Posts tagged with "sza"

DJ KHALED – GOD DID

GLOBAL ICON DJ KHALED NOMINATED FOR SIX 2023 GRAMMY® AWARDS

IN TOP CATEGORIES SUCH AS “BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR,” “BEST RAP ALBUM,” & MORE

NEW ALBUM GOD DID OUT NOW

Another one! Global mega-star DJ Khaled has once again risen to the top of the game with six nominations at the 2023 GRAMMY® Awards. He has earned a total of 10 nominations throughout his career to date. The 2023 GRAMMY® Awards airs live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA on February 5! He has also notably tied Future for most rap category nominations this year.

Leading across categories, he picked up three nods for “GOD DID” [feat. JAY-Z, Fridayy, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, & John Legend], including “Song of the Year,” “Best Rap Song,” and “Best Rap Performance.” His most lauded work to date, GOD DID, also snags a nomination for “Best Rap Album.” He scored a nod in the category “Best Melodic Rap Performance” for “Beautiful” [feat. SZA & Future]. Plus, he emerges in the biggest category of the night, garnering a nomination for “Best Album of the Year” for his contribution to Mary J Blige’s Good Morning Gorgeous [Deluxe].

Stay tuned for more from DJ Khaled as always!

Earlier this year, Khaled captured #1 on the Billboard Top 200 with his thirteenth full-length studio album, GOD DID [We The Best Music Group/Epic Records]. It stood out as his fourth career #1 debut on the Top 200 and fifth straight #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart.

Get GOD DID—HERE.

The album has arrived as a cultural milestone in its own right. Stretching past the eight-minute mark, the title track “GOD DID” [feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend, & Fridayy] has sparked an important conversation. As part of a special report for MSNBC, Ari Melber host of The Beat broke down JAY-Z’s four-minute verse as a cogent and cohesive analysis on the failures of the prolonged generational drug war framed through the icon’s own journey embodied in the rhyme, “cocaína into champagne.“ However, it didn’t stop there. Khaled, JAY-Z, Melber, and journalist Rob Markman engaged in this discourse publicly on Twitter Spaces. JAY-Z went one step further and uploaded Melber’s initial report as “HOV DID” on all streaming platforms. Rolling Stone and People have chronicled this chain of events, and the conversation continues. However, it all started on “GOD DID.”

Meanwhile, “Use This Gospel (Remix) [feat. Kanye West, Emimen (prod. by Dr. Dre & The ICU)] bowed at #1 on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs Chart and Hot Christian Songs Chart—Khaled’s first #1 entries on the respective charts. Additionally, he notched 10 entries on the Billboard Hot 100, including “God Did” at #17, “Staying Alive,” which is now RIAA Certified Gold, at #21 (Greatest Gainer/Streaming), “Beautiful” at #29, “Big Time” at #31, “Use This Gospel (Remix)”at #49, “Juice WRLD Did” at #55, “Keep Going” at #57 “Party” at #66, “It Ain’t Safe” at #77 “No Secret” at #78 and “Let’s Pray” at #86.

Beyond posting up over 800 million cumulative streams and views, GOD DID finds Khaled everywhere. GQ spoke to him as part of an in-depth profile and proclaimed, “Sixteen years after his star-studded debut, 2006’s Listennn… the Album, many of its same guests showed up for God Did, and getting these now-giants to answer the call today is even more of an impressive feat.” Meanwhile, Elliott Wilson and Brian “B.Dot” Miller of Rap Radar chatted with him for an all-encompassing podcast. Plus, he took the stage at the MTV VMA to present the award for “Best Collaboration” to Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow for “Industry Baby.”

He celebrated the rollout with an unprecedented deluge of videos, including, “Big Time” [feat. Future & Lil Baby], “It Ain’t Safe”[feat. Nardo Wick & Kodak Black],“Party All The Time”[feat. Quavo & Takeoff], “These Streets Know My Name”[feat. Skillibeng, Buju Banton, Capleton, Bounty Killer, & Sizzla], “Keep Going” [feat. Lil Durk, 21 Savage, & Roddy Ricch], “Beautiful” [feat. SZA & Future], “Way Past Luck” [feat. 21 Savage], and “Jadakiss Interlude” [feat. Jadakiss].

