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Behind The Record 2021: BTS, Jonas Brothers, Jennifer Hudson, Common & More Artists #GiveCredit To Creators Behind Your Favorite Records

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Behind The Record 2021: BTS, Jonas Brothers, Jennifer Hudson, Common & More Artists #GiveCredit To Creators Behind Your Favorite Records

In the third annual Behind The Record initiative, the Recording Academy is giving credit to the creators behind our favorite records and is educating lawmakers in the process. Now, artists are getting in on the movement to #GiveCredit to creators.

GRAMMYs/Oct 16, 2021 - 12:17 am

Whether you pick up a new album by Olivia Rodrigo, FINNEAS, Coldplay, or any other artist today, what you're holding isn't merely the product of the artist on the sleeve. In reality, dozens, even hundreds of people collaborated in a blur of Google Docs and Zoom calls to get that music in your hands and ears — but they don't necessarily reap the same applause at the end of the day.

The Recording Academy is committed to reversing this paradigm. That's why we are presenting the third annual Behind The Record initiative, a global social media activation aimed at spotlighting the many producers, engineers, songwriters, composers, mixers, instrumentalists, and other creators who contribute to the music recording process. Their efforts are not lost on artists. 

This year's initiative also saw the launch of Behind the Record Advocacy, a new virtual advocacy program, presented by the Recording Academy's Advocacy department, for Academy members to champion the rights of creators behind the record. Launched Thursday, Oct. 14, one day before the Recording Academy’s wider Behind the Record initiative, Behind the Record Advocacy invited hundreds of Recording Academy members from across the country to virtually meet with nearly 200 congressional offices to educate U.S. Senators and Representatives on the creators behind their favorite record and discuss the key issues impacting the music community.

Learn More: The Recording Academy Announces 3rd Annual "Behind The Record" Initiative To Continue To #GiveCredit To Creators In Music

Today, music creators and artists like BTSJonas Brothers, Jennifer Hudson, Common, and others took to social media to support Behind The Record and celebrate all music creators.

Check below to see who got on board with Behind The Record to give creators behind the curtain the credit and acclaim they deserve.

Learn more about how the Recording Academy is spreading global awareness of music creators with Behind The Record. Follow and join the international conversation on social media using the hashtags #BehindTheRecord, #GiveCredit and #WeAreMusic.

Learn More About The Recording Academy's "Behind The Record" Initiative

Inside Jonas Brothers' 'The Album': How Leaning Into Joy, Fatherhood & Dad Rock Spawned Their Most Definitive Music Yet
Jonas Brothers

Photo: Pamela Littky

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Inside Jonas Brothers' 'The Album': How Leaning Into Joy, Fatherhood & Dad Rock Spawned Their Most Definitive Music Yet

On their sixth album, the Jonas Brothers celebrate the music, people, places and sounds that helped them reach their full potential — and create the music they've always been destined to make.

GRAMMYs/May 12, 2023 - 07:30 pm

Of all the album names in all the world, the Jonas Brothers decided that they would go as straightforward as possible for their sixth LP: The Album.

But for such a simple title, it holds a lot of meaning to Joe, Kevin and Nick. Not only are they feeling better than ever as a group and as individuals, but they collectively view it as  their best body of work to date.

"We just said, 'Look, if you're going to pick up any of our music, we hope you pick up this one first,'" Joe explains. "It also makes it really easy for marketing in the future — The Tour, The Album, The Shirt, The Hat," he adds as all three brothers share a laugh.  

While The Album is a departure from their more contemporary-leaning comeback album, 2019's Happiness Begins, it doesn't lack the feel-good energy present throughout their catalog. It shows another side of their musicality, one that brings in long-held influences like the Eagles, the Bee Gees, the Police, America, Sly and the Family Stone, Hall & Oates, among many others.

It's a rather full-circle moment for the siblings as well. As they lean into the music their dad played growing up, they're all dads themselves (ironically, to all girls). As the bros point out, it's also the first time they've all been in the same place in a long time — and that's exactly what makes The Album so special.

Whether it's the seamless harmonies on lead single "Wings," the passionate (and sexy) tributes to their partners on "Miracle," or the pure joy on "Celebrate!," all 12 tracks on The Album are a manifestation of the synergy and bliss the Jonas Brothers are reveling in. And though longtime JoBro fans will always hold classics like "Year 3000" and "Burnin' Up" dear, their latest project captures the Jonas Brothers in their most authentic and realized form.

Below, the Jonas Brothers break down some of the biggest inspirations for The Album — from finding the perfect producer, to their tight-knit community and an overwhelming feeling of gratefulness.

Producer Jon Bellion

Joe: We've had a few people tell us how it would be nice for us all to get together and work on some music. One of the guys from Monsters & Strangerz, Stef, works with Bellion a lot, and he said, "You guys should definitely hang out."

Originally, our first meeting was just going to be, like, a proper get-together and not just get in the studio, which was a first — we usually just jump in right in the deep end. We all were coming from separate places, so we were like, "We're really just gonna go meet somebody right now?"

But we're glad we did, because we spoke with Jon about where he felt like the music could go, and he was saying exactly what we were hoping for. He played us "Montana Sky," in a very demo phase, and we flipped out. We were like, "can we record this right now?" And he was like, "Well I'm actually flying on a plane tonight." And we were like, "Please stay." 

Kevin: He changed his flight and we ended up recording the vocals you hear [on the track] today. And that was the first song on the album.

Nick: It was an incredible start. I think the key was connecting the dots with him, and then us bringing our thoughts, perspective and sound to it. That just happens naturally when we put our voices on something, it sort of molds into something new. So it wasn't 100 percent there, but it got there. That was the case with the whole album — once we got into the process of actually recording the rest of it, working on lyrics and everything else, we added our touch throughout.

Dad Rock

Nick: We were raised on the Eagles and the Bee Gees, and a lot of great music from the '70s and early '80s.

