The Recording Academy and CBS presented the first-ever GRAMMY House: Where The Stars Align on the Hollywood Walk of Fame from Feb. 1-3 in celebration of the 2023 GRAMMYs. For three days, the GRAMMY House hosted a full schedule of programming, performances, DJs and multimedia art installations, with a special tribute to this year’s 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

At the invitation-only experience interacted with a lovingly curated treasure trove of hip-hop history, including photographs, seminal books on the art and culture, and platinum award. The hallway leading to the performance area was plastered with popular lyrics and catchphrases, while the main stage was styled like a subway station, with graffiti naming some of hip-hop’s pioneers. Platinum plaques and photos demonstrated the culture’s business and artistic achievements.

GRAMMY House also offered a variety of social media-ready photo ops and black and white portrait taking. Guests could also shop a merch pop-up featuring an exclusive, limited-edition GRAMMY capsule collection designed by Brast Studio CEO Mark Braster, the lead merch designer for Rolling Loud 2023 who has worked with SZA, the Los Angeles Lakers, H&M, Neiman Marcus, Jack Harlow and more.  Programming was curated in partnership with The Revels Group/Coup D'Etat Music. 

If you weren’t there, we’re afraid that you kinda missed out on some big fun! But we’re definitely not here to rub it in at all, we’re here to share the jewels of the fully immersive, three-day pop-up experience. Here are the key moments from the first-ever GRAMMY House.

Universe of Hip-Hop

A large "Universe of Hip-Hop" space created by Anthemic Agency and FLOOD Magazine featured a multigenerational photo exhibit and art installations, including a towering collage of turntables, speakers, samplers and other essential early tools that helped to create the beats and rhymes that captivate the world. The visual experience was curated by Cey Adams, the founding creative director of Def Jam and legendary imagemaker behind iconic logos for the label and Mary J. Blige. The designer of a new book from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Adams is currently touring a retrospective exhibition featuring 40 years of his work.

Adams called on photographer friends Janette Beckman, Danny Clinch, Brian "B+" Cross, Greg Noire, Michael Lavine and Gunner Stahl to share standout shots from their acclaimed work, and the exhibit included some of the most recognizable images from the culture, from the 1970s to the present. In so doing, he highlighted the vital role of these photographers in the visual artist development of hip-hop.

"That Danny Clinch image of Tupac was iconic," Adams offers as an example. "That’s the image you see in your sleep when you think of Tupac! When you think of Salt-N-Pepa, you think of them in those 8-Ball jackets, and that’s one of Janette Beckman’s photos."

#GRAMMYsNextGen Power Brunch

On Wednesday, the GRAMMY House hosted the inaugural POWER BRUNCH for the new, astonishingly accomplished class of 35 official #GRAMMYsNextGen Ambassadors and Advisors. These executives, producers, songwriters and engineers work in diverse parts of the industry, and have mobilized to help the Recording Academy spark the brains and hearts of young artists and future music business boundary-breakers. 

At GRAMMY House, the group celebrated their new roles and learned more about Recording Academy membership from Kelley Purcell, Vice President of Membership & Industry Relations. 

Seize The Opportunity 

For anyone entering the industry, a chance to showcase your talent could be the bridge between you and a prosperous career. During the Celestial Sessions Emerging Artist Showcase, Guest host and social comedy star Desi Banks pulled three aspiring singers onto the stage to be a part of the GRAMMY Week magic. 

The inspiring performances embodied some of the most critical lessons in making it in this industry: Bring your passion everywhere you go, don't be afraid to fail, stay open to opportunities, and take them. With just 10 seconds of pure courage, you could make a moment that changes your career path forever.  —  Rachael MacQuarrie, GRAMMY U Representative

The Starmaker Studio

Thursday’s STARMAKER STUDIO brought leading platinum producers together to share stories and advice to the next generation. Moderated by Murda Beatz, panel members Jocelyn "Jozzy" Donald, London On Da Track, Jeff Gitty, Larrance “Rance1500” Dopson, ATL Jacob, Tommy Brown, and Ojivolta consistently dropped knowledge aimed at aspiring beatmakers and creators in hip-hop and beyond.