Delivering the hip-hop event of the summer, he welcomed an A-list cohort of friends to join him for his latest magnum opus. For the first time ever, he collaborates with none other than Dr. Dre and The ICU in addition to joining forces with Eminem, Future, Kanye West, SZA, 21 Savage, Lil Wayne, Lil Durk, Roddy Ricch, Travis Scott, Latto, City Girls, Kodak Black, Quavo, Takeoff, Gunna, Bounty Killer, Sizzla, Buju Banton, Skillibeng, Capelton, Fridayy, Don Toliver, Jadakiss, Nardo Wick, Vory, John Legend, and the late Juice WRLD. Of course, he also reunites with longtime brothers Drake, JAY-Z, and Rick Ross, while his sons Asahd and Aalam guest and co-Executive Produce once more. Check out the full tracklisting below.

He notably set the stage for the album with “Staying Alive” [feat. Drake & Lil Baby]. It has already amassed over 185 Million audio streams and 50M views for the music video. Plus, it bowed at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, holding strong on the chart.

The anthem king has returned with GOD DID, and he delivers his biggest, boldest, and best body of work to date.

Last year, Khaled unleashed his twelfth full-length album, KHALEDKHALED [We The Best Music Group/Epic Records]. It arrived as his third #1 debut on the Billboard Top 200, sixth #1 on the Top Rap Albums Chart, and fourth #1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart. It also reached platinum status.

Two words say it all, GOD DID.

SAVANNAH RÉ – ABOUT U

SAVANNAH RÉ, AWARD-WINNING R&B SENSATION, ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE “ABOUT U” OUT JULY 22: PRE SAVE HERE.

2021 & 2022 JUNO Award winner of Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year and three-time JUNO Award Nominee Savannah Ré has become the one to watch in Canadian R&B. By making music with the unyielding intention to craft songs that forfeit polished stories for authentic ones, the Toronto artist has become the go-to collaborator for R&B upper echelon having written with artists like Babyface, Jessie Reyez, Normani, Wondagurl and her mentor, Grammy Award-winning producer Boi-1da. Savannah Ré’s critically-lauded debut EP Opia earned her shoutouts from the likes of SZA and Timbaland and multiple award nominations including a place in music history as the first artist to ever be nominated for both the Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year and the Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year JUNO Awards as well as the first artist to ever receive the Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year JUNO Award. On her upcoming second body of work, Savannah holds firm in her commitment to expressing vulnerability through potent songwriting with a newfound understanding of herself. From the perspective of an ever-evolving woman brimming with confidence, clarity and drive, Savannah Ré continues to establish herself as an impactful voice in R&B.

Follow Savannah Ré:
Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Chlöe – Gyalis

Ahead of his upcoming Ty Dolla $ign assisted single “OT,” Bronx R&B sensation Capella Grey taps singer/songwriter Chlöe Bailey for the official “Shemix” to his super-smash single “Gyalis.” Listen HERE.

Originally released as an impromptu live performance via Chlöe’s Instagram, the video quickly garnered over 3 million views and became an viral hit with celebrities such as Tracee Ellis Ross, SZA, Fivio Foreign and more all demanding an official version be released.

The rich melodies and playful energy of “Gyalis” have made the song synonymous with the summer, and this new version only magnifies these feelings. “Gyalis” explores Capella’s player side and Chlöe matches that energy, offering her own risqué bars over the instrumental that samples Juvenile’s iconic “Back That Azz Up.”

FLO – Cardboard Box

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London-based girl group FLO releases the acoustic video for their buzzing single “Cardboard Box.”

Watch the acoustic video for “Cardboard Box” HERE and the official video HERE. In the video, they showcase their love for honeyed harmonies and rich emotion, fusing the classic old school R&B they still obsess over.

When British girl group FLO broke onto the music scene with “Cardboard Box,” their fearless debut single and official video that has captured the essence of a group at the helm of their music and visual identity, the world took note. Receiving love from global superstars including Missy Elliot, SZA, Victoria Monet and JoJo, with one tweet stating “the uk girl groups are coming hard,” featuring a clip of “Cardboard Box,” has led to over 3 million views.