Joe: We would drive around in the minivan — you know, the kids of today might be listening to Kids Bop or Baby Shark, and we were listening to Carole King's Tapestry, and the Bee Gees, and the Beatles. And we were thinking every other kid on the playground was listening to the same thing. That's how we discovered harmonies, how we discovered some of the tones and guitars and the way, rhythmically, a guitar would be played when it was going from funk music to classic rock and roll.

Nick: We were already kind of trending in that direction, where we really liked that sound as our next kind of evolution. We had a lot of fun making Happiness Begins, but that certainly [had] more sort of modern influences at the core. 

Joe: What we really were striving for with this album was to create something that sonically was competitive and sounded kind of like you could hear it anywhere, and also gives nods to some of our biggest influences in our career and the music our dad raised us on.

Kevin: It's not like we were making a tribute album. This is definitely us really wanting to put our stamp on the sound, and this organic growth of who we are as a band and we can continue to translate that in playing it live.

Nick: [There was] definitely some influence of our church upbringing [too]. The choir [elements] on this [album came from] kind of that soul influence — Doobie Brothers, Marvin Gaye, places where you get the sense that there's a lot of vocalists in the environment, creating a proper vibe. On songs like "Vacation Eyes," that was key. 

"Walls" is definitely a combination of like, Oasis meets gospel. I just loved the blending of the sounds and how they all work together very well. Jon comes from a similar background musically, and [brought] some of that to the table as well.

Harmony (In Many Forms)

Nick: [Three-part harmonies] was one of the main things that we wanted to spotlight and worked hard with Bellion on. Because we sing in harmony a lot, it can lean country at times. We are not country artists by any means, but we have that Americana sort of feeling there and those roots. I think it's more of the Americana/soul and classic kind of rock and roll elements that all sort of make up what that sound becomes.

Kevin: I definitely feel like we're in the most similar place we've ever been in our lives, as brothers, as fathers, and as friends. It's interesting that there is that parallel [of so many harmonies on the album], maybe intentionally or unintentionally. We just wanted to spotlight the things that were important to who we are and the kind of music we wanted to make.

Waffle House

Joe: It was a late night, I think I was in the UK at the time. Jon texted us this lengthy message about wanting some inspiration for a song title. [He asked,] "What's a place that comes to mind that really kinda sums up you guys as brothers?" And we're like, "Well, that's a big ask."

I just wrote "Waffle House." And then Jon just wrote question marks. I second guessed myself, and then I was like, "You know what, actually, yes, I did mean that. And here's why." 

Growing up, the short version goes, we weren't old enough to go out with our bandmates and get a pint after a show. So we'd go to the only place open in the middle of America, usually it was Waffle House or TGI Fridays — you know, there's many of them you can name, but Waffle House was the one that sounded catchiest in my head. So we ended up going with it and it worked itself out. And I like writing songs about food.

Kevin: It's worked out for you so far.

Nick: It was less about the specific moments [at those places], and more about that chapter of our life and journey, and what we were all going through. 

A lot of people ask, "How have you guys stayed so normal amidst the craziness of your life?" And I think it's because we had a built-in community — with each other, obviously, and our family, but also with our band and management team. And wherever those deep conversations, or fights, or things that led to positive outcomes and personal growth [happened], that was definitely an invaluable time in our life and journey.

Joe: I'm still waiting for that Waffle House For Life card.

Their Daughters

Nick: We all spoke to [Jon] separately about what it was like to become fathers and what it's like to be a father. He took that and came back with the bones of a song, and then we all kind of added our own touch to it vocally and in other ways.

It's one of those things that we're so in it, that at times we have to sort of just pour our heart into to it in a different way than just sitting down and putting pen to paper — actually sit with a trusted collaborator, who's on a similar life journey with two kids of his own, and speak about what that experience is like. That directly influenced how ["Little Bird"] was created. 

That was a really freeing and liberating thing for this project, to approach this process in a different way. It's still as personal as it's always been, and as meaningful for us, but the actual functionality of the process has evolved for us. It's been incredible to take that step.

Speaking about fatherhood of course made us all cry, and we continue to every time we sing it live now.

Joe: It's a tough one to sing live, vocally and also emotionally, but we don't intend to take it off [the setlist]. 

Kevin: I'm really excited for that first guitar moment. People will get accustomed to that sound, and so they'll know [it's coming] when we play it on tour. I'm excited for those two moments to connect.

Nick: [Being fathers] affects every aspect of our life and the way in which we operate as a whole. So it's definitely in [The Album]. But it's more just the depth we feel, and depth of the relationships in our life — our kids, our wives, family — everything takes on a deeper, and more complex meaning. Most of the songs are either about family, and brotherhood, or, obviously, our romantic relationships.

Simply Having Fun

Nick: We always try to have as much fun as possible. We were forced, in a way, to approach this process very differently than we ever have, because we were all recording in different parts of the country, living in different countries, and occasionally meeting up in person. There was an energy to it because of the nature in which it was recorded that forced us to take our time, to have as much fun in the process as possible, and also to be really intentional with the time that we had.

I think it's incredible to be almost 20 years into our career and continuing to have these new experiences — and that's not limited to the way in which we go about making an album. It was a new and exciting experience for us all over again, and how rare is that? That any sort of chapter of our life and journey, these albums represent more than just a body of work that we're really excited about and want the world to hear, but really kind of encapsulate who we are at that moment in our life. 

We've seen our fans grow with us, and sort of mirrored the experiences that we're going through. It's great that the music represents that. Hopefully they connect with it in a whole new way because of that.

Joe: We're still young guys doing this, and we have many, many years ahead of us. And we're in the best place in our lives, so why not continue to release music? 

