Shaneel Young contributed to this article

It’s been an unparalleled year of programming for GRAMMY U. 

Lainey Wilson and Greta Van Fleet connected with crowds at the 2023 Fall Summit in Nashville; Halle Bailey and Muni Long shared wisdom with the world during GRAMMY Week in Los Angeles at the GRAMMY U Masterclass. Now, music’s next generation of creative professionals will head to New York City for the 2024 GRAMMY U Conference presented by Amazon Music.  

This year it's all about show biz, and music has a hand in every part of the entertainment industry. Featuring a star-studded lineup of guests, the GRAMMY U Conference will dive deep into how your favorite musical performances on television are created, and offer insight into music careers on Broadway. 

GRAMMY U members will be able to learn all about the live performance industry through educational panels, a speed networking session, and even a performance workshop. You won’t want to miss what the big names have to say: GRAMMY, Tony, and Emmy Award winners Ben Platt will be the conference's keynote speaker, and Billy Porter (also a GRAMMY, Emmy, and Tony Award winner)O will work up close and personal with young talent, and Remi Wolf is going to talk about the music of late night shows. 

The action begins Friday, April 19 at the Chelsea Music Hall. Members from all over the country will gather for the GRAMMY U Showcase, where five GRAMMY U contest winners will perform original music. Catch a set by Jawan and stay for Infinity Song’s closing set.

Below, GRAMMY.com has gathered all of the information you need to get excited for the massive event.

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GRAMMY U Welcomes Amazon Music

GRAMMY U has officially welcomed Amazon Music as a cornerstone partner. To kick off what will be an instrumental relationship, Amazon Music is proudly bringing their knowledge to the table as a presenter of the 2024 GRAMMY U Conference. Mastercard will also be returning as a participating sponsor for the event. GRAMMY U will kick off the conference with remarks from Ruby Marchand, Chief Awards and Industry Officer, Recording Academy;, Amazon Music's Global Head of Artist & Label Relations Andre Stapleton, and GRAMMY U Sr. Director Jessie Allen.

Hang With Ben Platt, The Star Of The Show

Starting the Saturday strong, Ben Platt will sit down with Beanie Feldstein to talk all about his storied career as an actor and singer ahead of his 18-date run at the Palace Theater in NYC, kicking off May 28th before his album release.

Growing up on the stage, Platt quickly became a leading force on Broadway, and has since shared his talents with the screen, starring in multiple films and TV series. Platt is also releasing music — his third album, Honeymind, drops May 31, beginning with an 18 date residency at the Palace Theatre in NYC followed by his national tour with special guest Brandy Clark this summer — and will discuss the significance of music within his various projects.

As the GRAMMY U Conference keynote speaker, Platt will share insights from the recording studio.

Share The Stage With Billy Porter

During a workshop, Billy Porter will share his best performance practices and advice for GRAMMY U members trying to make it big. Porter is no stranger to putting on a show, with over 30 years in the industry and numerous awards under his belt — and GRAMMY U is eager to learn and take guidance as they begin their music careers. Roy Gantz, GRAMMY U's National Membership Representative, will then take the stage and receive live performance coaching directly from Porter.

Making Music On Late Night TV With Remi Wolf & More

In a discussion moderated by talent booking pro Siobhan Schanda, members of "Late Night with Seth Meyers" will discuss bringing music to late-night television. The discussion will feature "Late Night" Associate Producer Yeji Cha-Beach and Marnie Stern, former guitarist for "Late Night" house band, the 8G Band and recording artist.

Singer/songwriter Remi Wolf, who performed recently on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," will also join the discussion. In anticipation of supporting Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS World Tour and her upcoming sophomore album Big Ideas, Remi will discuss how a special performance like hers comes to life onscreen.

