In 2023, the names of two ladies have been on everybody’s lips: Barbie, and Taylor Swift.
Both are represented on the Grammy Awards tonight.
Swift‘s music wants no introduction in fact, whereas Barbie makes the minimize due to the contributions to the movie’s soundtrack by Billie Eilish and Dua Lipa (Ryan Gosling’s I’m Just Ken sadly did not make it a hat-trick, regardless of the Oscar nod).
After cementing herself firmly as the largest pop star on the planet with the beginning of her Eras tour final yr, this yr’s Grammys ceremony might be a record-breaker for Swift.
If the star takes house the award for greatest album for Midnights she’s going to grow to be the primary artist to win the prize for a fourth time, having beforehand gained for Fearless (2010), 1989 (2016) and Folklore (2021).
Those three awards at the moment tie her with Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon, so a win this yr would make Grammys historical past.
However, regardless of being the most-nominated songwriter ever, shortlisted for tune of the yr seven occasions through the years, Swift has by no means gained in that class earlier than.
Surprising, you may assume, for a girl hailed as arguably essentially the most influential songwriter of her era. But then once more, regardless of a file 32 Grammy wins – essentially the most embellished artist ever – Beyonce has by no means gained album of the yr.
Could Anti-Hero win Swift the prize for the primary time?
The lead single from Midnights was launched in October 2022 and spent six weeks on the prime of the charts within the UK, remaining within the prime 100 songs for a yr. In the US, it topped the Billboard chart on eight weeks, main a prime 10 completely made up of Swift songs – making her the primary artist to realize the feat – when it initially charted.
At the Grammys, Anti-Hero faces competitors within the class from the likes of Eilish’s What Was I Made For? and British star Lipa’s Dance The Night, their songs from the Barbie soundtrack, in addition to Flowers by Miley Cyrus. Vampire, by Olivia Rodrigo, Kill Bill by SZA, Butterfly by Jon Batiste, and A&W by Lana Del Rey.
Swift is up for six awards in complete, additionally together with greatest pop vocal album, greatest pop solo efficiency, greatest duo or group efficiency for Karma that includes Ice Spice, and file of the yr for Anti-Hero as soon as once more.
(If you are questioning what the distinction is: file of the yr offers with a selected recording of a tune and recognises the artists, producers and engineers who contribute, whereas tune of the yr celebrates the composition and recognises the songwriters.)
But Swift is just not the highest nominee
The honour of most-nominated artists goes to various pop and RnB singer SZA, who’s up for 9 awards.
As nicely as the massive prizes already talked about, these embody (deep breath): greatest melodic rap efficiency; greatest conventional RnB efficiency; greatest progressive RnB album; greatest RnB efficiency; greatest RnB tune; and greatest pop duo/ group efficiency.
The star, whose actual title is Solana Rowe, garnered vital approval for her second album SOS, launched on the finish of 2022, and can seemingly win in a couple of of the style classes at the very least.
However, with competitors from the likes of pop power phenomenon Swift and Grammys favorite Eilish in the principle teams, a clear sweep of 9 might be unlikely.
Following intently behind SZA is Victoria Monet, with seven nods, and Eilish, Rodrigo and Cyrus all have six alongside Swift.
Who’s performing?
Alongside SZA, Burna Boy, Billie Eilish, Billy Joel, Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo and Travis Scott are set to take to the stage.
Plus, Joni Mitchell will make her Grammys performing debut and U2 will ship the first-ever broadcast efficiency from the multibillion-dollar Sphere venue in Las Vegas, the place they started a residency in September.
Who will not be performing? Swift, apparently. While she’s going to attend, the very fact the following leg of her Eras tour kicks off in Japan on Wednesday means she’s saving her power, in keeping with reviews.
And do not anticipate to see NFL star boyfriend Travis Kelce there both – he is busy making ready for one thing known as the Super Bowl, apparently, however will little doubt be tuning in to “watch her win every single award that she’s nominated for”, as he mentioned in a current podcast interview.
The ceremony will likely be hosted by Trevor Noah, and stars presenting awards embody Christina Aguilera, Samara Joy, Lenny Kravitz, Maluma, Lionel Richie, Mark Ronson, Meryl Streep, Taylor Tomlinson and Oprah Winfrey.
The putting factor in regards to the huge classes…
You may need realised that apart from Batiste, all of the artists nominated for tune of the yr are ladies. The class recognises songwriters so all collaborators, female and male, are additionally within the operating – Eilish’s brother Finneas O’Connell, for instance, and Mark Ronson as a co-writer of Dance The Night, whereas Jack Antonoff is nominated twice.as a co-writer for each Anti-Hero and A&W.
But the artists fronting the songs are predominantly feminine. The similar is true within the file of the yr group, which sees feminine indie trio boygenius and Victoria Monet up towards Swift, Cyrus, Rodrigo, Eilish and SZA. And Batiste as soon as once more representing the lads.
For album of the yr, the nominees are: Guts by Rodrigo; the file by boygenius; Midnights by Swift; SOS by SZA, The Age Of Pleasure by Janelle Monae; Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, by Lana Del Rey and Endless Summer Vacation by Cyrus. And – you have guessed it – World Music Radio by Batiste.
So until there is a main upset, the ceremony seems set to be a celebration of a yr by which feminine artists have dominated the charts and our playlists – mirrored to a lesser extent within the Brits nominations right here within the UK, the place greater than half the nominees are ladies.
Best new artist
This award is without doubt one of the huge ones, beforehand gained by Eilish, Rodrigo, Sam Smith, Adele, John Legend, Amy Winehouse and loads of different performers who went on to grow to be big stars.
In the operating this yr are:
• Jelly Roll
• The War And Treaty
• Victoria Monet
• Noah Kahan
• Coco Jones
• Ice Spice
• Fred Again
• Gracie Abrams
Noah Kahan’s Stick Season has been an enormous hit, and rapper Ice Spice can be a favorite.
Grammys reality: ought to The War And Treaty win, they’d grow to be the primary husband and spouse duo to take house the prize.
And one other one: if US rapper Jelly Roll, who’s 39, takes the prize, he’ll be the oldest solo artist to take action – taking the title from Sheryl Crow, who was 33 when she gained in 1995.
What different information might be damaged?
Well, one which undoubtedly will not is Beyonce’s. With 12 wins beneath her belt heading into the ceremony, even when Swift wins all six she’s up for her tally will stand at 18 – nonetheless a good approach to go to match Queen Bey’s 32. And SZA has gained one earlier than, so a clear sweep for her would take her to 10.
If Eilish wins file of the yr for What Was I Made For? she’s going to grow to be the one feminine artist to have gained the prize thrice – having gained beforehand for Bad Guy and Everything I Wanted – and solely the third artist in complete, matching Paul Simon and Bruno Mars.
Then there’s eight-time winner Antonoff, who this yr is up for 5 prizes in complete – together with file of the yr as a producer on Anti-Hero (as nearly all paths lead again to Swift, it appears). Should he win that one, he turns into a part of the elite Grammys membership for many who have gained all of what are thought-about the 4 main awards – file, tune, album and greatest new artist. Current members are Adele, Eilish and Christopher Cross, so it is fairly unique.
The Grammys ceremony takes place on the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, with the crimson carpet beginning at about 11pm UK time and the ceremony at 1am on Monday
Source: information.sky.com”