of Press Play At Home, DIY soul wunderkind Omar Apollo gets vulnerable and taps the upper reaches of his falsetto
Morgan Enos
GRAMMYs
Jan 28, 2021 - 12:58 pm

For the latest episode of GRAMMY.com's Press Play At Home series, Latinx singer/songwriter Omar Apollo performs a pared-back version of "Useless," a cut from his renowned 2020 album, Apolonio. Apollo, Michael Gordon, Oscar Santander and Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. wrote the track. In the video, Santander strums along on acoustic guitar, driving home this spare, vulnerable performance.

Press Play At Home: Omar Apollo

Press Play At Home: I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME Social Distance From Toxicity In "Leave Me Alone"

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Ryland James

Ryland James

 
 
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Press Play At Home: Ryland James Stretches Beyond His Years With Soulful Performance Of “Water”

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For the latest episode of Press Play At Home, mop-haired Canadian singer Ryland James belts out a soul-fried version of his track “Water”
Morgan Enos
GRAMMYs
Feb 5, 2021 - 3:07 pm

For the latest episode of GRAMMY.com's Press Play At Home series, the Ontario-born singer/songwriter Ryland James belts out a soul-fried version of his track “Water,” from his 2020 self-titled debut EP. Written by Lauren Christy, Jon Levine and James himself, the soul-baring track reflects the classic soul, gospel and R&B his grandmother impressed upon him.

Press Play At Home: Ryland James

Press Play At Home: Omar Apollo Lays Down Emotional Version Of "Useless"

Francisca Valenzuela

Francisca Valenzuela

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Press Play At Home: Francisca Valenzuela Performs Her Courageous Feminist Paean "La Fortaleza"

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The outspoken Chilean singer/songwriter Francisca Valenzuela sings of womanhood and will to power
Morgan Enos
GRAMMYs
Feb 25, 2021 - 10:30 am

For Francisca Valenzuela, feminism isn't a radical notion, but a self-evident truth. The daughter of two renowned Chilean scientists, she's published muscular, experiential poetry (like her 2000 book, Defenseless Waters, which she published in her early teens) and founded Ruidosa, a festival, platform and community that elevates female voices.

Press Play At Home: Francisca Valenzuela

In this episode of Press Play At Home, Valenzuela sings "La Fortaleza," which contains her worldview in microcosm. "Everything that has happened has led me to today," she sings in Spanish. "I look ahead to the horizon and I bury the guilt and leave/I pack a suitcase, take a deep breath and don't look back/Setting sun, rising sun will accompany me."

Check out Francisca Valenzuela's riveting performance of "La Fortaleza" above, and watch other episodes of Press Play At Home.

Press Play At Home: Bliss Out To Jazzmeia Horn's "Where We Are"

Adam Melchor

Adam Melchor

 
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Press Play At Home: Adam Melchor Pays Gorgeous Homage To His Sister With Performance Of "Jewel"

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With a small nylon-string guitar in hand, New Jersey-bred indie-folkie Adam Melchor saunters and croons among sunflowers
Morgan Enos
GRAMMYs
Feb 11, 2021 - 8:57 am

Adam Melchor moved to Los Angeles on the promise of one meeting, and that meeting got him signed to a label. Still, the New Jersey-born singer/songwriter was struggling in his new climes. One day, he called his sister, Julie, and asked her for good news. Julie replied that she recently had a moment where she knew her boyfriend was "the one." Today, that boyfriend is Julie’s fiancé, and Melchor celebrates her with "Jewel." 

On this week’s episode of Press Play At Home, he plucks and sings the tune, often breaking into a fragile falsetto. Throughout, he conjures memories of old-school Sufjan Stevens and the Shins. 

Check out Adam Melchor's performance below, and explore more episodes of GRAMMY.com's Press Play At Home series.

Press Play At Home: Canadian Singer/Songwriter Victoria Anthony Does The Impossible On "Breathe Underwater"

Positive Vibes Only: The Blind Boys Of Alabama

The Blind Boys Of Alabama

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Positive Vibes Only: The Blind Boys Of Alabama Perform Soul-Soothing Cover Of "If I Had A Hammer"

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Led off by a heart-strengthening monologue from inspirational speaker Danielle LaPorte, the gospel greats offer a gorgeous take on the Pete Seeger classic
Morgan Enos
GRAMMYs
Jan 31, 2021 - 12:01 pm

In uncertain times such as these, it's hard to tell how an earnest paean for peace like Pete Seeger's "If I Had A Hammer" has practical utility. This week's Positive Vibes Only episode revisits the song in the service of healing, reconciliation and optimism.

While Blind Boys Of Alabama may be best known for their heavy-hearted version of Tom Waits' "Way Down In The Hole"—read: you've got to keep the devil down there as the Season 1 theme music to HBO's "The Wire"—they can give you the strength to carry on, too. Their gorgeous, exuberant cover of "Hammer" is proof positive of this.

Positive Vibes Only: Blind Boys Of Alabama

At the top of the video, author, motivational speaker and entrepreneur Danielle LaPorte offers a soothing monologue about the intersection of faith and doubt. She explains why the latter isn't a bogeyman to be feared and avoided, but "an invitation for us to double down on our faith."

Watch the uplifting performance of "If I Had A Hammer" by Blind Boys Of Alabama below, and explore more episodes of GRAMMY.com's transformative Positive Vibes Only series.

Positive Vibes Only: Get Liberated With A Performance Of "Mi Libertador" By Miel San Marcos And Christine D'Clario