Ahead of the 2023 GRAMMYs, GREY GOOSE is kicking off the second year of its partnership with The Recording Academy as the "Official Spirits Partner of the 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards" with GREY GOOSE x GRAMMYs: Sound Sessions, a weekly digital series that will feature current GRAMMY nominee Muni Long, acclaimed singer/songwriter Pink Sweat$, and GRAMMY winner and current GRAMMY nominee Ella Mai. Debuting Jan. 23, the series will stream on Instagram and YouTube now through GRAMMY weekend.

"We are thrilled to be continuing our partnership with the Recording Academy for a second year," said Aleco Azqueta, Vice President of Marketing for GREY GOOSE Vodka. "A celebration of the year's best music deserves the best cocktails, so GREY GOOSE is honored to toast to all of this year's nominees. Like the lyrics and melody of a great song, our Sound Sessions series shows just how well music and GREY GOOSE cocktails go together. It features some incredible talent and even a few surprises, so you won't want to miss each installment."

"The Recording Academy is dedicated to celebrating excellence in the recording industry and protecting music's place in our culture," said Adam Roth, Senior Vice President, Partnerships & Business Development at the Recording Academy. "We firmly believe GREY GOOSE shares this same sentiment, which is why we're so excited to partner together for a second year. Our Sound Sessions content series is a perfect example of what our two brands stand for when it comes to music: celebrating artistic expression and elevating creative voices."

The first Sound Sessions episode featuring Muni Long is now available on YouTube and will be followed by Pink Sweat$ on Thursday, Jan. 26, and Ella Mai on Thursday, Feb. 2. With every episode, fans can expect to see intimate musical performances and exclusive interviews where each artist will take them through the "ingredients" of their hit songs, while mixing together the ingredients of one of their favorite GREY GOOSE cocktails. 

"It's been a pleasure to be a part of Sound Sessions with GREY GOOSE Vodka and the Recording Academy to celebrate a year of incredible music," said four-time GRAMMY-nominated recording artist Muni Long. "I'm thrilled to perform my nominated song 'Hrs and Hrs,' and I hope it brings joy and inspiration to all my fans as their support means so much to me. It was also so fun to try my hand at making the official cocktail of the GRAMMYs, The Passion Drop!"

In addition to the Sound Sessions series, GREY GOOSE will have a full-scale presence at a variety of events throughout GRAMMY weekend, including the second iteration of their hit Sound Sessions Brunch on Saturday, Feb. 4. The star-studded affair will be held in Los Angeles and feature a live performance from two-time GRAMMY winner Jazmine Sullivan. The Passion Drop, a citrusy-sweet martini cocktail, will also return as the official drink of the GRAMMY Awards and be served at all Recording Academy events throughout the weekend.

All "GREY GOOSE x GRAMMYs: Sound Sessions" content can be accessed by following each artist, along with @greygoose and @recordingacademy, on all social platforms, as well as on the official GRAMMYs Content Hub.

GREY GOOSE PASSION DROP

• 1.5 oz GREY GOOSE ​Vodka

• .5 oz Small Hand Foods Ginger Syrup ​

• .5 oz Fresh Lemon Juice ​

• .5 oz Boiron Passionfruit Puree ​

• .25 oz Simple Syrup (1:1 ratio of sugar to water) ​

Method: Combine all ingredients in a shaker packed with ice. Shake and strain up in a GREY GOOSE martini glass.​

Garnish: Lemon twist

2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List

Seated among a colorfully-draped stage, it was obvious that six-time GRAMMY nominee Halle Bailey was speaking to her people. 

The packed room at GRAMMY House in downtown Los Angeles on Feb.2 listened intently as Bailey led a Masterclass for GRAMMY U Members, which was moderated by GRAMMY- winning artist and songwriter Muni Long. The event was presented by Mastercard.