Learn What Happens Behind The Curtains

Have you ever wondered what happens behind the Broadway stage? This dynamic panel will highlight the brilliant minds that work to make the big show happen. Moderated by Michael Kushner, Founder and Creator of Michael Kushner Photography, hear from Broadway producers, directors, record label executives and more on how they put together a Broadway production behind the scenes. 

Panelists include renowned Broadway producer Christen James, Adam Hess of DR Theatrical Management, Pete Ganbarg, the President of A&R at Atlantic Records, and Erich Bergen, producer, actor and director at 6W Entertainment. From set design to marketing, this panel will reveal that whether on stage or behind the scenes, there's a place for every passion in the world of theater. 

Hear How Professionals Produce The Sounds Of Drama

In this panel, Broadway professionals will dive into the inner workings of theatrical sound in live theater, and how their expertise in Broadway audio production translates into other facets of the music industry. 

Experts Tom Winkler, Kurt Deustch, David Lai, and Kathy Sommer will detail the dynamic challenges that producers and composers must navigate to make productions possible. 

Learn How To Build Your Brand In The Career Center

At the start of the conference, attendees can learn from the experts and level up their profiles at the GRAMMY U Career Center. Learn how to present your best professional self, take a professional headshot, get a review of your resume from real recruiters in the industry, and network with professionals from Amazon Music, the Recording Academy and more. Networking mentors include AC Gottlieb, Asmita Khullar, Billy Seidman, Haley Bennett, Jameka Pankey, Jessica Fusco, John Ochoa, Leah Dowdy, Madeline Nelson, Nick Cucci, Nikisha Bailey, and Sarah Crane. So get there early and make the most out of your professional development at the GRAMMY U Conference!

Don’t forget to stop by the GRAMMY U Mixtape Listening station, too, and see the process behind how we select music for the GRAMMY U Mixtape every month.

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Reserve Your Seat

Mark your calendars now, the 2024 GRAMMY U Conference will take place in New York City on Friday, April 19, and Saturday, April 20, and with more announcements to come, this is an event you surely won’t want to miss. Reserve your spot now with a RSVP.

For members who aren’t able to attend, the GRAMMY U Conference will be livestreamed on the Recording Academy’s YouTube and Twitch channels at 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

GRAMMY U Reps Experience GRAMMY Week Like Never Before Thanks To The Recording Academy & United Airlines

On April 21, GRAMMY U members and industry professionals gathered at the Times Center in New York City for the 2024 GRAMMY U Conference presented by Amazon Music. 

The GRAMMY U team unfolded an action-packed and motivating day of panels covering everything from Broadway to studio albums with Ben Platt, a performance workshop with Billy Porter, and live music production on late night television with Remi Wolf.

Once members arrived, they jumped straight into professional development workshops and mixers. Attendees visited a career center with activations including a professional headshot station, resume review, and speed networking with local music professionals and members of the Recording Academy. These collaborations allowed for the next generation of music creatives and professionals to gain first-hand experience with mentors across various business sectors and musical genres. 

Mastercard was also a participating sponsor of the 2024 GRAMMY U Conference.

Below are five impactful things we learned from the 2024 GRAMMY U Conference:

Shed Your Armor To Embrace Vulnerability

Rob Kim/Getty Images for the Recording Academy 

After a two-year performance run on Broadway starring in "Dear Evan Hansen," Ben Platt shifted his priority toward making original music and sharing personal storylines.

In "Live! With Ben Platt," moderated by actor and long-time best friend of Platt’s, Beanie Feldstein, the pair discussed Platt’s bold choice to step back from portraying fictional characters on stage, to now releasing original music with his upcoming album Honeymind. 

"The gratification of connecting with your own experiences and seeing people really use the songs in their lives is so infinitely beyond the worries," Platt shared. 

Crossing over from a Broadway stage to pop music, Platt suggested that a key to success is trusting one’s vocal technique and individual sound to translate your perspective.  