Already receiving critical praise from, i-D, NME, Complex, and more, “Cardboard Box” is a staggering introduction to the world of FLO. The lyrics are harmonized over an immaculate MNEK production that fuses early ‘00s R&B, complete with irreplaceable-esque guitar figures and dancehall flavors. With an ethos of self-love, female empowerment and supporting women in music, FLO have already built a loyal fanbase on TikTok (over 150k followers and 4.1m likes) having been called “the future of R&B” (Complex) for their stripped back acapella sessions, giving new life to their favorite tunes with unbreakable chemistry.

FLO’s origin story speaks to their name—it flowed. Stella spent the first few years of her life in Mozambique before moving to the UK aged five, and met Renée at school in London, where they bonded over their joint love of singing and were familiar with Jorja via social media. Jorja was born in Germany and grew up in Hertfordshire and was on her own musical journey, but it was a chance meeting at an audition where they all locked eyes: “I saw the girls and we screamed across the room. I knew from that moment we were about to start something big,” says Jorja.

For the past two years FLO have honed everything from their sound to their look (“Us but elevated,” as Stella succinctly puts it), working with the likes of LOXE (Grammy-nominated, NAO), KABBA, Aston Rudi (Mahalia), newcomer Jamal Woon, and KAYTRANADA collaborator Lauren Faith. The sisterly bond within FLO runs deep, having all been raised by powerful single mothers and understanding the gravity, hustle and tenacity of picking this career path. It is clear that FLO’s natural bond is crystalline, and the life situations they are beginning to navigate have only brought them closer and stronger together. Join the story NOW of our next big homegrown girl group.

Tanisha Scott × Lizzo

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World-renowned creative director/choreographer Tanisha Scott (Rihanna, Drake) makes a very special guest appearance on Amazon Prime’s anxiously awaited new series, LIzzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, set to premiere April 14th. She teams up with legend and host Lizzo in order to uncover the best and brightest new dancers for her upcoming tour. Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls is a new unscripted series following global superstar and icon Lizzo, who is on the hunt for confident, bad-ass women to join the elite ranks of the Big Grrrls and join her world tour. With 10 hopeful women moving into the Big Grrrls House, they must prove they have what it takes to make it to the end and join Lizzo in front of a global audience on the center stage. In this search for dynamic dancers, Lizzo leans on Scott as well as fellow legendary choreographers and O.G. Big Grrrls Chawnta’ Marie Van, Shirlene Quigley, and Grace Holden, as well as several special guests, including choreographer Charm La’Donna, body movement expert Rashida KhanBey Miller, and Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter SZA. In addition to appearing in the series, Lizzo will also serve as executive producer alongside Makiah Green, Kevin Beisler, Julie Pizzi, Farnaz Farjam, Myiea Coy, Kimberly Goodman and Glenda Cox. The series is directed by Nneka Onuorah and produced by Amazon Studios, Bunim-Murray Productions and Lizzo’s production company, Lizzo Bangers. Stay tuned for more and to also see how Scott expands her influence yet again in the upcoming season of the series Legendary on HBO Max.

About Tanisha Scott

Like culture itself, Scott continues to evolve over time. She has remained not only relevant but at the forefront of the industry, with recent clients including, H.E.R., Bryson Tiller, SZA, Khalid, Daniel Caesar, Da Baby and Juice WRLD. She has been named by Billboard Magazine and Italian Vogue as one of the top 30 under 30 artists in the entertainment industry and has earned multiple MTV and Billboard Music awards and nominations. Scott’s work has been featured in various award-winning videos, including Rihanna’s “Found Love,” Cardi B’s “Money” and Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road”—which won the 2012 MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year, the 2019 VMA for “Best Hip Hop Video” and the 2020 Grammy award for “Best Music Video,” respectively. Tanisha Scott has evolved from a dancer and choreographer to an innovation-leading and industry-crossing creative director, movement coach, and artist developer. As for what’s next, Scott aspires to take her talents to Broadway. Like her idol, Debbie Allen, Scott aims to leave a legacy of innovation and storytelling through the universal language of movement and dance.