In a live streamed conversation, Bailey offered a rare insight into her success in music and film — which includes two albums released with her sister Chloe Bailey, her lead role as Ariel in the live version of Disney’s The Little Mermaid and the role of Nettie Harris in the remake of The Color Purple. She also discussed balancing her career with her personal life as a brand new first-time mom.

While the Masterclass celebrated Bailey's achievements, it was also a showcase of what Ruby Marchand, the Recording Academy’s Chief Awards & Industry Officer, described as "the future of music." 

Your cultural devotion and impact is something that the Recording Academy deeply cares about and we are here to help you find your careers, find your relationships, find your deepest inspired source that can help guide you," Marchand said before bringing out Bailey and Long. "Believe in yourselves, have the self confidence to take risks to make decisions that are right for you, that are right creatively, musically, and that’s the journey of GRAMMY U." 

The Recording Academy’s President Panos A. Panay then made a special announcement that ensures a more diverse and inclusive future for the nearly 20-year-old GRAMMY U, which currently hosts 6,000 members and 30,000 alumni. GRAMMY U recently expanded its membership eligibility to increase inclusivity beyond college enrollment.

"I know everyone knows the Recording Academy for the GRAMMY Awards, but the mission of the Academy is ultimately about fostering the next generation of creators," he said. "It’s about providing a platform and a way of advocating for what we think is the most important class of citizens, which are the people that are creating these amazing songs and the music and the beats that move all of us."

Both Bailey and Long had incredible advice for attendees to apply to their own lives as early-career creatives. Read on for five of the biggest lessons from the 2024 GRAMMY U Masterclass.

Absorb Greatness & Get Aligned

Long suggested that the audience set an intention to learn as much as possible from the Masterclass. These lessons can be absorbed through osmosis, she noted.

"When you are in the presence of people that you admire and you respect — whether that’s Halle, or myself or whoever — understand that there is a frequency that you have to be aligned with in order to get closer to the beats that you desire," she said. 

Long encouraged attendees at GRAMMY House and on the livestream to "align yourselves with the things that you want to see in your future." The "Hrs & Hrs" singer added that she wanted "to elevate you with my frequency, my intention, my energy."

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A post shared by Halle Bailey (@hallebailey)

Family Comes First

Bailey and her sister Chloe first garnered attention at kids singing cover songs on YouTube, which led to being signed to Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment label as Chloe x Halle. They’re working on their third album together and also both have solo projects. At the Masterclass, Bailey emphasized the importance of family and how Chloe helped instill her with confidence.

"I was truly grateful and blessed that I was able to start in this industry with my big sister Chloe, who is my angel, my guide, my protector always," she said. "The beautiful symbolism of having a sister there to guide you through everything in life is that she’s filling me up with courage and joy and me just really believing in myself because that's something that I really needed to work on, and still do a bit today."

The 23-year-old has said she has learned that she can do more than she ever expected, and working with her family was crucial. "Being able to start that way with that anchor is something I was so, so grateful for."

Balance The Personal & Professional  

Bailey recently had her first child, a baby boy named Halo; Long wanted to know what she’s learning now when trying to keep a personal and professional balance.

"I feel like I've reached this new level of maturity," Bailey said. "Especially being a mother now, which is so crazy to say! But I feel Like I've learned how to balance it by shutting the world out. That's the first thing. I have to shut out the opinions of other people when it comes to social media, Twitter, Instagram, I just have to not read anything, I have to turn it off…"

Motherhood has opened a new "can of worms" for Bailey. "You see, really, your heart in your hands in this beautiful being. So I feel like I have such a greater purpose and so much more to do for him, and so much more that I want him to be able to experience," she said. "So it gives me a new motivation and drive and passion for myself, for my family, for my life, for everything."

Find An Anchor In Artistry

Since Bailey’s career was kickstarted by YouTube success, Long asked what advice Bailey has for aspiring artists when it comes to making content and using social media today.

"I would say for anybody who is trying to start out and be in this confusing industry where the world of social media is crazy now — you have so many things to think about as an artist," Bailey said. "What I try to do for myself is block out all of those things and take it back to being in the garage with my pen and pad and writing out my true thoughts and my love for music. That’s what I stand on."