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Breaking Down Every Solo Act From BTS: Singles, Debut Albums & What's Next For The Septet
BTS (from left): V, Suga, Jin, Jung Kook, RM, Jimin and J-Hope

PHOTO: AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN/FILMMAGIC

feature

Breaking Down Every Solo Act From BTS: Singles, Debut Albums & What's Next For The Septet

In 2022, BTS announced that the group would take a break as they enlist in South Korea's mandatory military service. The solo careers of Jin, Suga, j-hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook have launched a new era for the K-pop superstars.

GRAMMYs/May 10, 2023 - 02:14 pm

No one can deny that South Korean boy group BTS is a phenomenon. Since their debut in 2013, the septet formed by Jin, Suga, j-hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook have broken barriers and prejudices against Asian artists, reached notable milestones, and brought together one of the world’s most devoted fandoms — known as ARMY.

Their relatable lyrics discuss societal issues and the pressures of growing up, while their intricate storytelling blends art classics, pop culture, and Korean heritage into something entirely new. BTS also offer a wide-range of musical genres — from hip-hop disses like "Mic Drop," to heartfelt ballads like "Spring Day" and feel-good bubblegum pop like "Butter." Regardless of any opinions, it’s impossible not to be in awe of their oeuvre.

Taking all that in consideration, it’s not surprising that BTS have broken numerous album and tour sales records throughout their career — they sold out Wembley Stadium and the Rose Bowl in 2019, becoming the first non-English-speaking, Asian artists to do so, for example. BTS also won a slew of trophies in South Korean and American award shows, including five GRAMMY nominations. For all of their contributions to South Korea’s culture, they also became the youngest recipients of the country’s Order of Cultural Merit in 2018.

BTS is, in some ways, a symbol of something bigger than themselves. An entity capable of uniting people all over the world and transmitting much-needed messages in their music. However, that wouldn’t be possible if the seven humans behind it weren’t as interesting as the whole. Since the beginning, BTS always encouraged its members to develop their own artistry, and all of them released several solos that spotlight their unique talents.

While 2022 brought in the news that BTS would take a break from group activities as they enlist in the South Korean mandatory military service, that meant their solo careers would take on the spotlight, launching in a new era. From Jin’s "The Astronaut" to Jung Kook’s "Dreamers," GRAMMY.com breaks down all of BTS’s solo releases so far.

Jin

Jin isn’t just "Mr. Worldwide Handsome," as he became known for his good looks. The eldest member of BTS is also a competent vocalist, whose soothing voice gave life to three solo songs under the group’s roster: 2016’s "Awake," 2018’s "Epiphany" and 2020’s "Moon."

The Anyang-born singer also contributed to the band’s SoundCloud with the co-written and co-composed tracks "Tonight" and "Abyss." The former, released in 2019, was inspired by the deaths of Jin’s dog and two sugar glider pets. Released in 2020, "Abyss" dealt with his fears and anxieties. "I want to find you and tell you/Today, I want to get to know you even more, yeah," he sings.

In 2021, Jin was chosen to sing "Yours," the main theme of TvN’s drama "Jirisan." However, the real highlight of that year was "Super Tuna," a short song made for kicks and giggles that wemt viral on YouTube and TikTok.

As the eldest of the group, Jin was also the first to enlist in the military in December of 2022. Shortly before that, he graced fans with his official solo debut single, October’s "The Astronaut." Co-written alongside Coldplay, the track placed No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100; Jin performed the song in Buenos Aires, during the British band’s Music of the Spheres World Tour. 

Suga

One of BTS’ main songwriters, producers, and rappers, Suga is a prolific artist with a keen view about the world that we live in. Born in the city of Daegu, he began as an underground rapper and initially joined Big Hit Entertainment as a producer. Eventually, Suga became a trainee along with the other members.

Since BTS' debut in 2013, he contributed as a songwriter to the majority of their material, as well as producing and featuring in tracks by other artists such as Halsey’s "Suga’s Interlude," PSY’s "That That," and IU’s "Eight." He released five solo tracks as part of the group’s discography: 2015’s "Intro: The Most Beautiful Moment in Life" and "Intro: Never Mind," 2016’s "First Love," 2018’s "Trivia: Seesaw," and 2019’s "Interlude: Shadow." Each release revealed his talent as a poignant storyteller on the ups and downs of growing up, dealing with fame, and remaining hopeful amid storms.

Concomitantly, he formulated the alter ego Agust D and released two solo mixtapes — 2016’s Agust D and 2020’s D-2. His first studio album under the alias, April’s D-Day, was said to conclude the explosive, evocative trilogy that dealt with themes like anger, vengeance, and pain. Suga is also the first BTS member to headline his own tour, which is happening throughout May and June in the U.S. and Asia.

j-hope

Rapper j-hope was born in the metropolis of Gwangju, where he became known for his dancing skills. His interest in rapping, though, only came once he moved to Seoul and became a trainee under Big Hit Entertainment, where felt inspired by teammates Suga, RM, and producer Supreme Boi.

J-hope gradually developed his skills and became one of BTS' main songwriters, releasing three solo songs: 2016’s "Intro: Boy Meets Evil" and "Mama" and 2018’s "Trivia 起: Just Dance." Also in 2018, j-hope released his buoyant solo debut mixtape, Hope World. The album peaked at No. 38 on Billboard’s 200 chart, turning him into the highest charting Korean soloist at the time. In 2019, he collaborated with Becky G on the hip hop track "Chicken Noodle Soup."

Following the announcement that BTS would be taking a break from group activities in 2022, j-hope was the first member to begin solo promotions. Jack in the Box, his first solo album, came out on July 15, and just 16 days later he became the first South Korean artist to headline Lollapalooza.

As of April, j-hope is currently enlisted in the military, but he left fans a special single to savor while they wait for his return: March’s "On the Street," featuring rapper J. Cole.

RM

RM has often been the group’s main spokesperson and producer. Through his work, he earned a stellar reputation both inside and outside of South Korea, collaborating with artists such as Fall Out Boy, Lil Nas X, Younha, Tiger JK, and Erykah Badu.