The Grammy Awards

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Sunday, April 3, the 64th Grammy Awards were held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Trevor Noah hosted the esteemed award show where looks were turned on the red carpet, performances were given and winners were crowned.

A good number of awards were bestowed before the telecast commenced, including The Best Rap Album award won by Tyler, the Creator’s Call Me If You Get Lost. The Grammy’s have had a longstanding history of opposition with hip-hop dating all the way back to 1989. A pattern of not broadcasting or platforming hip-hop has grown to be infamous with the Grammy’s, hinting as to why many artists in the genre were not in attendance and have even boycotted the show.

Of the most captivating performances of the night included Olivia Rodrigo, who walked away with a stunning three Grammy Awards by the end of the night. She took to the stage while performing her breakout 2021 hit, ‘Drivers License,’ which ultimately won the Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance.

Other noteworthy acts included Billie Eilish’s rendition of her hit ‘Happier Than Ever,’ and Lil Nas X joined by Jack Harlow to perform fan favorite ‘Industry Baby.’

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent in a pre-taped message to the Vegas showing in which he spoke on the significance of music and support for Ukraine right now. While words were spoken, John Legend took to the stage to perform “Free,” with Ukrainian artists Siuzanna Iglidan, Mika Newton and Lyuba Yakimchuck.

Zelenskyy began his speech, stating, “The war doesn’t let us choose who survives and who stays in eternal silence, […] Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded in hospitals. Even to those who can’t hear them. But the music will break through anyway.

“We defend our freedom. To live. To love. To sound. On our land, we are fighting Russia which brings horrible silence with its bombs. Fill the silence with your music. Fill it today. Tell our story. Tell the truth about the war on your social networks and TV. But not silence.”

One of the most touching moments of the night came from Jazmine Sullivan‘s superb acceptance speech as her album was named the R&B Album Grammy winner.

Sullivan spoke to the inspiration of the piece, and how the album embodied a voice for Black women, while stating, “I wrote this project to deal with my own shame and unforgiveness around decisions I made in my 20s that weren’t favorable. But what it ended up being was a safe space for Black women to tell their stories, for us to learn from each other, laugh with each other, and not be exploited at the same time. That’s what I’m most grateful for. Shoutout to all Black women who are just living their lives and being beautiful.”

We also saw Doja Cat and SZA receive their first wins for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their collaboration on “Kiss Me More.” Their acceptance speech rung more lighthearted, with both artists cracking jokes about Doja rushing to the bathroom prior to the announcement. SZA teased, “Bro, you went to the bathroom for five minutes. Are you serious?” to which Doja replied, “I have never taken such a fast piss in my whole life.”

The pair continued to thank express their gratefulness to each other and those around them, to which Doja showed emotional rawness while raving, “I like to downplay shit, but this? It’s a big deal. Thank you, everybody.“

See the full list of 2022 Grammy Award winners.

Record of the Year

“Leave the Door Open,” Silk Sonic

Album of the Year

“We Are,” Jon Batiste

Song of the Year

“Leave the Door Open,” Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II and Bruno Mars, songwriters (Silk Sonic)

Best New Artist

Olivia Rodrigo

Best Pop Solo Performance

“Drivers License,” Olivia Rodrigo

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

“Kiss Me More,” Doja Cat featuring SZA

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

“Love for Sale,” Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga

Best Pop Vocal Album

“Sour,” Olivia Rodrigo

Best Dance/Electronic Recording

“Alive,” Rüfüs Du Sol

Best Dance/Electronic Music Album

“Subconsciously,” Black Coffee

Best Alternative Music Album

“Daddy’s Home,” St. Vincent

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

“Tree Falls,” Taylor Eigsti

Best Rock Performance

“Making a Fire,” Foo Fighters

Best Metal Performance

“The Alien,” Dream Theater

Best Rock Song

“Waiting on a War,” Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear, songwriters (Foo Fighters)

Best Rock Album

“Medicine at Midnight,” Foo Fighters

Best R&B Performance

“Leave the Door Open,” Silk Sonic

“Pick Up Your Feelings,” Jazmine Sullivan

Best Traditional R&B Performance

“Fight for You,” H.E.R.