Bailey also encouraged the audience to have a realistic view of their work — something the veil of social media can make challenging.

"All of the glitz and glam is cool in this industry," she added, "but you know when you start working in it, it's very up and down. There’s a lot of 'nos'...but if you anchor yourself with your love for your artistry, that is what matters the most."

Things change every day, Bailey continued, "but if you find that love for what your passion is then you just stick to that. So remain open to being who you are and remembering why you started."

Ignore The Haters

Bailey admitted that mean comments on social media can really hurt and make her pull away, but she has learned to ignore the noise and focus on her music.

"I just ignore, ignore, ignore," Bailey said. "If somebody says something I don’t like, I don’t want to hear it. I don’t listen. I just have to say to myself, ‘Thank you, I respect and appreciate your opinion, but I agree to disagree.’ And I’m going to show you otherwise."

"That’s actually great advice," Long replied. "You not only have to say that, but you have to distance yourself because — what we were talking about in the beginning, leading through osmosis — you can also take on negativity through osmosis as well. So if you allow yourself to continuously be eroded by other people’s perception of who they think you should be versus how you see yourself, that's very dangerous."

After the Masterclass concluded, Bailey surprised the audience with a lovely live performance of "Angel," her first solo single that’s been nominated for Best R&B Song this year. Tune in to the GRAMMY Awards on Sun. Feb. 4 to see if she wins!

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'

While Atlanta continues its reign as one of the hip-hop capitals of the world, its creative and music communities want the globe to understand that its music scene is more than just sections in the club with bottle service, beats and rhymes.

So for the Recording Academy's Atlanta Chapter Nominee Celebration at The Loft in midtown Atlanta on Jan. 25, the intimate live music venue showcased a range of talent. The soul-stirring performances stuck to attendees' ribs like the shrimp and chicken sausage etouffee that "New Soul Kitchen" host Jernard Wells was serving in the back.

It was on and poppin’ once Senior Executive Director Michele Caplinger and Atlanta Chapter President Henny Tha Bizness welcomed members and their guests. DJ Willy Wow!, whose Hip Hope For Kids! is nominated at the 2024 GRAMMYs for Best Children’s Album, was spinning tunes while Chapter Secretary Mara Davis warmed up the crowd as emcee. A wall featuring all of this year’s Atlanta-based nominees displayed ATL's diverse array of talent.

Killer Mike hit the stage dressed in all-white denim with a wooden pulpit to spit a few scriptures from his three-time GRAMMY-nominated magnum opus, MICHAEL. Backed by the gospel harmonies of the five-member vocal ensemble Mighty Midnight Revival and Trackstar the DJ working the turntables, Mike encouraged the audience to put their phones away and just vibe to the music.

The majority of the audience complied. The rapper and businessman opened with "Motherless" while a headshot of his late mother, Denise, sat on an easel flanked with white flowers. He landed into "Shed Tears" and "NRich" before taking the crowd six miles west in his old school Chevy to his old stomping ground, Adamsville, for "Exit 9" and closing with his movement "Scientists and Engineers."

"Atlanta made the best hip-hop album of 2023," Mike told the crowd.

Muni Long appeared in a sheer gown that resembles a Ciroc bottle’s color schemes to deliver her tender R&B ballads "Made For Me" and "Hrs and Hrs" with a vocal delivery sweeter than the Sweet Cheats cookies shaped like a GRAMMY.

"This was amazing," said Long, who took home a golden gramophone for Best R&B Performance for "Hrs & Hrs" in 2023. "It’s always an honor to be recognized by your peers. I had no idea that that record was going to do what it did. I’m forever grateful and can hopefully do it again."

Muni Long ┃Derek White/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Alt-pop artist Forrest Isn’t Dead came with melodic pop meshed with alternative rock that blurs between something out of CBGBs and The 40 Watt Club. The quartet turned up the amps and got the crowd on its feet with "Born or Made," "Here We Are," and "The Light."

