meta-scriptMeet This Year's Best New Artist Nominees | 2021 GRAMMYs | GRAMMY.com
searchsearch
Meet This Year's Best New Artist Nominees | 2021 GRAMMYs

news

Meet This Year's Best New Artist Nominees | 2021 GRAMMYs

Ingrid Andress, Phoebe Bridgers, Chika, Noah Cyrus, D Smoke, Doja Cat, Kaytranada and Megan Thee Stallion are the nominees for the prestigious Best New Artist category

GRAMMYs/Nov 24, 2020 - 10:43 pm

The 2021 GRAMMYs are just around the corner, and now the nominations are in for the coveted honor of Best New Artist. While we'll have to wait until the 63rd GRAMMY Awards air on CBS on Sunday, March 14, to find out who will win, let's take a quick look at which rising stars have been nominated for one of them most anticipated awards of the ceremony.

Ingrid Andress

This Midwestern country-pop upstart has risen to prominence quickly in the few years she's been active. After graduating from Berklee College Of Music, where she founded the a capella group Pitch Slapped, Andress nabbed a mentorship with pop songwriter Kara DioGuardi. From there, Andress wrote songs for heavy hitters like Sam Hunt and Alicia Keys before launching a solo career. Her Platinum-selling debut single "More Hearts Than Mine" debuted at number 59 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, and, in March of this year, she released her first album, Lady Like, which she co-wrote and co-produced.

Phoebe Bridgers

Indie-pop hero Phoebe Bridgers has enjoyed a hugely successful year with the release of her critically acclaimed sophomore album, Punisher. A widely sought-after collaborator, Bridgers has popped up on songs with the National, Fiona Apple, the 1975, Maggie Rogers and more. You may have also seen her performing with Conor Oberst in Better Oblivion Community Center and in the supergroup boygenius with Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus. 

Reflecting on the meaning behind her album's title with GRAMMY.com earlier in the year, Bridgers said, "A Punisher is someone who doesn't know when to stop talking. I think of like, older relatives who are talking about, like their hip replacement or something. They just don't know when you're disinterested. And I think we've all been that, like, to our heroes. So, in this context, I'm punishing someone. You know, like, you get cornered at the bar by the friend that the person you were hitting on. That's a punisher."

Chika

This 23-year-old Nigerian-American rapper (born Jane Chika Oranika) got her start writing and performing slam poetry ever since she was young. After dropping out of the University of Southern Alabama to focus on her music, she's steadily carved out a lane of her own as a "professional truth-teller" with "a pen that's tactical." Releasing her debut single "No Squares" in spring of 2019, Chika has two EPs—Full Bloom // A Poetry EP and Industry Games—and is a member of XXL's 2020 Freshman Class. 

"Kids are listening," she told GRAMMY.com earlier in the year. "We can actually provide ways for them to cope with the things that we're talking about, and stop romanticizing all the negative things… Let's feed the soul instead of just destroying it and finding company for this misery, you know what I mean? That's what I think we can do as a unit, just uplift people. If there are bad things, try to find ways to speak about it in the right way."

Noah Cyrus

At just 20 years old, Noah Cyrus comes from a long line of pop royalty, starting with her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus and big sister Miley. Don't underestimate her, though: Cyrus has already more than proved her abilities, having opened up for Katy Perry's 2017 Witness tour and collabing with DJs Marshmello and Ookay ("Chasing Colors"). More recently, Cyrus released her second EP, The End Of Everything, and a cover of Mac Miller's "Dunno."  

"Getting over the questions about Miley, and pushing pride aside [were challenges]," she admitted to GRAMMY.com back in 2017. "Not that I don't want to talk about [Miley], because I love her! But that was kinda the time where I had to accept it, and not let it bother me, because that's what comes with it."

D Smoke

Inglewood rapper D Smoke, whom some might recognize as the brother to Top Dawg Entertainment signee SiR, popped up last year as the winner of Netflix's "Rhythm & Flow." Later in 2019, D Smoke released his debut EP, Inglewood High. Since then, he's dropped his second studio album—which came 14 years after the first, 2006's Producer Of The YearBlack Habits.