Best R&B Song

“Leave the Door Open,” Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II and Bruno Mars, songwriters (Silk Sonic)

Best Progressive R&B Album

“Table for Two,” Lucky Daye

Best Rock Album

“Medicine at Midnight,” Foo Fighters

Best R&B Performance

“Leave the Door Open,” Silk Sonic

“Pick Up Your Feelings,” Jazmine Sullivan

Best Traditional R&B Performance

“Fight for You,” H.E.R.

Best R&B Song

“Leave the Door Open,” Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II and Bruno Mars, songwriters (Silk Sonic)

Best Progressive R&B Album

“Table for Two,” Lucky Daye

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

“Younger Me,” Brothers Osborne

Best Country Song

“Cold,” Dave Cobb, J.T. Cure, Derek Mixon and Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)

Best Country Album

“Starting Over,” Chris Stapleton

Best New Age Album

“Divine Tides,” Stewart Copeland and Ricky Kej

Best Improvised Jazz Solo

“Humpty Dumpty (Set 2),” Chick Corea, soloist

Best Jazz Vocal Album

“Songwrights Apothecary Lab,” Esperanza Spalding

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

“Skyline,” Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette and Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

“For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver,” Christian McBride Big Band

Best Latin Jazz Album

“Mirror Mirror,” Eliane Elias With Chick Corea and Chucho Valdés

Best Gospel Performance/Song

“Never Lost,” CeCe Winans

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

“Believe for It,” CeCe Winans; Dwan Hill, Kyle Lee, CeCe Winans and Mitch Wong, songwriters

Best Gospel Album

“Believe for It,” CeCe Winans

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

“Old Church Basement,” Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music

Best Roots Gospel Album

“My Savior,” Carrie Underwood

Best Latin Pop Album

“Mendó,” Alex Cuba

Best Música Urbana Album

“El Último Tour Del Mundo,” Bad Bunny

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

“Origen,” Juanes

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)

“A Mis 80’s,” Vicente Fernández

Best Tropical Latin Album

“Salswing!,” Rubén Blades y Roberto Delgado & Orquesta

Best American Roots Performance

“Cry,” Jon Batiste

Best American Roots Song

“Cry,” Jon Batiste and Steve McEwan, songwriters (Jon Batiste)

Best Americana Album

“Native Sons,” Los Lobos

Best Bluegrass Album

“My Bluegrass Heart,” Béla Fleck

Best Traditional Blues Album

“I Be Trying,” Cedric Burnside

Best Contemporary Blues Album

“662,” Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Best Folk Album

“They’re Calling Me Home,” Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi

Best Regional Roots Music Album

“Kau Ka Pe’a,” Kalani Pe’a

Best Reggae Album

“Beauty in the Silence,” Soja

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

“Love for Sale,” Dae Bennett, Josh Coleman and Billy Cumella, engineers; Greg Calbi and Steve Fallone, mastering engineers (Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga)

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical

Jack Antonoff

Best Remixed Recording

“Passenger” (Mike Shinoda Remix); Mike Shinoda, remixer (Deftones); track from: “White Pony” (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

Best Global Music Performance

“Mohabbat,” Arooj Aftab

Best Global Music Album

“Mother Nature,” Angelique Kidjo

Best Children’s Music Album

“A Colorful World,” Falu

Best Spoken Word Album

“Carry On: Reflections for a New Generation From John Lewis,” Don Cheadle

Best Comedy Album

“Sincerely Louis C.K.,” Louis C.K.