Consistently Perfect The Fundamentals

Rob Kim/Getty Images for the Recording Academy 

During the performance workshop "Standing in the Spotlight with Billy Porter," GRAMMY, Emmy, and two-time Tony Award-Winner Billy Porter sat down with SiriusXM Program Director Julie James. They discussed the importance of performance critique in helping artists perfect their craft and captivate audiences, as well as strategies for maintaining overall health while on tour.

Porter mentioned that while critiques are important for artists to continue improving their vocal abilities, knowing how to meet personal needs and goals is just as important.

"As you sift through [critiques], you have the right to choose what’s right for you and what isn’t," Porter said before posing the question, "What notes are good for your vision, and which aren’t?"

Channel Your Inner Celebrity Both On And Off The Stage 

For the first time, the GRAMMY U Conference included a performance workshop in programming and it provided a fresh perspective from the best in the business. GRAMMY U National Membership Representative Roy Gantz sang "Someone to Watch Over Me," accompanied on piano by Tedd Firth, and received real-time feedback from Billy Porter in front of a live audience. 

"From the minute you hit the stage, to when you get to that mic[rophone], it’s about your presence. Keep connecting with us [the audience]," Porter told Gantz.

Porter emphasized the importance of mastering the original melody and musical notations of a song before incorporating riffs and embellishments of popular pieces, and praised Gantz for his advanced technique and interpretation.

"Believe in what you have to offer. In honoring your authenticity, you teach people on the outside how to receive you," Porter advised the audience. 

A Great Musical Takes Time

Photo: Rob Kim/Getty Images for the Recording Academy 

The "Sounds of the Stage" panel conducted a candid conversation about the behind-the-scenes process of composing and writing music for musicals.

"You can’t bring it to the stage until the bones are set, until things are solidified," said David Lai, Co-Founder of Park Avenue Artists. "It’s worth spending the time to use the resources we have to work your material."

Kurt Deutsch, Senior Vice President at Warner Music Entertainment and Theatrical Ventures,  described the nuances of recording a pop album versus a cast performance record which have quick turnaround times. Often, they are recorded in a single day-long session due to budgeting costs for the orchestra and cast members involved. 

The main goal of a cast album is to allow audiences to relive the emotional experience they had in the theater setting, and for newcomers to still be able to relate to the show’s characters and themes through a sonic medium. 

Tony Award-nominated Broadway Producer Christen Price spoke about what she’s most drawn to when beginning a new theatrical project.

"Meaningful storytelling is key [and] music absolutely makes the difference. Content is queen, the story as well as the music," Price said. "Art is supposed to change what you’re doing to the point where you’re thinking about it, it’s influencing you." 

Stay Vocal, Relationships Are Everything

"On the Screen: Performing On Live TV" featured panelists Yeji Cha-Beach, the Music Associate Producer on NBC’s "Late Night with Seth Meyers," Marnie Stern, former member of the 8G Band on "Seth Meyers," and pop recording artist Remi Wolf. Moderated by Siobhan Schanda, the panelists discussed the intricacies of playing on a live TV set including lighting, sound, and design choices. Wolf mentioned her preference for performing with her touring musicians and a live band. 

"Put the music first and try to develop your own style,” Wolf said. "The most I’ve ever felt proud of my work was when I followed my gut.” 

Stern remarked that although socializing and navigating the music industry network did not always come naturally, connecting and playing with other musicians was vital to her success as a live TV musician. She described one of the biggest differences between playing on live television and working on her own recording artistry. 

"You’re selling a commercial product and your job is to entertain," Stern said. "With your own work, your job is to present your feelings and emotions. Everyone is working to further not only the artist but the network." 

Cha-Beach offered guidance for aspiring TV music producers, stating, "Be curious, try as many things as you possibly can. Knowing when to say yes is just as important as knowing when to say no."

It’s safe to say GRAMMY U’s Conference in the Big Apple was a memorable one. If you missed it, catch up on the livestream here.