Born in Seoul, RM was a trainee under Big Hit Entertainment for three years before debuting, where he honed his songwriting skills in pre-debut tracks and cuts for other K-pop groups. As part of BTS, the gifted singer and rapper released a few solos: 2013’s "Intro: O!RUL8,2?," 2014’s "Intro: What Am I to You?," 2016’s "Reflection," and 2019’s "Trivia: Love" and "Persona." 

He was also the first member of the group to release a solo mixtape, 2015’s RM, which showcased his distinct flow and honest self-reflections about rage and the contradictions of fame. In 2018 came his introspective, minimalistic second mixtape, Mono. Although just as honest about his emotions as the first one, Mono showcased a more pensive, or rather matured, side of RM. 

In December 2022, he released his much-awaited debut studio album, Indigo. Described as "the last archive of my 20s," RM continues his thoughtful reflections on what it means to make art and to be human, settling himself as one of today’s most intelligent minds.

Jimin

Jimin always made an impression through his elegant dance moves and distinct falsettos, giving an aesthetic flair to all of BTS’ releases. The Busan-born artist also showcased more of his talents through three solo tracks under the group’s name: 2016’s "Lie," 2017’s "Serendipity" and 2020’s "Filter."

In 2018, he released his first credited solo song, "Promise," followed by "Christmas Love" in 2020. That same year, Jimin collaborated with close friend and singer Ha Sung-woon on "With You," the soundtrack to TvN’s 2022 drama "Our Blues," and in January 2023, he co-wrote and featured on Big Bang member Taeyang’s single, "Vibe."

In March, Jimin released his long-awaited debut EP, Face. Its single, the synth-pop tune "Like Crazy," topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making Jimin the highest-charting Korean soloist of all time.

V

V’s baritone, husky voice is one of BTS’ most prominent elements, giving depth and texture to their songs. Like Suga, he was born in Daegu and dreamed of becoming a singer. After debuting with BTS, he released three solos under their name: 2016’s "Stigma," 2018’s "Singularity" and 2020’s "Inner Child."

On the group’s SoundCloud, he has slowly developed his own tracks. In 2019, he issued the self-composed ballad "Scenery," and later the all-English "Winter Bear." He also contributed to a few drama soundtracks along the years, most notably 2020’s "Sweet Night," off JTBC’s Itaewon Class, and 2021’s "Christmas Tree," off Studio N’s Our Beloved Summer.

Although V has been teasing an official mixtape for some time now, there is still no indication of when it will be released.

Jung Kook

At 25 years old, Jung Kook is the youngest member of BTS. Like Jimin, he was born in the coastal city of Busan, but moved to Seoul as a teenager to pursue his dreams of becoming a singer. In "Begin," his first solo song released on BTS’ 2016 album Wings, he sings about how the group was largely his introduction to life: "When I was 15 years old, I had nothing/The world was too big and I was small."

Later came 2018’s "Euphoria" and 2020’s "My Time," off BTS’ Love Yourself: Answer and Map of the Soul: 7, respectively. Also in 2020, he released "Stay Alive," the main soundtrack to BTS-based webtoon 7Fates: Chakho. He also publishes occasional solo work via Twitter, including the fan-loved "Decalcomanie," or SoundCloud, where he released "My You" and "Still With You" — the platform’s Most-Streamed Pop Song in 2022, despite being released in 2020.

Last year, Jung Kook explored international collaborations. He participated in Charlie Puth’s pop hit "Left and Right," and released "Dreamers" for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, later performing it at the opening ceremony of the event. With that, he became the first South Korean artist to release an official FIFA World Cup song.

While Jung Kook has mentioned that he intends to release a mixtape one day, it’s still a mystery whether it will happen anytime soon. But judging through his output so far, he has proven to be more than ready to let the world get to know his artistic colors in full — just as all his bandmates have.

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212 Quarterfinalists Announced For The 2024 Music Educator Award
Music Educator Award

Photo Courtesy of the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum

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212 Quarterfinalists Announced For The 2024 Music Educator Award

The Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum have announced the quarterfinalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award, which recognizes educators who have made a significant contribution and demonstrate a commitment to music education.

GRAMMYs/May 8, 2023 - 01:00 pm

Today, the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum have announced a total of 212 music teachers as quarterfinalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award, which recognizes current educators — kindergarten through college across public and private schools — who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. The quarterfinalists, who hail from 197 cities, were selected from more than 2,000 initial submitted nominations. In addition to the quarterfinalists, 123 legacy applicants from 2023 will also be eligible to win the Music Educator Award this year.

Semi-finalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award will be announced this September. The ultimate recipient will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2024.

Read More: Meet The 2023 Music Educator Award Recipient: How Pamela Dawson Helps Her Students Achieve Healing And Catharsis

A joint partnership and presentation between the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, the Music Educator Award is open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone can nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers are also able to nominate themselves, and nominated teachers are notified and invited to fill out an application.

Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their remarkable impact on students' lives. The 10th annual honoree will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 2024 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 66th GRAMMY Awards, as well as a range of GRAMMY Week events. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. Fifteen semi-finalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.

Read More: 8 Artists Who Were Inspired By Their Teachers: Rihanna, Adele, Jay-Z & More

The matching grants provided to the schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the GRAMMY Museum’s Education Champion Ford Motor Company Fund. In addition, the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association support this program through outreach to their constituencies.

Learn more about the Music Educator Award.