"Culture beats strategy every time," Jozzy, who has three GRAMMY-nominations this year for her work on albums by Mary J. Blige and Beyoncé, advised. While business acumen is vital, her advice puts natural talent at the forefront, right where it belongs.

After a great Q&A session with the audience, Murda Beatz bid the crowd farewell, with a piece of advice to stay and mingle. "Your [future] Platinum collaborator may be in this room!"

The Lit Closing Party

The packed second annual #GRAMMYsNextGen Party and Red Carpet closed out the GRAMMY House week in style. Leading young artists, tastemakers and the next generation of music executives wearing their most fashionable fits, mingling and enjoying light bites and delicious themed cocktails: One Eye Open Like CBS, Thug Passion and Grammy Gold. Special invited guests included actors, artists and influencers such as Jaden Smith, DaniLeigh, Lil Mosey, Jaden “jxdn” Hossler, London on da Track, JELEEL!, Bktherula, Earthgang, Sebastian Bails, Asher Angel, Mod Sun, Zhavia, Yung Trench, Loren Gray, Surf Mesa, Em Beihold, Vedo, King Mala, Jogie, McKayla Chandler, Blu de Tiger, Max Drazen, Lilliana Ketchman, Aidan Bissett, Trevor Daniel, Cub Sport, Nija Charles, Sierra Capri, Ava Kolker, McKenzi Brooke, La’Ron Hines, and Diarra.

The inaugural GRAMMY House set a high bar for networking, celebrating music and music culture — and just sheer fun. Up and coming artists, producers, creatives and executives have a new and exclusive place to aspire to gather. If those labels describe you, don’t worry about the FOMO that might be present right now, the event producers advise — please take this as motivation to participate in future GRAMMY House events!

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 2023 GRAMMYs.

What Happened At Recording Academy's 2023 Producers & Engineers Wing GRAMMY Week Event: Musical Titans, Transfixing Sound & Undeniable Atmosphere

In an era when nobody wants to be pigeonholed, diversity is an important facet when it comes to the musical cultural zeitgeist. Case in point: the 2024 GRAMMY Nominees for Best New Artist. 

At the 66th GRAMMY Awards, the General Field Category was a zig-zagging array of budding superstars who are the epitome of their respective genres. From the bopping club tracks of  Ice Spice, the smooth R&B of  Victoria Monét — who ultimately won the golden gramophone on Feb. 4 — or the unflinching discography of Jelly Roll, this year’s Best New Artist class represents every taste. 

As part of the Recording Academy’s GRAMMY House, presented by presented by Mastercard, that variety was on full display as seven of this year’s nominees descended onto the stage with moderator and Rolling Stone writer Brittany Spanos to muse about creativity, their respective journeys, and what the honor means to them. 

Read on for some of the most exciting insights from the Best New Artist Spotlight at GRAMMY House.

Noah Kahan Almost Deleted His Star-Making Song

For the singer/songwriter known for his ripped-from-the-heart "Stick Season," Noah Kahan said he was blown away when he found out about his Best New Artist nomination. "It’s the realization of a childhood dream," he said. "I’ve practiced my GRAMMY speech as a kid, and didn’t believe it was going to happen until the day it happened. It’s so special and beautiful, because no matter what I’ll be able to tell my grandkids I was nominated for a GRAMMY." 

However, Kahan’s dream nearly didn’t come to fruition due to an initial fear of rejection. "I put a verse on TikTok and thought I was going to delete it that nobody liked it," Kahan of "Stick Season." Planning to delete it, Kahan said he ate an edible and forgot; the song subsequently went viral. 