5 Takeaways From GRAMMY U's Masterclass With Andrew McMahon: Be Bold, Build Bonds & Embrace Your Fears

GRAMMY U hosted a two-day conference presented by Amazon Music for GRAMMY U members in New York City on April 19 and 20. The event, spearheaded by GRAMMY U Senior Director Jessie Allen, offered an immersive experience designed to enrich and empower emerging talents within the music industry. 

An emerging artist showcase took place on Friday, April 19, followed by a day-long series of panels and breakout sessions on Saturday, April 20, highlighting the live performance industries of Broadway and television talk shows, featuring GRAMMY, Tony, and Emmy-winning artist and actor Ben Platt as the keynote speaker.

The summit marks the beginning of a new cornerstone collaboration between GRAMMY U and Amazon Music, in which Amazon Music will play an integral role in the growth of GRAMMY U’s year-round programming, development and impact. Mastercard was also a participating sponsor of the conference.

“We were all thrilled to bring the GRAMMY U Conference to the heart of New York City. It’s a testament to the dedication of Jessie Allen, whose leadership has elevated this event year after year,” said Ruby Marchand, Chief Awards Officer of the Recording Academy. “I extend heartfelt gratitude to the Amazon Music Team for supporting GRAMMY U; this marks the genesis of an extraordinary collaboration, and together, we look forward to crafting an array of programs that will empower our GRAMMY U members throughout the year.”

The emerging artist showcase featured dynamic performances by GRAMMY U members Kayla Erhardt, Kühlname, Serena Laurel, Nicknames, Liv Paris, and Your Future Is Now scholar Jawan Audè. The evening concluded with a captivating performance by New York soft rock sibling ensemble, Infinity Song.

Saturday’s programming kicked off with keynote speaker Ben Platt. In a thought-provoking keynote discussion moderated by actor Beanie Feldstein, Platt delved into his musical journey spanning Broadway, film and television, inspiring attendees with his insights. The day continued with a performance workshop led by GRAMMY, Emmy, and Tony-winner Billy Porter. Moderated by SiriusXM Program Director Julie James, attendees immersed themselves in a captivating session aimed at honing their live performance skills. 

Read more: Inside Ben Platt's 'Honeymind': How Queer Love, Live Performance & More Led To His Most Authentic Album Yet

The conference included a panel featuring “Late Night with Seth Meyers” Music Associate Producer Yeji Cha-Beach, former member of the “Late Night with Seth Meyers” 8G Band, Marnie Stern, and musician Remi Wolf. Titled “On Screen: Performing on Live TV,” the panel covered the challenges and nuances of delivering live musical performances on television, and was moderated by Siobhan Schanda, Co-Executive Producer of “SHERRI.” 

Programming continued with a panel titled “Sounds of the Stage,” moderated by Thomas Winkler, Head of Publisher, Songwriter and Society Relations at Amazon Music, featuring SVP of Warner Music Entertainment and Theatrical Ventures Kurt Deutsch, Co-Founder of Park Avenue Artists David Lai, and composer, conductor and producer Kathy Sommer, where they explored sound production on stage and cast recordings.

Additional panels included “Side Stage: The Team Behind the Curtain,” featuring industry executives moderated by Michael Kushner, founder of Michael Kushner Photography and Dear Multi-Hyphenate, featuring producer, actor and director Erich Bergen, President of A&R of Atlantic Records Pete Ganbarg, Executive Producer of DR Theatrical Management Adam Hess, and Tony-nominated Broadway producer and vocalist Christen James, where they detailed the business of Broadway and how teams bring shows to life every night.

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Ben Platt has never allowed the world to dictate his fate. The GRAMMY, Tony, and Emmy-winner's artistic outpouring has been relentless, and he's still early in his career. 