See the full list of the 2024 Music Educator Award quarterfinalists and legacy applicants below:

2024 MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD QUARTERFINALISTS

Name School City State
Casie Adams Martinsburg High School Martinsburg West Virginia
Bruce Adams Sam Houston High School San Antonio Texas
Miguel Aguiar Southwest High School San Antonio Texas
Derek Alexander Orville Bright Elementary School Chicago Illinois
Dawn Amthor Wallkill Senior High School Wallkill New York
Jonathan Anderson University High School (Volusia) Orange City Florida
Christopher Andrews Hephzibah High School Hephzibah Georgia
Jeanne Andrews Pauline J. Petway Elementary School Vineland New Jersey
Justin Antos Dwight D. Eisenhower High School Blue Island Illinois
Javier Arau New York Jazz Academy New York New York
Andrea  Armour Christian County Middle School Hopkinsville Kentucky
Timothy Arnold Orono High School Long Lake Minnesota
Shawn Athey Veterans Memorial High School Corpus Christi Texas
Elizabeth Baker Mary Martin Elementary Weatherford Texas
Jeremy Bartunek Greenbriar School Northbrook Illinois
Adem Birson New York University New York New York
Benjamen Blasko Lipscomb University Nashville Tennessee
Amanda  Blevins Tri-Valley High School Dresden Ohio
Susan Boddie Valdosta State University Valdosta Georgia
Adrain  Bonner Lancaster High School Lancaster Texas
Cherie  Bowe Pascagoula High School Pascagoula Mississippi
Andrew Bowerly Tenino High School Tenino Washington
George Bradshaw Dover Area High School Dover Pennsylvania
Gwendolyn Brazier Lathrop High School Fairbanks Alaska
Steve Browne Nashville Community High School Nashville Illinois
Matthew Brusseau Davie County High School Mocksville North Carolina
Ryan Bulgarelli Loyalsock Township High School Williamsport Pennsylvania
Cathryn Burt East Newton High School Granby Missouri
James Byrn, Jr. Maconaquah High School Bunker Hill Indiana
Mary Catherine Campbell Seven Pines Elementary Sandston Virginia
Helen Capehart Bridgeport High School Bridgeport Texas
Marcos Carreras Conservatory of The Arts Springfield Massachusetts
Michael "Patrick" Carte Scott High School Madison West Virginia
Curtis Carver Harlem High School Harlem Georgia
Roger Chagnon III Westfield Academy and Central School Westfield New York
Kristopher Chandler Gautier High School Gautier Mississippi
Jeff Chang Decatur High School Federal Way Washington
Krista Clay West Branch High School Beloit Ohio
Travis Coakley William Carey University Hattiesburg Mississippi
Vanessa Cobb Montgomery Central High School Cunningham Tennessee
Mark Collins John S. Battle High School Bristol Virginia
Trish Conover Community Middle School Plainsboro New Jersey
John Contreras Pueblo High School Tucson Arizona
Kyle Cook Western Branch Middle School Chesapeake Virginia
Travis Cook Plymouth Christian Academy Canton Michigan
Daniel Cook University of North Texas Denton Texas
Andrew Cote Merrimack College North Andover Massachusetts
Drew Cowell Belleville East High School Belleville Illinois
Cory Craig Benton Intermediate School Benton Louisiana
Matthew Cunningham Brockton High School Brockton Massachusetts
Shannon Curtis Zimmerman Middle High School Zimmerman Minnesota
Isaac Daniel Stax Music Academy Memphis Tennessee
Jim Daughters Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau Missouri
Marci DeAmbrose Lincoln Southwest High School Lincoln Nebraska
Jackie Deen Pottsboro High School Pottsboro Texas
Matthew Denman Classen School of Advanced Studies Oklahoma City Oklahoma
Ryan Diefenderfer Paradise Valley High School Phoenix Arizona
Jennifer DiVasto Pennridge High School Perkasie Pennsylvania
Antoine  Dolberry P.S. 103x Hector Fontanez Bronx New York
George Dragoo Stevens High School Rapid City South Dakota
Marisa Drake Patuxent High School Lusby Maryland
Kathleen  Dudley Andrew Cooke Magnet School Waukegan Illinois
Jonathan  Eising James Hubert Blake High School Silver Spring Maryland
Jonathan Eldridge Weston High School Weston Massachusetts
Carol Evans Gwynedd Mercy University Gwynedd Valley Pennsylvania
Anthony Ferreira Suffield High West Suffield Connecticut
Tamara Frazier North Valleys High School Reno Nevada
J.D. Frizzell Briarcrest Christian School Eads Tennessee
Chesteron Frye St. Helena College & Career Academy Greensburg Louisiana
Nicholas Garofalo Chattahoochee High School Johns Creek Georgia
Matt Gerry Salina South Middle School Salina Kansas
Anna Girling Sebastopol Attendance Center Sebastopol Mississippi
Vivian Gonzalez Miami Arts Studio 6-12 @ Zelda Glazer Miami Florida
Johnathan Gore Sandy Run K8 School Swansea South Carolina
Serena Gorham Weare Middle School Weare New Hampshire
Kylie Griffin Dozier Elementary Erath Louisiana
Jess Gronberg Hawkes Bluff Elementary Davie Florida
Alan Guckian Manor High School Manor Texas
Nathaniel Gunter Greer High School Greer South Carolina
Amy Hannequin Bethel Middle School Bethel Connecticut
Crystal Harding Ypsilanti Community High School Ypsilanti Michigan
Diana  Harrigan Bloom High School Chicago Heights Illinois
Toye Harris Miami High School Miami Oklahoma
Chris Hayslette Bridgeport Middle School Bridgeport West Virginia
Colette Hebert Ella Fitzgerald Academy Yonkers New York
Martha Heise Seventh Street Elementary School Oil City Pennsylvania
Jonathan Helmick Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock Pennsylvania
Corey Hermens Grant County High School Dry Ridge Kentucky
Joel Hill Velma Jackson High School and Shirley D. Simmons Middle School Camden Mississippi
Autumn Danielle Hodges Clarksville- Kraus Middle School Clarksville Arkansas
Elaine Holmes Comsewogue High School Port Jefferson Station New York
Gene Hundley Swainsboro Middle School Swainsboro Georgia
Victor Iapalucci Philip Barbour High School Philippi West Virginia
Devin James Salem High School Conyers Georgia
Heidi Jaye Daniel Webster Elementary School New Rochelle New York
Luke Johnson Ingalls Elementary Ingalls Kansas
Jamie Jones Manzano Day School Albuquerque New Mexico
Tyler Jones Thompson Middle School Alabaster Alabama
Daniel Joosten Edgerton High School Edgerton Wisconsin
Brett Keith Northern Bedford County Middle/High School Loysburg Pennsylvania
Deonte Kennedy Craigmont High School Memphis Tennessee
Matthew Kilby Fort Dorchester HS North Charleston South Carolina
Lou Kitchner Bedford Middle School Westport Connecticut
Michael Kiyoi San Marcos High School Santa Barbara California