Best Musical Theater Album

“The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical,” Emily Bear, producer; Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, composers/lyricists (Barlow & Bear)

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

“The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” Andra Day

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media

“The Queen’s Gambit,” Carlos Rafael Rivera, composer

“Soul,” Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, composers

Best Song Written For Visual Media

“All Eyes On Me [From Inside],” Bo Burnham, songwriter (Bo Burnham)

Best Immersive Audio Album

“Alicia,” George Massenburg and Eric Schilling, immersive mix engineers; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Ann Mincieli, immersive producer (Alicia Keys)

Best Immersive Audio Album (for 63rd Grammy Awards)

“Soundtrack of the American Soldier,” Leslie Ann Jones, immersive mix engineer; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Dan Merceruio, immersive producer (Jim R. Keene and the United States Army Field Band)

Best Engineered Album, Classical

“Chanticleer Sings Christmas,” Leslie Ann Jones, engineer (Chanticleer)

Producer of the Year, Classical

Judith Sherman

Best Orchestral Performance

“Price: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3,” Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor (Philadelphia Orchestra)

Best Opera Recording

“Glass: Akhnaten,” Karen Kamensek, conductor; J’Nai Bridges, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Zachary James and Dísella Lárusdóttir; David Frost, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)

Best Choral Performance

“Mahler: Symphony No. 8, ‘Symphony of a Thousand,’” Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Grant Gershon, Robert Istad, Fernando Malvar-Ruiz and Luke McEndarfer, chorus masters (Leah Crocetto, Mihoko Fujimura, Ryan McKinny, Erin Morley, Tamara Mumford, Simon O’Neill, Morris Robinson and Tamara Wilson; Los Angeles Philharmonic; Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, Los Angeles Master Chorale, National Children’s Chorus and Pacific Chorale)

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance

“Beethoven: Cello Sonatas – Hope Amid Tears,” Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax

Best Classical Instrumental Solo

“Alone Together,” Jennifer Koh

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album

“Mythologies,” Sangeeta Kaur and Hila Plitmann (Virginie D’Avezac De Castera, Lili Haydn, Wouter Kellerman, Nadeem Majdalany, Eru Matsumoto and Emilio D. Miler)

Best Classical Compendium

“Women Warriors – The Voices of Change,” Amy Andersson, conductor; Amy Andersson, Mark Mattson and Lolita Ritmanis, producers.

Best Contemporary Classical Composition

“Shaw: Narrow Sea,” Caroline Shaw, composer (Dawn Upshaw, Gilbert Kalish and Sō Percussion)

Best Instrumental Composition

“Eberhard,” Lyle Mays, composer (Lyle Mays)

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

“Meta Knight’s Revenge (From ‘Kirby Superstar’),” Charlie Rosen and Jake Silverman, arrangers (The 8-Bit Big Band featuring Button Masher)

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals

“To The Edge Of Longing (Edit Version),” Vince Mendoza, Arranger (Vince Mendoza, Czech National Symphony Orchestra and Julia Bullock)

Best Recording Package

“Pakelang,” Li Jheng Han and Yu, Wei, Art Directors (2nd Generation Falangao Singing Group and the Chairman Crossover Big Band)

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package

“All Things Must Pass: 50th Anniversary Edition,” Darren Evans, Dhani Harrison and Olivia Harrison, art directors (George Harrison)

Best Album Notes

“The Complete Louis Armstrong Columbia and RCA Victor Studio Sessions 1946-1966,” Ricky Riccardi, album notes writer (Louis Armstrong)

Best Historical Album

“Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967),” Patrick Milligan and Joni Mitchell, compilation producers; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer (Joni Mitchell)

Best Music Video

“Freedom,” (Jon Batiste); Alan Ferguson, video director; Alex P. Willson, video producer.

Best Music Film

“Summer of Soul,” (Various Artists); Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, video director; David Dinerstein, Robert Fyvolent and Joseph Patel, video producers.

SUMMER WALKER – NO LOVE

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The reigning queens of R&B, streaming supernova Summer Walker and chart-topper SZA, announce Grammy-winning artist Cardi B will appear on a new version for their hit single, “No Love” (LVRN/Interscope Records) coming this Friday. Summer confirmed the news on Instagram, days after she hinted at a third performer by suggesting that the single artwork represented each woman’s Zodiac birth sign. Savvy fans quickly jumped on Cardi B as the leading candidate, and the two jumped on an Instagram Live to celebrate the news in front of their combined 130 million followers. The new version, titled “No Love (Extended)” also includes a new music video to be released the same day. Pre-save “No Love (Extended)” HERE.