"I wrote the first verse and chorus in 20 minutes, while the second verse took me three months," he told the audience at GRAMMY House. "There were a lot of rewrites, stepping away from TikTok. But one night at a show in Syracuse, everybody was suddenly singing and I knew it was going to be special." 

Gracie Abrams Was Initially "Horrified At The Idea Of Performing"

While she may have had a stint opening for Taylor Swift’s blockbuster Era’s tour, it wasn’t too long ago that singer/songwriter Gracie Abrams found the idea of playing shows a terrifying prospect. 

"I was horrified at the idea of performing," Abrams said. "Up until a few years ago, I had never sung in a room that wasn’t my bedroom. I originally turned to music to be alone, and not to experience community."

Abrams' successes have changed her. "Everyone needs that kind of space, and it’s been really magical to connect in a room full of people that way. Now I have such gratitude for live music in a way that I didn’t before," she told GRAMMY House attendees. 

Of course she’s taken pointers from her aforementioned Eras headliner along the way. "When I see Taylor fill the stadiums she does with such force, power and joy, there’s something about it that feels lighter in the studio, I’ve been really lucky to learn from the best in the past year."

Coco Jones Rebuilt Her Career From The Ground Up

A showbusiness veteran who got her start as a young Disney star, first-time nominee Coco Jones noted that despite her initial acting success, she made a conscious effort to become a more authentic artist. 

"I went through years of uncertainty," she admitted to Spanos. "When you’re a child star, it was fine but I had no dignity. You can’t really control much. I had to find out who I was: have fun, meet people, fall in love, fall out of love, and that’s what gave me the stories to share [in my music]."

As a result, Jones snagged five GRAMMY nominations, and took home the golden gramophone for Best R&B Performance for "ICU." 

Every new level of success inspires me to dream bigger," she said. "At one point, my dreams got so tiny and believable. But I want to dream things that are unbelievable."

The War And Treaty Learned To Be Vulnerable 

For many years, the country-folk outfit The War and Treaty (composed of couple Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter) drove around in a van playing tiny gigs. "Just eight years ago we’d be performing for three people in a coffee shop,"  said Tanya. "So when we started, we always were very closed in our writing process."

However, as they became more successful, they began to become a bit more vulnerable when it comes to their artistry. "When we decided to open ourselves up to working with other songwriters," she continued. 

"It’s scary, because I’m sensitive about my art," said Michael.  "I had one song I was banking on, it’s the greatest song ever and I’m giving them the best that I got. And I go to the bathroom, come back, and they changed my entire song." However, he soon realized that was part of the process. "You have to realize it’s for the better."

Victoria Monét's Creative Evolution Took Patience

When the R&B star Monét was growing up, she was initially inspired by the music her parents listened to. "I’d listen to artists like Earth, Wind and Fire (with their) arrangements, live musicianship, lyrics and feeling," she told the Best New Artist Spotlight audience. "And then I became really obsessed with Destiny’s Child, Aaliyah, TLC, Janet Jackson and Sade." 

It’s those artists who lit a musical fire and led Monét to seven GRAMMY nominations and a range of hit singles, including "Hollywood" and "How Does It Make You Feel."  

"I want to make sure I’m living life to have experiences to write about," she said. "Life is a writing session, one long writing session, and you get to record it when you get in the studio."

Ice Spice Took Taylor Swift’s Advice To Heart

Perhaps the biggest cheers of the panel went to breakout artist Ice Spice who, along with her Best New Artist nod, snagged a total of four GRAMMY nominations including Best Rap Song with Nicki Minaj for "Barbie World."  

"As an artist overall, I’m always working on my craft," she said. "I’ve been surprising myself a little bit, especially working on my new album. I have some interesting sounds I haven’t really done before."

But it was a bit of inspiration from Taylor Swift that helped her look at her career in a new way. "One of the best pieces of advice Taylor gave me was to keep making music. She said, ‘As long as you keep making music, everything’s going to work out.’"