Doja Cat

Doja's explosive career still feels very new thanks to viral TikTok hits like "Say So" and "Like That," but truthfully her journey has been a few years in the making. Dropping out of high school in Los Angeles at 16 and uploading tracks to SoundCloud, Doja taught herself to sing, and create beats and produce music videos, among other things. Today, she's collabed with Nicki Minaj on a "Say So" remix, and her sophomore album Hot Pink (2019) features guest appearances from Smino, Tyga and Gucci Mane. 

Kaytranada

Haitian-Canadian producer Kaytranada has been in the producing game for a long time now, having worked on tracks for everyone from Anderson .Paak to Chance the Rapper and Alicia Keys. In 2019, he released sophomore solo album BUBBA, which featured top-shelf collabs from Pharrell Williams, Tinashe, GoldLink, SiR and Kali Uchis. 

"You know, I'm a really lonely guy," he reflected to GQ earlier this year. "I don't have a lot of friends. And I'm fine with that 'cause that's who I am. I've always been this loner guy. And I never liked being on teams. That's why I have a lot of problems collaborating with [other] producers, personally."

Megan Thee Stallion

If anyone has had a wild last few years, its this Houston rapper. Not only did get everybody saying "Hot Girl Summer" in 2019, 2020 was the year of "WAP," an expletive-filled banger sung jointly with GRAMMY winner Cardi B. It's also not every day that Queen Bey herself wants to remix with you (see: the duo's "Savage" revamp).

She's recently released her long-awaited debut album, Good News, and has been named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME Magazine. Who knows where she'll go next?

2021 GRAMMYs: Complete Nominees List

GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016
Kendrick Lamar

Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

video

GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016

Upon winning the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for 'To Pimp a Butterfly,' Kendrick Lamar thanked those that helped him get to the stage, and the artists that blazed the trail for him.

GRAMMYs/Oct 13, 2023 - 06:01 pm

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!

He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

10 Essential Facts To Know About GRAMMY-Winning Rapper J. Cole

The Recording Academy And CBS Announce “A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop” Live Concert Special Featuring Performances By Common, LL COOL J, Queen Latifah, Questlove, De La Soul, Remy Ma & More; Airing Dec. 10
“A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop” airs Sunday, Dec. 10, at 8:30 – 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on the CBS Television Network and streams live and on demand on Paramount+

Image courtesy of the Recording Academy

news

The Recording Academy And CBS Announce “A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop” Live Concert Special Featuring Performances By Common, LL COOL J, Queen Latifah, Questlove, De La Soul, Remy Ma & More; Airing Dec. 10

The star-studded tribute will take place Wednesday, Nov. 8, at YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California. Tickets are on sale now; the live concert special will air on Sunday, Dec. 10, on CBS and Paramount+.

GRAMMYs/Oct 13, 2023 - 01:59 pm

Updated Friday, Oct. 27, and Wednesday, Nov. 8, to include information about newly announced performers.

The Recording Academy, Jesse Collins Entertainment and CBS have announced “A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop,” a once-in-a-lifetime live concert special celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. Airing Sunday, Dec. 10, at 8:30 – 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on the CBS Television Network and streaming live and on demand on Paramount+, the two-hour tribute special will feature exclusive performances from hip-hop legends and GRAMMY-winning artists including Black Thought, Bun B, Common, De La Soul, Jermaine Dupri, J.J. Fad, Talib Kweli, The Lady Of Rage, LL COOL J, MC Sha-Rock, Monie Love, The Pharcyde, Queen Latifah, Questlove, Rakim, Remy Ma, Uncle Luke, and Yo-Yo. Newly announced performers include rap icons and next-gen hip-hop superstars 2 Chainz, T.I., Gunna, Too $hort, Latto, E-40, Big Daddy Kane, GloRilla, Juvenile, Three 6 Mafia, Cypress Hill, Jeezy, DJ Quik, MC Lyte, Roxanne Shanté, Warren G, YG, Digable Planets, Arrested Development, Spinderella, Black Sheep, and Luniz

Read More: 50 Artists Who Changed Rap: Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Nicki Minaj, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem & More

The “A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop” live concert will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 8, at YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California. The concert will then air on Sunday, Dec. 10, as a live concert TV special celebrating the profound history and monumental cultural impact that hip-hop has made around the world.

The “A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop” live concert is open to the public. Tickets are on sale now.