Kate Klotz Monarch High School Louisville Colorado
Heidi Kohler Clarence Middle School Clarence New York
Michael Lapomardo Shrewsbury High School Shrewsbury Massachusetts
Michael Lee Jericho Middle School Jericho New York
Morgan Lentino Otter Creek Elementary Elgin Illinois
Joshua Light Soddy-Daisy HS Soddy-Daisy Tennessee
Lisa Linde Newton South High school Newton Massachusetts
Wes Lowe The King's Academy West Palm Beach Florida
Cole Lundquist Gloucester High School Gloucester Massachusetts
Robert Mamminga St. Francis High School Wheaton Illinois
Peter Manzi Carlsbad High School Carlsbad California
Samuel Maran Lake High School Millbury Ohio
Jayson Martinez Arts High School Newark New Jersey
Kevin McDonald Wellesley High School Wellesley Massachusetts
Jill Melchitzky Northwestern Middle School Albion Pennsylvania
Larrian Menifee Ball High School Galveston Texas
Kimberly Mettert East Noble Middle School Kendallville Indiana
Natalie Moore Sullivan High School Sullivan Missouri
Mario Morales Granbury High School Granbury Texas
Coty Raven Morris Portland State University Portland Oregon
Brian Nabors Shelby High School Shelby Ohio
Jenny Neff The University of the Arts Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Cassandra Nelson Mountaineer Middle Morgantown West Virginia
Trevor Nicholas Senn Arts at Nicholas Senn High School Chicago Illinois
Adam Nobile Big Spring High School Newville Pennsylvania
Sam Noyce Thomas Jefferson Jr. High School Kearns Utah
Tim O'Donnell Ephrata High School Ephrata Washington
John Panella Cottondale High School Cottondale Florida
James Patterson Kingstree High School Kingstree South Carolina
Shakia Paylor City Neighbors High School Baltimore Maryland
Fernando Penaloza Savanna High School Anaheim California
Kathy Perconti Wayne Central High School Ontario Center New York
Jordan Peters Dr. E Alma Flagg School Newark New Jersey
Catherine Plichta Theatre Arts Production Company School Bronx New York
Felix Ponce Back of the Yards College Preparatory High School Chicago Illinois
David Pope Baldwin Wallace University Berea Ohio
Ær Queen Braddock Elementary School Annandale Virginia
Brian Querry Charles A. Huston Middle School Lower Burrell Pennsylvania
Rebecca Raber University of Mary Bismarck North Dakota
Marc Ratner Mineola High School Garden City Park New York
Lance Rauh Patriot Oaks Academy St Johns Florida
Hoza Redditt MSA East Academy St. Gabriel Louisiana
Heather Rentz St. Mark Westpark Cleveland Ohio
Aaron Rex Mason Middle School Mason Ohio
Angela Rex Riverside Middle School Greer South Carolina
Chris Richard Rogers Heritage High School Rogers Arkansas
Sarah Riechers Thurgood Marshall Elementary School Manassas Virginia
Stephanie Robertson Ponchatoula High School Ponchatoula Louisiana
Bethany Robinson Noblesville High School Noblesville Indiana
Keith Robinson Jefferson Avenue Elementary Seguin Texas
Alberto Rodriguez Mount Vernon High School Alexandria Virginia
Chad Rose Sheridan High School Sheridan Wyoming
Stewart Rosen Walter Reed Middle School North Hollywood California
Shawn Royer Marian University Indianapolis Indiana
Dayshawn Russell North Iberville Elementary Rosedale Louisiana
Hannah Ryan University of Virginia's College at Wise Wise Virginia
Kyle Ryan Turkey Hill School Orange Connecticut
Ashley Sands Kennedy Secondary School Fergus Falls Minnesota
Mark Santos Santa Ana High School Santa Ana California
Danni Schmitt Roland Park Elementary/Middle School Baltimore Maryland
Kevin Schoenbach Oswego High School Oswego Illinois
Eric Schultz Coastal Carolina University Conway South Carolina
Jessica Schwartz Denham Springs High School Denham Springs Louisiana
Josh Settlemyre R.J. Reynolds High School Winston-Salem North Carolina
Jason Shiuan Saratoga High School Saratoga California
Katie Silcott Olentangy Shanahan Middle School Lewis Center Ohio
Kerra Simmons Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts Fort Worth Texas
Joani  Slawson Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy Melbourne Florida
Timothy Patrick Sloan Sr. Albright Middle School Houston Texas
Jessie Smith Yes Prep Public Schools Houston Texas
Cathryn Smith Coleman High School Coleman Texas
Patrick Smith Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School New Haven Connecticut
Tony Spano Culver City High School Culver City California
Wes Sparkes Eagleview Middle School Colorado Springs Colorado
Julian Spires Meade Middle School Fort Meade Maryland
Shannon Stem University Academy Panama City Florida
Harold Stephan Stuyvesant High School New York New York
Cassandra Sulbaran Braintree High School Braintree Massachusetts
Lynn Sweet Mount Anthony Union High School Bennington Vermont
Agnes Tech Indian Prairie Elementary School Crystal Lake Illinois
Chris Toomey Mineola High School Garden City Park New York
Tom Torrento Grosse Pointe North High School Grosse Pointe Woods Michigan
Jessica Torres Elmont Memorial Jr. Sr. High School Elmont New York
Michelle Trinidad Sacred Heart School Bronx New York
Alice Tsui New Bridges Elementary Brooklyn New York
Jordan Tupper Episcopal School of Baton Rouge Baton Rouge Louisiana
Martin Urbach Harvest Collegiate High School New York City New York
Johny Vargas Pueblo High School Tucson Arizona
Amy Villanova Canyon Crest Academy San Diego California
Valerie Vinnard Webster Elementary Long Beach California
Kenneth Walker Ralls High School Ralls Texas
Kathy Wallace Willard Elementary Winchester Indiana
Jennifer Walter University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro North Carolina
John Ware Stovall Middle School Houston Texas
Brandon Weeks North Polk High School Alleman Iowa
Lisa Werner St. Bruno Parish School Dousman Wisconsin
Scott Weyman Solanco High School Quarryville Pennsylvania
Elizabeth White Holcomb RIII Holcomb Missouri
Tyler Wigglesworth West Covina High School West Covina California
Derrick Williams Vista Heights Middle School Moreno Valley California
Paula Williams The Ron Clark Academy Atlanta Georgia
Sandi Wilson Franklin School of Innovation Asheville North Carolina
Matthew Wiltshire Lewiston High School Lewiston Maine
Damion Womack The Montgomery Academy Montgomery Alabama
Tammy Yi Chapman University Orange California
Nicholas Young Altus High School Altus Oklahoma
Jason Younts Samuel V. Champion High School Boerne Texas
DeAnna Zecchin Indian River High School Dagsboro Delaware