Jelly Roll Uses Genre-Defying Music As Therapy 

When it comes to splicing together disparate genres into a cohesive sound, there’s no better example than Jelly Roll, the dynamic country artist currently riding high with his powerful and unflinching anthem, "Need a Favor." 

"I learned every trick I had from hip-hop," he said. "It taught me so much when it comes to storytelling and not being afraid to tell your truth."

Jelly Roll also noted he uses the marketing savvy of hip-hop artists when it comes to his own career. "When it comes to volume, I want to release music as a rapper, I want to write music like a country writer, and I want to tour like a rock and roll star."

2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Winners & Nominees List

Ahead of the 2024 GRAMMYs, women from across the recording industry gathered at GRAMMY House in Los Angeles' Arts District on Feb. 1 to celebrate their achievements and to remind the music world that there's still much work to be done.

A Celebration Of Women In The Mix Presented by PEOPLE and Sephora brought together musicians, agents, producers, engineers, managers, and more for three hours of food, drinks, speeches, and general revelry. 

Hosted by People Magazine Editor-At-Large Janine Rubenstein, the event featured a keynote speech by Friends At Work CEO Ty Stiklorius — best known for her years managing John Legend, among others — as well as performances by Sephora Sounds' artists Beth Million and Rawan Chaya, and 2024 GRAMMYs Best R&B Album nominee Emily King. 

"We wanted to make sure that we were driving representation and providing opportunities for all women in music from studio professionals to artists and beyond," said Tammy Hurt, the Chair of the Board for the Recording Academy, while detailing the creation of Women In The Mix in 2019. She noted that her team set a goal of recruiting 2,500 new women members to the voting body of the Academy by 2025.

An event Presenting Sponsor, Sephora had makeup artists set up next to the stage, giving guests some glam. Participating sponsors Dyson and The Hartford also had activations for guests to enjoy; Dyson provided styling stations for hair touch-ups and curated an immersive listening experience with the Dyson Zone™ noise-canceling headphones, while The Hartford hosted an interactive, augmented reality graffiti wall.

As Sephora's SVP of Personalization, Anna E. Banks explained on stage, the brand is committed to creating "the world's most inclusive beauty community." She added that Sephora supports individuals' creativity and ingenuity — whether it's through the products they choose to sell or the looks they feature in their campaigns. As one of the brand's new programs, Sephora Sounds will work to "continue to push for more diversity and representation" across the industry, "breaking down barriers and ushering in marginalized voices."

Keynote speaker Ty Stiklorius brought much of the room to tears with tales of sleazy record execs, thwarted dreams, and how she took the road less traveled to decades of success in the music industry. Donning a stunning maroon suit, Stiklorius detailed how she became not only John Legend's manager, but also his film and TV producing partner, his business partner in several companies, and the co-founder of several social impact groups working to reduce incarceration and level the playing field in terms of universal opportunity. 

"It's literally impossible to be a woman," Stiklorious said, quoting America Ferrera's powerful speech from the Barbie movie. She expressed frustration at the fact that women are always expected to be extraordinary — whether it's as a wife, a mother, or in the workplace — and dismissed antiquated notions that women can't be leaders in the music industry while having a family. To wit, Stiklorious created her company, Friends At Work, to give more women and more marginalized people a place to thrive in the industry, to be appreciated, recognized, and paid appropriately.

After all, Stiklorious reminded the room, women still have a long, long way to go to achieve any sort of parity in the music industry. While women dominate the major categories at this year's GRAMMY Awards, a recent study by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found that, while women make up more than half the population and the market for music, they only take up about 35 percent of the Billboard Hot 100. Only 6.5 percent of music producers are women, and less than 20 percent of the songwriters of last year's top songs were women. In fact, Stiklorious said, "nearly a quarter of the most popular songs of the last 12 years were penned by just 12 men." 

"Think about how those 12 men are shaping audience perfections and beliefs about romantic relationships, wealth, health, and any number of topics," Stiklorious said, before referencing a story she recently wrote for the L.A. Times in which she makes the case that, if the top women performers added just two women songwriters to some of their sessions and some of their songs, we'd reach gender parity in the songwriter space in just four years. 