"My happiness is to be able to get up on that stage, make the music, and try to help people through whatever they’re going through with the words that I share from my own life," Forrest Isn’t Dead frontman Forrest Kleindienst said.

Sibling foursome The BoykinZ threw some country twang, ‘50s girl group harmonies and 808 claps together to give hoedowns a trunk rattling makeover. The sisters threw on some pink, cowboy hats and studded denim costumes for a cool cover of TLC’s "Waterfalls" featuring "Mama" Jan Smith on guitar.

Rudy Currence posted up in black leather behind a Nord Stage 3 keyboard for some gospel-flavored soul: taking the audience back to his daddy’s Rock Hill, S.C. church as he covers Donny Hathaway’s "A Song For You" and Gnarls Barkley’s "Crazy."

Recording Academy Chair of the Board of Trustees Tammy Hurt considered the evening’s performances to be perfect precursor for the diverse musical acts that will hit the stages during GRAMMY Week.

"It’s great to be home and see these amazing artists from this city being celebrated," Hurt said. "Music brings us together, and events like tonight are a prime example of what it means to be a part of a community."

Several local and state representatives also pulled up to join in on the fun and recognize how important the music business is to Atlanta and the state of Georgia.

"We export music all around the world, so this is what we do," said State Senator Sonya Halpern. "Atlanta is a place where you can do music, be successful at it, and we want to help grow more people to be part of the industry and understand all of the opportunities."

"I’m a creative legislator, and you have to be in this day and age," said artist-turned-State Representative Inga Willis. "The pipelines are what are fueling the music industry as a whole. Atlanta music influences everything. We define sounds and genres while reshifting and recreating, and we’re the business."

The Atlanta Chapter’s executive team expressed confidence that each act and the vibe of the night left attendees pleased with an evening they will never forget.

"People don’t really understand how diverse the Atlanta community is," Tha Bizness said. "We have a strong hip-hop, R&B, country, bluegrass, rock and a great DJ scene all within an amazing community. When you bring all of that together, allow the drinks to flow, the food to be great, and the people should be energized, you’ll have an electrifying night."

2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List

The Atlanta Chapter's celebration was sponsored by Sean O'Keefe Enterprises, The MLC and City National Bank.

Since the start of her career, four-time GRAMMY winner Lizzo has been making music that radiates positive energy. Her Record Of The Year win for "About Damn Time" at the 2023 GRAMMYs proved that being true to yourself and kind to one another always wins.

Travel back to revisit the moment Lizzo won her award in the coveted category in this episode of GRAMMY Rewind. 

"Um, huh?" Lizzo exclaimed at the start of her acceptance speech. "Let me tell you something. Me and Adele are having a good time, just enjoying ourselves and rooting for our friends. So, this is an amazing night. This is so unexpected."

Lizzo kicked off her GRAMMY acceptance speech by acknowledging Prince's influence on her sound. "When we lost Prince, I decided to dedicate my life to making positive music," she said. "This was at a time when positive music and feel-good music wasn't mainstream at that point and I felt very misunderstood. I felt on the outside looking in. But I stayed true to myself because I wanted to make the world a better place so I had to be that change."

As tracks like "Good as Hell" and "Truth Hurts" scaled the charts, she noticed more body positivity and self-love anthems from other artists. "I'm just so proud to be a part of it," she cheered.

Most importantly, Lizzo credited staying true to herself despite the pushback for her win. "I promise that you will attract people in your life who believe in you and support you," she said in front of a tearful audience that included Beyoncé and Taylor Swift in standing ovation, before giving a shout-out to her team, family, partner and producers on the record, Blake Slatkin and Ricky Reed. 

Watch the video above for Lizzo's complete acceptance speech for Record Of The Year at the 2023 GRAMMYs. Check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of GRAMMY Rewind, and be sure to 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).

10 Must-See Moments From The 2023 GRAMMYs