2024 MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARD LEGACY APPLICANTS

Name School City State
Phil Aguglia Kenmore East High School Tonawanda New York
Heather Akers Central Middle School Dover Delaware
Eric Allen Western Middle School for the Arts Louisville Kentucky
Calandria Allen Zachary Community Schools Zachary Louisiana
Abigail Alwin Clague Middle School Ann Arbor Public Schools Michigan
David Amos Heritage Middle School Painesville Ohio
Luke Aumann Appleton North High School Appleton Wisconsin
Elizabeth Baker Ilima Intermediate School Ewa Beach Hawaiʻi
Andre Barnes Science Park High School Newark New Jersey
Conesha Barron Lanier High School Jackson Mississippi
Lyndra Bastian Creekside Middle School and Woodstock High School Woodstock Illinois
William Bennett Cane Bay High School Summerville South Carolina
Heather Bice Ridgeview High School Orange Park Florida
Charlie Bradberry Iowa Park High School Iowa Park Texas
Justin Britt Kingston Public Schools Kingston Oklahoma
Shantavia Burchette East Side High School Newark New Jersey
John Burn Homestead High School Cupertino California
Alexander Busby Oviedo High School Oviedo Florida
Aaron Bush Foxborough High School Foxborough Massachusetts
Meg Byrne Pleasant Valley High School Bettendorf Iowa
Philip Carter O'Fallon Township High School O'Fallon Illinois
Elizabeth Carter Snowden School Memphis Tennessee
Francis Cathlina University of Memphis Memphis Tennessee
Tiffany Chiang Mark Twain I.S. 239 Brooklyn New York
Ernesta Chicklowski Roosevelt Elementary Tampa Florida
Michael Coelho Ipswich Middle School and Ipswich High School Ipswich Massachusetts
Christine Cumberledge Central Junior High School Euless Texas
Heather Dipasquale Todd County Middle School Elkton Kentucky
Jack A. Eaddy, Jr. Western Carolina University Cullowhee North Carolina
Dominique Eade New England Conservatory of Music Boston Massachusetts
Cuauhtemoc Escobedo Eckstein Middle School Seattle Washington
Jasmine Faulkner Polaris Expeditionary Learning School Fort Collins Colorado
Daniel James Felton Tartan High School Oakdale Minnesota
Nicholas Fernandez Bentonville Schools Bentonville Arkansas
Cathryn Fowler Health Careers High School San Antonio Texas
Marisa Frank Explore! Community School Nashville Tennessee
Jasmine Fripp KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School Nashville Tennessee
Jacob Garcia Tennyson Middle School Waco Texas
Jorge L. Garcia Elias Herrera Middle School Laredo Texas
Tina Gibson Jefferson County Traditional Middle School Louisville Kentucky
Alex Gittelman Haverford Middle School Havertown Pennsylvania
Guillermo Gonzalez James A. Garfield High School Los Angeles California
Mansa Gory Denzel Washington School of the Arts Mount Vernon New York
Deanna Grandstaff Cecil Intermediate School McDonald Pennsylvania
Amanda Hanzlik E.O. Smith High School Storrs Connecticut
Marvin Haywood John Ehret High School Marrero Louisiana
Kristin Howell Syosset High School Syosset New York
Emmanuel Hudson Booker T. Washington High School Shreveport Louisiana
Karla Hulne Blair-Taylor Middle/High School Blair Wisconsin
Mia Ibrahim Health Opportunities High School Bronx New York
Luis Ingels Candor Elementary School Candor New York
Justin Janer Pinewood School Middle Campus Los Altos California
Daryl Jessen Dakota Valley School North Sioux City South Dakota
De'Evin Johnson Duncanville High School Duncanville Texas
Amir Jones Harvey High School Painesville Ohio
Allison Kline Blue Mountain Area School Orwigsburg Pennsylvania
Kenneth Kosterman Rockwall-Heath High School Heath Texas
Joshua Krohn Brent Elementary School Washington District of Columbia
Sarah Labovitz Arkansas State University Jonesboro Arkansas
Heather Leppard Girls Academic Leadership Academy (GALA) Los Angeles California
Hope Lewis Charles O. Dickerson HS Trumansburg New York
Meredith Lord Burncoat High School Worcester Massachusetts
Brendon Lucas Nyack High School Nyack New York
Christian Lucas Mariners Christian School Costa Mesa California
Alison McCarrey Romig Middle School Anchorage Alaska
Angie McDaniel Forest Creek Elementary Round Rock Texas
Ashleigh McDaniel Spatz Burgess Peterson Academy Atlanta Georgia
Matthew McKagan Lindero Canyon Middle School Agoura Hills California
Brian McMath Northwest Guilford High School Greensboro     North Carolina
Phillip McMullen Silver Creek Central Schools Silver Creek New York
Tracy Meldrum Verrado High School Buckeye Arizona
Xochilt Melendez Munguia Gainesville Middle School for the Arts and Sciences Gainesville Virginia
Kris Milby Greenup County High School Greenup Kentucky
Dana Monteiro Frederick Douglass Academy New York New York
Shelby Montgomery George Jenkins High School Lakeland Florida
David Moore Inspire Charter Academy Baton Rouge Louisiana
Ryan Moseley Appoquinimink High School Middletown Delaware
David Moss West Hopkins School Nebo Kentucky
Deborah Muhlenbruck-Fleischer Gunderson Middle School Las Vegas Nevada
Vicki Nichols Grandview Elementary Grandview Texas
Jeremy Overbeck Century High School Bismarck North Dakota
John Pachence Penn State Abington Abington Pennsylvania
Jennifer Page Niles North High School Skokie Illinois
Matthew Pitts Robert JC Rice Elementary School Gilbert Arizona
Courtney Powers Muhammad Ali School 23 Passaic New Jersey
Natalie Pratt Brentwood High School Brentwood Tennessee
William Rank Oak Prairie Junior High School Lockport Illinois
Brett Rankin Wilde Lake High School Columbia Maryland
Annie Ray Annandale High School Annandale Virginia
Tracy Resseguie Staley High School Kansas City Missouri
Giovanni Santos La Sierra University Riverside California
Ruth Schwartz Chugiak High School and Mirror Lake Middle School Chugiak Alaska
Laura Shapovalov Walden III Middle and High School Racine Wisconsin
James Sheffer Medford Memorial Middle School and Haines Sixth Grade Center Medford New Jersey
Matthew Shephard Meridian Early College High School Sanford Michigan
Dylan Sims York Middle School York South Carolina
Thomas Slater Chestnut Oaks Middle School Sumter South Carolina
Michele Slone Urbana Elementary and Jr. High School Urbana Ohio
Tony Small St. Vincent Pallotti Arts Academy Laurel Maryland
Andrew Smith Charlotte Central School Charlotte Vermont
Wayne Splettstoeszer Torrington High School Torrington Connecticut
Elizabeth Steege Cass High School Racine Wisconsin
Lawrence Stoffel California State University, Northridge Los Angeles California
Tyler Swick Robert and Sandy Ellis Elementary Henderson Nevada
Elizabeth Taylor La Crosse Elementary School La Crosse Virginia
Cami Tedoldi Foxborough High School Foxborough Massachusetts
Kylie Teston Leonardtown High School Leonardtown Maryland
Jonathan Todd Palisades High School Charlotte North Carolina
Matthew Trevino Roan Forest Elementary San Antonio Texas
Alexis True Thomas Downey High School Modesto California
Gregory Urban Dunedin Highland Middle School Dunedin Florida
Jon Usher Hidden Springs Elementary Moreno Valley California
Michael Vasquez Charles L. Kuentz Jr. Elementary Helotes Texas
Aaron Vogel Mountain Ridge High School Glendale Arizona
Bryen Warfield Homestead High School Fort Wayne Indiana
Sarah Wehmeier Aparicio Waukesha South High School Waukesha Wisconsin
Christopher White Hickory Ridge High School Harrisburg North Carolina
Tammy White Kiser Middle School Greensboro North Carolina
Tyron Williams New Visions Charter High School for the Humanities IV Far Rockaway New York
Krista Williams Floretta P. Carson Visual and Performing Arts Academy Mobile Alabama
Kelly Winovich Northgate Middle/Senior High School Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
Hayley Winslow Snow Canyon Middle School Saint George Utah
Ronnie Ziccardi Avonworth Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