The 30-year-old actor and singer has performed in Broadway musicals like "Parade" and "Dear Evan Hansen," sold out Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl as a solo artist, and starred and co-wrote the film Theater Camp. Each project has marked a step into a new direction, but none more so than Honeymind — an album that captures what it's like to chase tender and safe intimacy in partnership, and the ecstasy that follows once found. 

His professional growth between 2021's Reverie and Honeymind is apparent not just thematically, but sonically and in production. This latest album sounds natural and lush, with input from GRAMMY-winning producer Dave Cobb and producer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Alex Hope. While  Honeymind shows a version of Platt some listeners may not be accustomed to, he's never sounded more comfortable in his own skin. 

To celebrate the release of Honeymind, Platt will headline a three-week residency in New York City's Palace Theatre and a subsequent nationwide summer tour and serve as the keynote speaker at this year’s GRAMMY U Conference. He spoke with GRAMMY.com about his latest album, upcoming residency, and the beautiful and, at times, tricky trappings of romantic love.

This interview has been edited for clarity. The 2024 GRAMMY U Conference is presented by Amazon Music. Mastercard is also a participating sponsor of the conference.

Honeymind shifts away from the '80s electro-pop of Reverie and your Broadway roots. What made you gravitate towards a more tender, folky sound that exudes warmth and serenity?

The biggest catalyst was that I wanted to go and write Nashville because I admired so many songwriters there. When I started with my first round of writing sessions for this record — which was back in the spring of 2022 — what just very naturally started coming out was this super unadorned, very storytelling-forward type of music. 

When I made my first record [2019], it was very close after I had been on Broadway for a long time, and it was theatrically linked. Then, I experimented with leaning into pop and this Peter Gabriel vibe, but it felt like a landing pad this time. I closed my eyes and went, What's the most natural way to communicate in terms of what is specific to me? This seemed to fit really nicely. 

You worked with renowned producers like Dave Cobb on this album. There are times when the producer’s work stands out most, but Honeymind sounds like you. How did you ensure that all tracks sounded distinctly like you versus a Dave Cobb song?

​​I loved the idea of working with Dave! His specialty is unadorned things that are as essential as they can be. When it comes to my own sound, my priority is always obviously storytelling and songwriting, but certainly, to have the vocal performance be very much the focus. Dave was very amenable to that. 

I went and wrote the songs with my co-writers before starting work with Dave, and I sort of came in with all of his songs completed. He did a beautiful job of preserving the integrity of the songs I’d written. [He wanted] to present them in as organic and straightforward a way as possible, as opposed to trying to sort of put a secondary sound onto it. 

Your previous work has been personal to varying degrees, but your lead single, "Andrew," feels particularly candid.

I wrote that song with Alex Hope, one of my favorite longtime collaborators, and I had a session earlier in the week with someone else who was also wonderful. [This first songwriter] was talking to me about her son, who was 10 or 11, and how he had his best friend, a boy he loved so much. She shared that she had an inclination that more love was going towards this friend and was coming back to him [than] he could even really communicate. 

It reminded me so deeply and immediately of so many different experiences growing up: having straight friends in high school and middle school, who you just love and who aren't doing anything wrong, but just by virtue of chemicals and how we're born, you develop feelings that just can't be reciprocated. [That's] such a special kind of melancholy. It's no one's fault, and I hadn't heard that strain of unrequited love and that particular type of melancholy expressed in a song. 

The next day, I went in with Alex and pitched them a song, and they're queer as well and understood the perspective, so it came out very quickly.

What about queer love do you find most challenging to articulate?

Developing feelings for people that just don't have it in their blood to feel the same way is a uniquely queer experience, [as is] boundarylessness both positively and negatively. It's very particular to queer love in the sense that there are a lot less societal examples, and sort of prerequisites, for what queer relationships look like or shouldn't be. Which is so freeing and wonderful and makes for a really beautiful, honest relationship. Still, it's also a little scary because you're flying blind in a way that is very particular to being a queer person. 

