When he was in college, Prateek Kuhad was a huge fan of the TV show Mad Men, the 1960s-era period drama that follows advertising executive — and big-time whiskey fan — Don Draper. That's how Kuhad first got the idea to start ordering old fashioneds while he was out at bars — and now, years later, it's still his drink of choice.

"I think it's the safest thing to get at any bar. Most places make really good old fashioneds," the singer says, explaining why the drink is an especially good choice for when he's on tour.

In this episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas, Kuhad says that a little bit of liquor is an important part of his pre-show ritual. "Me and my band like to have a drink before, just to calm our nerves," he explains. "So for that, we usually have a bottle of whiskey."

Along with a nice cocktail, Kuhad also has to make sure he has some provisions to munch on during grueling tour days. "I'm all about snacks. It's the first thing that I do when I start on tour, is just hit a nice grocery store or something and get a bunch of stuff," he adds.

If your tour rider budget doesn't allow for an on-the-road bartender, you've got to pick up some drink-making skills of your own — and Kuhad has become an expert at crafting an old fashioned that would get even Don Draper's seal of approval. In the video above, Kuhad demonstrates his technique for making the perfect concoction with its core ingredients: simple syrup, Angostura bitters, an orange twist, and — of course — whiskey.

Press play to watch the singer-songwriter's complete old fashioned recipe, and keep checking GRAMMY.com for more episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.

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In 2006, John Mayer wrote "Waiting on the World to Change," feeling hopeless about the ongoing wars and society's future. Almost twenty years later, the track still finds relevancy in a world, once again, ridden by political tension.

"We see everything that's going wrong/ With the world and those who lead it/ We just feel like we don't have the means/ To rise above and beat it," Mayer croons in the opening verse. "So we keep waiting/ Waiting on the world to change."

In this episode of ReImagined, Indian singer Prateek Kuhad offers his take on Mayer's GRAMMY-winning call for peace. He remains faithful to Mayer's signature acoustic sound with a stripped-down performance, using only a guitar and a piano.

Along with Mayer, Kuhad also calls blues and folk singers Elliot Smith and Bob Dylan the primary influences on his songwriting.

Kuhad's cover comes on the heels of his latest project, Mulaqat, which was written exclusively in Hindi. In a social media post on the eve of the EP's release, Kuhad shared that the five-song collection is "stories from my life this year and are very close to my heart."

Press play on the video above to hear Prateek Kuhad's rendition of John Mayer's "Waiting on the World to Change," and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of ReImagined.

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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."

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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. 

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If there is one thing That Mexican OT will do while on tour, it's stay hydrated. But not necessarily with water — he prefers an ice-cold glass of Mexican Coca-Cola.

"This bad mama jama right here is a go-to for sure," he says in the latest episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas. "A big part of me loving this is the Mexican heritage, but it also goes down perfectly."

Compared to American Coke, he says the Mexican version has a better taste because it uses natural cane sugar and no high fructose corn syrup.

When That Mexican OT wants something healthier, he opts for cranberry juice. "It's good for your kidneys," he shares. "Those antioxidants will keep you clean and running good, baby."

In his dream world, he would love to have a giant water slide in every green room. "I'm talking about a 20 to 40-footer," he quips with a smile. "Something simple. Easy to hit those dips."

You can catch That Mexican OT live on the Lonestar Luchador Tour through the United States, which ends on Oct. 4 in Oakland, California.

Press play on the video above to learn more about That Mexican OT's two favorite drinks to have while on tour, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.

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While many artists might ask for healthy foods and tea on their tour rider, Thai-American musician DABOYWAY unapologetically requests three specific confections: red wine, Sour Patch Kids, and a cinnamon-scented candle.

"The red wine has to be from Chile," he says in the latest episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas. He doesn't care which brand it is, but as long as it's Chilean, he's happy, because it's never done him wrong.

The rapper loves Sour Patch Kids because they remind him of his childhood. "I've eaten so many Sour Patch Kids at one time that the whole side of my mouth hurts from eating all that sourness ... If anyone wants to win my heart, bring me a bag of Sour Patch Kids," he reveals.

DABOYWAY says cinnamon is hard to find in Thailand, but that makes it all the more special when he can get his hands on it. He says it reminds him of home and his favorite time of the year: football season. And he always appreciates that it makes "the room smell nice before I get on stage."

Press play to learn more about DABOYWAY's favorite items to have on tour, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.

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