Working For Students: How Music Industry Professionals Find Fulfillment In Education

Celebrate AAPI Month 2023 With A Genre-Spanning Playlist Featuring BLACKPINK, Yaeji, Olivia Rodrigo & More
(L-R, clockwise) Yaeji, Dominic Fike, NIKI, Keshi, beabadoobee, NewJeans

Photos (L-R): Dasom Han, Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images, Gabriel Chiu, Rick Kern/Getty Images, Ethan Miller/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management, Han Myung-Gu/WireImage

news

Celebrate AAPI Month 2023 With A Genre-Spanning Playlist Featuring BLACKPINK, Yaeji, Olivia Rodrigo & More

Spotlighting artists of Asian and Pacific Islander descent, GRAMMY.com honors AAPI Heritage Month this May with 44 songs by Japanese Breakfast, NewJeans, Keshi and many more.

GRAMMYs/May 1, 2023 - 04:28 pm

As spring blossoms and May rolls around, AAPI Heritage Month reminds us to recognize and reflect on the talents of Asian American and Pacific Islander artists — across the music industry and beyond.

It's vital to celebrate diversity year-round, and May sparks additional dialogue about reshaping spaces to be more inclusive, especially within industries that are traditionally difficult to break into. Today, the music community views difference not as an obstacle, but an opportunity to celebrate individual and collective identity.

While 2023 marks 60 years since the first Asian American GRAMMY winner, AAPI creatives have been making waves in the music community for centuries. Whether you're raging to Rina Sawayama's enterprising electropop or vibing out with NIKI's soulful indie musings, AAPI artists are continuing to shape contemporary genres like never before.

In celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, GRAMMY.com compiled an original playlist to honor AAPI musicians' creativity and novelty. Take a listen to the playlist featuring more than 40 trailblazing creatives on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and Pandora.