There's an inherent sort of rebellion and statement that you have to be making every day when you're out in the world with your partner as a queer person because there remain so many people who are intolerant, don't understand, and are still fearful and judgmental. It requires an extra bit of courage just to engage in the relationship.

You have a three-week residency at New York City's Palace Theatre, where legends like Elvis Presley, Diana Ross, and Judy Garland performed and will tour afterward.  How are you feeling as you prepare for these concerts?

When I finish the record and sit on it, it exists in limbo; I start to second-guess it, feel like I'm losing my connection to it, or forget. I don't feel like I'm in the same place as I was when I wrote these things because they're so intimate. 

But for me, the whole shebang has always been getting to perform live, and that's just my greatest joy. The songs are the most mine when I'm singing them live. I also love sharing music with people, and hearing in person and online conversations, about how it applies to their lives, how it reminds them of things, and how they use it. The tour is always the part where I'm the most in love with the album, and when the tour ends, I'm ready to let it out into the world and say goodbye for a minute.

Beyond the risk of trying something new in your career, what roles do failure, trial, and error play in your creative process or other parts of your life?

For every song I've written that I love or even come out, there are eight to 10 that I never want to see in the light of day. 

It's hard to find the good things until you throw everything at the wall, and if you're too afraid to fall, then you'll never really try in the first place. And I was privileged because I started working quite young; things went from A to B to C in the sense that they went steadily. As I get older, I learn that a career is more about this longer journey that is not at all linear. Now that I have some hindsight, it's easy to appreciate the down moments and the valleys because that's the only way you recognize when something is going well. I try to be grateful for those moments of failure or misstep when they come because it's an essential part of being an artist — not the funnest part always, but necessary. 

You'll be the keynote speaker at the 2024 GRAMMY U Conference for young professionals. What do you want to share most with conference attendees?

I must share my transparency and experiences and try to help learn by failure and success. I've found, in all facets, that specificity begets universality, and I'm trying to be as specifically honest about my role in how I approached songwriting in my own artistry — whether that's something someone will directly connect to, create a tangential connection to something else, or be an example of something that doesn't work for someone. 

Art is so tailor-made, so it's just about sharing ideas and seeing what sticks.

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Did you know that among all GRAMMY U members, songwriting and performance are some of the most sought after fields of study? This playlist dedicates a space to hear what these members are creating today!

The GRAMMY U Mixtape, now available for your listening pleasure, highlights the creations and fresh ideas that members are bringing to this industry directly on the Recording Academy's Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music pages. Our goal is to celebrate GRAMMY U members, as well as the time and effort they put into making original music — from the songwriting process to the final production of the track.

Each month, we accept submissions and feature 15 to 25 songs that match each month’s theme. This month's curated mix of rock, alternative, and indie tracks that evoke a range of emotions from vengeance to hopefulness. So, what’s stopping you? Press play on GRAMMY U’s Mixtape and listen now on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.

Want to be featured on the next playlist? Submit your songs today! We are currently accepting submissions for songs of all genres for consideration for our May playlist. Whether you write pop, rock, hip-hop, jazz, or classical, we want to hear from you. Music must be written and/or produced by the member (an original song) and you must be able to submit a Spotify, Apple Music and/or Amazon Music link to the song. Artists must be a GRAMMY U member to submit.

About GRAMMY U:

GRAMMY U is a program that connects aspiring professionals and creatives ages 18-29 with the music industry's brightest and most talented minds. We provide a community for emerging professionals and creatives in addition to various opportunities and tools necessary to start a career in music. Throughout the program year, events and initiatives touch on all facets of the industry, including business, technology, and the creative process.

As part of the Recording Academy's mission to ensure the recorded arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, GRAMMY U establishes the necessary foundation for music’s next generation to flourish.

Not a member, but want to submit to our playlist? Apply for GRAMMY U Membership here.

Former GRAMMY U Reps Heather Howard and Sophie Griffiths contributed to this article.

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