"It's not that big of an ask, actually," she said. "With the growing power of female performers, those who routinely top the charts can change the lives of women songwriters and our culture, because the status quo isn't good for anyone, regardless of their gender identity, we all lose out on untapped and underappreciated talent."

The end of Stiklorious' speech was met with a rousing standing ovation.

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After performances from Beth Million and Rawan Chaya, People Executive Editor Melody Chiu took the stage for the event's panel, which featured recording engineer Marcella Araica, GRAMMY winning country artist Carly Pearce, and GRAMMY nominee Jordin Sparks. They talked about role models, the barriers they've faced in the industry, becoming mothers, and how they learned that "no" is actually a complete sentence.

Singer/songwriter Emily King won the room over with tracks like "Medal" and "This Year." After King's set, Ruby Marchand, the Recording Industry's Chief Awards and Industry Officer, wrapped up the event by thanking members of the Recording Academy staff and board in the audience for their hard work on the event and in driving new membership. 

Diving into her thoughts on the concept of trust, Marchand said women in the music industry "have to learn to trust each other, because we're here to help and guide and support, and sometimes even help somebody through some critical thinking and get back on track." 

Women in the industry also have to learn to trust themselves, Marchand said. If women can all learn to be fearless and to trust in themselves, their decisions, and their strength, the sky's the limit. 

The Recording Academy's GRAMMY House Returns For GRAMMY Week 2024; Immersive Pop-Up Experience To Feature The Third Annual #GRAMMYSNEXTGEN Party

A variety of tenacious artists, industry observers and experts in independent music descended upon GRAMMY House: Growing Wild Independent Music Community Panel on Thursday, Feb. 1, to discuss industry trends and share career strategies and tips days before the 2024 GRAMMYs.

Speakers and panelists included Stan Founder and CEO Denisha Kuhlor, independent recording artist Cocoa Sarai, Splice CEO Kakul Srivastava, SymphonyOS Co-Founder and CEO Megh Vakharia, VP Label and Artist Relations Chris Maltese,and CEO and President of the American Association of Independent Music Richard Burgess. Taking place at GRAMMY House 2024, presented by Mastercard, the event was held at Rolling Greens in Downtown Los Angeles.

A flooding rain earlier in the day couldn’t dampen the event, as clouds cleared and organizers dried out. In fact, the resilience spoke to a larger theme. 

“When I first started, I was saying yes to everything,” said independent GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter Cocoa Sarai. “I had my first concert, I cried the night before. I thought nobody was going to come.” Despite those fears, Sarai was undeterred. “That night, someone showed me a video of a line outside. So from there, I put my head down and kept working.”

A profession not for the faint of heart, the life of an independent artist can be as tenuous as it is fulfilling. From the high-highs when one is flying on air, to those low-lows of rejection and setbacks, the music-makers that operate outside the legacy record label system are famously one-stop shops. In addition to honing their artistry, musicians must also navigate the complex and often monotonous aspects of the business side of their passion. It’s that dichotomy that was the topic of discussion for much of the event. 

“Everything is figure-outable,” noted Denisha Kuhlor, founder and CEO of Stan, a fan engagement and community-building software platform. “You have to remember that all of the bigger artists were experimenting one day too… it’s important to remember that when you fail and an experiment goes wrong, you can only win if you stay in it.” 

“Don’t forget, it’s all a long game,” mused another panelist, Megh Vakharia, co-founder and CEO of SymphonyOS, a technology platform that helps independent artists reach new audiences. “Plan for that long game and take care of yourself along the way. I was talking to a manager last night and he said it takes seven to eight years to develop an artist. You need to give yourself that time.”