Full concert details are below:

Concert:
Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023 (tonight)
Doors: 6 p.m. PT
Concert: 7 p.m. PT          

Venue:
YouTube Theater
1011 Stadium Dr.
Inglewood, CA 90305

Full List Of Confirmed Performers:

2 CHAINZ

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

BIG DADDY KANE

BLAQBONEZ

BLACK SHEEP

BLACK THOUGHT

BOOSIE BADAZZ

BUN B

COMMON

CYPRESS HILL

D-NICE

DE LA SOUL

DIGABLE PLANETS

DJ DIAMOND KUTS

DJ GREG STREET

DJ QUIK

DJ TRAUMA (HOUSE DJ)

DOUG E. FRESH

E-40

GLORILLA

GUNNA

JERMAINE DUPRI

JEEZY

JJ FAD

KOOL DJ RED ALERT

LATTO

LL COOL J

LUNIZ

MC LYTE

MC SHA-ROCK

MONIE LOVE

PUBLIC ENEMY

QUEEN LATIFAH

QUESTLOVE

RAKIM

REMY MA

RICK ROSS

ROXANNE SHANTE

SPINDERELLA

TALIB KWELI

THE LADY OF RAGE

THE PHARCYDE

THREE 6 MAFIA

T.I.

TOO $HORT

TYGA

UNCLE LUKE

WARREN G

WILL SMITH & DJ JAZZY JEFF

YG

YO-YO

^Names in bold indicate newly added artists.

Purchase tickets here.

Stay tuned to GRAMMY.com for more news and updates about "A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop."

A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop is produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment. Jesse Collins, Shawn Gee, Dionne Harmon, Claudine Joseph, LL COOL J, Fatima Robinson, Jeannae Rouzan-Clay, and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson for Two One Five Entertainment serve as executive producers and Marcelo Gama as director of the special.

Hip-Hop Just Rang In 50 Years As A Genre. What Will Its Next 50 Years Look Like?

25 Semifinalists Announced For The 2024 Music Educator Award
Music Educator Award

Photo Courtesy of the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum

news

25 Semifinalists Announced For The 2024 Music Educator Award

Twenty-five music teachers, from 25 cities across 17 states, have been announced as semifinalists for the 2024 Music Educator Award, presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum. One ultimate recipient will be honored during GRAMMY Week 2024.

GRAMMYs/Oct 11, 2023 - 01:59 pm

Twenty-five music teachers have today been announced as semifinalists for the Music Educator Award, an annual award, presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, that supports and celebrates music education and music educators across the U.S. The 25 semifinalists, who hail from 25 cities across 17 states, were selected from a pool of more than 2,000 initial nominations from across all 50 U.S. states. Finalists will be announced in December, and the ultimate recipient of the 2024 Music Educator Award will be recognized during GRAMMY Week 2024, days ahead of the 2024 GRAMMYs.

Nominations for the 2025 Music Educator Award are now open.

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

Presented by the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, the Music Educator Award recognizes current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the music education field and demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. The Award is open to current U.S. music teachers. Anyone can nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators — while teachers are also able to nominate themselves; nominated teachers are notified and invited to fill out an application.

Each year, the recipient of the Music Educator Award, selected from 10 finalists, receives a $10,000 honorarium and matching grant for their school's music program. The nine additional finalists receive a $1,000 honorarium and matching grants. The remaining 15 semifinalists, among the group announced today, will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.

The Music Educator Award program, including honorariums, is made possible by the generosity and support of the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation. 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.

Read More: 5 Organizations And Scholarships Supporting Music Education

The full list of the 2024 Music Educator Award semifinalists is as follows:

Name School City State
Dawn Amthor Wallkill Senior High School Wallkill New York
Jeremy Bartunek Greenbriar School Northbrook Illinois
William Bennett Cane Bay High School Summerville South Carolina
Meg Byrne Pleasant Valley High School Bettendorf Iowa
Ernesta Chicklowski Roosevelt Elementary Tampa Florida
Michael Coelho Ipswich Middle and High School Ipswich Massachusetts
Drew Cowell Belleville East High School Belleville Illinois
Marci DeAmbrose Lincoln Southwest High School Lincoln Nebraska
Antoine  Dolberry P.S. 103x Hector Fontanez  Bronx New York 
Jasmine Fripp KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School Nashville Tennessee
J.D. Frizzell Briarcrest Christian School Eads Tennessee
Amanda Hanzlik E.O. Smith High School Storrs Connecticut
Michael Lapomardo Shrewsbury High School Shrewsbury Massachusetts
Ashleigh McDaniel Spatz Rising Starr Middle School Fayetteville Georgia
Kevin McDonald Wellesley High School Wellesley Massachusetts
Coty Raven Morris Portland State University Portland Oregon
Trevor Nicholas Senn Arts at Nicholas Senn High School Chicago Illinois
Vicki Nichols Grandview Elementary Grandview Texas
Annie Ray Annandale High School  Annandale Virginia
Bethany Robinson Noblesville High School Noblesville Indiana
Danni Schmitt Roland Park Elementary/Middle School Baltimore Maryland
Kevin Schoenbach Oswego High School Oswego Illinois
Matthew Shephard Meridian Early College High School Sanford Michigan
Alice Tsui New Bridges Elementary Brooklyn New York
Tammy Yi Chapman University Orange California

Learn more about the Music Educator Award and apply to the 2025 Music Educator Award program now.

5 Music Teachers Share The Transformative Power Of Music Education

How The Recording Academy & United Airlines Supported HBCU Students Through An Immersive GRAMMY Week Experience: "A Life-Changing Experience"
HBCU students who participated in GRAMMY Week 2023, made possible by United, the Recording Academy and the Black Music Collective

Photos: The Perfect Subject

video

How The Recording Academy & United Airlines Supported HBCU Students Through An Immersive GRAMMY Week Experience: "A Life-Changing Experience"

At the 2023 GRAMMYs, the Recording Academy, with support from United Airlines, elevated Black and Brown students attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) by providing once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for students to learn and grow.

GRAMMYs/Jun 14, 2023 - 05:59 pm

As we continue to honor Black Music Month this June, the Recording Academy is proudly producing uplifting content and inclusive programming across the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) space all month long. With support from our partners at United Airlines, the official airline partner of the GRAMMY Awards, the Academy's Black Music Collective is today celebrating Black and Brown students attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Through this partnership, now in its second year, United recently provided air transportation for a select group of HBCU students to attend professional development programming in New York, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. The immersive events across the nation and have helped propel their burgeoning careers in the music industry.

The Recording Academy, along with its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team and the Black Music Collective, culminated this past year of programming with a once-in-a-lifetime experience: Made possible by United, 10 HBCU students from across the U.S. were gifted travel to attend the 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th GRAMMY Awards, and the coinciding, week-long GRAMMY Week celebration in Los Angeles.

While in Los Angeles, these students assisted with the production of the 2nd annual Recording Academy Honors Presented By The Black Music Collective event during GRAMMY Week. They also attended the event as guests, representing their HBCUs while walking the beloved Black carpet.

To expand their learning, the students also experienced a private tour of the GRAMMY Museum, watched an industry panel featuring six-time GRAMMY-nominated singer/songwriter The-Dream, and attended the first-ever GRAMMY House event.

Below, watch the students experience the immersive GRAMMY Week 2023 program in full and hear directly from them about their HBCU education, career aspirations, and the lessons they learned from this remarkable, unique initiative.

Through this immersive experience, the students had numerous opportunities to build their network with music industry professionals and develop essential skills that bolstered their rising careers within the industry.

"Being a part of the Recording Academy, I not only know more about the industry, but have gained extended family in the process," Jasmine Gordon, a sophomore at Spelman College, said of her experience during GRAMMY Week.

"The experience has just been surreal. Being in this environment at such a young age is a life-changing experience," Jayden Potts, a freshman at Jackson State University, added.

The Recording Academy sends a heartfelt thank-you to United Airlines for their partnership and help in providing opportunities for the next generation of Black leaders and changemakers in the music industry.

Learn more about the Black Music Collective and the Recording Academy's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives.

With reporting from DeMarco White, Client Services Manager, Partnerships & Business Development at the Recording Academy.

The Recording Academy's Black Music Collective & Amazon Music Announce Recipients For The 2023 "Your Future Is Now" Scholarship