While seven to eight years may seem like an eternity for artists hungry for success, it was Sarai who represented the epitome of a grassroots artist at the Growing Wild event. The Brooklyn native kicked off her passion for singing in church as a child, decamped to Los Angeles and found ways to boost her streaming numbers, promote her work and grow a following organically. From those humble beginnings, she subsequently collaborated with artists ranging from Dr. Dre to Nas and Anderson .Paak, appearing on the latter’s album Ventura, a 2020 GRAMMY winner for Best R&B Album. She’s always ideating ways to expand her brand, including the release of her 2023 single “Concrete Rose” as an NFT. 

“[With everything that happens], I have to focus on the fact that I love this and really can’t stop,” Sarai said of the importance of being undaunted amid the inevitable obstacles that may arise along the way of an independent artist’s journey. “I love making music and what I do.”

Water-cooler topics of the moment were also front of mind at the GRAMMY House on this day: “Did anybody think they were coming to a music industry panel in 2024 and not talk about AI?” laughed moderator Chris Maltese, VP of Label & Artist Relations at Vydia. “ It’s a massive force disrupting the entire business, from songwriting, composing to even imaging and licensing.”

“AI’s a very touchy subject, because it affects everyone in every field,” mused Kakul Srivastava, CEO of the music creation platform Splice who provided a cheerier view of the technology. “On my side, I use AI as a tool to save time, and I think that's going to be the biggest revolution.” 

He pointed out that the burgeoning technology specifically can benefit indie artists most. “There’s so much work, whether planning a song, making an advertising campaign, or all of these rote pieces or administrative tasks. AI can come in and give artists and creators the tools to make the process super simple, so artists can actually focus on things that actually matter,” he explained. “AI can be a big time saver.” 

It’s a point that Sarai echoed. “At first, I was gung-ho against AI, I didn’t even want to hear about it,” she joked. “Everything I was hearing was that this was bad. ‘They're replacing you!’ But once I started to recognize it as a tool, now ChatGPT has been saving my life. Most labels have a team working for them, but I have to figure everything out on my own. “

Universal Music’s recent headline-making decision to pull their music from TikTok also was top-of-mind. “There’s an interesting window right now [for independent artists],” said Srivastava. “Take advantage of it.”

“Regardless where you are in the industry, start with getting comfortable with being uncomfortable,” noted Maltese, alluding to another major motif of the afternoon. “It’s like jumping into ice baths. Nobody likes doing that — it’s about the benefits you can get from it. People succeeding at the highest levels are pushing themselves to do things that they aren't used to doing. The sooner you understand that’s part of the journey, the better off you're going to be.”

2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List

Six years after her last solo studio album, Beyoncé returned to the music industry with a bang thanks to RENAISSANCE. In homage to her late Uncle Johnny, she created a work of art inspired by the sounds of disco and house that wasn't just culturally impactful — it was history-making.

At the 2023 GRAMMYs, RENAISSANCE won Best Dance/Electronic Album. Marking Beyoncé's 32nd golden gramophone, the win gave the superstar the record for most gramophones won by an individual act.

In this episode of GRAMMY Rewind, revisit the historic moment Queen Bey took the stage to accept her record-breaking GRAMMY at the 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

"Thank you so much. I'm trying not to be too emotional," Beyoncé said at the start of her acceptance speech. "I'm just trying to receive this night."

With a deep breath, she began to list her praises that included God, her family, and the Recording Academy for their continued support throughout her career. 

"I'd like to thank my Uncle Johnny, who is not here, but he's here in spirit," Beyoncé proclaimed. "I'd like to thank the queer community for your love and inventing this genre."

Watch the video above for Beyoncé's full speech for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 2023 GRAMMYs. Check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of GRAMMY Rewind. 

Tune into the 2024 GRAMMYs on Sunday, Feb. 4, airing live on the CBS Television Network (8-11:30 p.m. LIVE ET/5-8:30 p.m. LIVE PT) and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs).

A Timeline Of Beyoncé's GRAMMY Moments, From Her First Win With Destiny's Child to Making History With 'Renaissance'