In its original form, “No Love” instantly lit up charts around the world upon its debut last November. The song surged to No. 1 on Apple Music’s U.S. Top 100 chart and became the first song to dethrone Adele’s long-standing champ “Easy on Me.” Plus, though it wasn’t an official single at the time, “No Love” debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 to become Summer Walker’s highest-charting hit. The collab appears on Summer’s Still Over It, which broke the record for the album for the most one-week streams ever by a female R&B artist, with 201.1 million in its debut week, and was the first R&B album by a female act to top the Billboard 200 albums chart since 2016. Those achievements, along with 18 Hot 100 hits from the project, powered Summer to be honored with the Chartbreaker Award at Billboard’s annual Women in Music celebration earlier this month.

SZA, too, is also riding high with her own hit streak. The multi-platinum singer’s “I Hate U” has jumped from a fan-favorite Soundcloud release to the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Among its feats, it entered at #1 on both Spotify and Apple Music US charts and broke the record for the most streamed R&B song by a female artist on Apple Music in its first week. In addition to that certified smash, the virtuoso also racked up two more top 10 Hot 100 hits in 2021 thanks to the 3x-platinum hit “Good Days” and by assisting Doja Cat on the summer banger, “Kiss Me More.”

The extended version reunites Cardi B musically with both ladies. She and SZA teamed up on “I Do” from Cardi’s Grammy-winning Invasion of Privacy album, while she and Summer collaborated on “Bitter,” which generated a wave of social media attention for its subject matter and the rapper’s spoken-word advice affirmations. The pairing was just one of her highlights of 2021, a year that included her landing a fifth No. 1 Hot 100 hit with “Up,” a nominee for the Grammy Award for best rap performance at next month’s ceremony. The superstar also recently secured her third RIAA-certified diamond single (“I Like It”), tying for the most by any female artist in history.

Summer Walker Still Over It Album

No Love (Extended Version)

SZA – I HATE U

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Top Dawg Entertainment’s multi-platinum selling, chart-topping and award-winning recording artist SZA, officially releases “I Hate U” today at all DSPs via TDE/RCA Records.

Produced by Rob Bisel, Carter Lang, thankgod4cody and Dylan Patrice, “I Hate U” emerged as a fan favorite after being posted on Soundcloud in August as an “experiment.”

“I Hate U” comes nearly a year after SZA released “Good Days” on Christmas 2020. Grammy-nominated for Best R&B Song, “Good Days” quickly became SZA’s greatest gainer solo single release, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and marking her first time in the chart’s top ten as the main artist.

About SZA

Born in St. Louis and raised in Maplewood, NJ, genre-defying recording artist SZA released her major label debut album Ctrl (TDE/RCA) in 2017. Revered for its raw and honest lyrics, it landed at No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B Albums chart, No. 2 on the R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart and No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart, according to Nielsen Music. The RIAA-certified 2x Platinum album received five Grammy nominations in 2018 and more than half the songs on Ctrl are now certified Platinum and Gold. Her hit song “All the Stars” with Kendrick Lamar from Black Panther: The Album, Music From and Inspired By, earned her Oscar (1) and Grammy (4) nominations in 2019. SZA has won various awards since the release of Ctrl including Billboard Music Awards’ Top R&B Female Artist, BET Awards’ Best New Artist, Soul Train Music Awards’ Best R&B/Soul Female Artist and Best New Artist, MTV Video Music Awards’ Best Visual Effects for the “All The Stars” with Kendrick Lamar and NAACP Image Awards’ Outstanding New Artist in 2018. In 2019, she won NAACP Image Awards’ Outstanding Duo or Group for “All The Stars” with Kendrick Lamar and Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation for the Black Panther Soundtrack. SZA also received Billboard’s 2019 Women in Music Rule Breaker award.

In 2020, SZA released the hypnotic track “Hit Different” featuring Ty Dolla $ign along with the stunning visual that took the internet by storm. To close out the trying year, SZA gifted fans on Christmas Day with the hopeful track “Good Days,” followed by a trippy visual released in March. Grammy-nominated for Best R&B Song, the single quickly became SZA’s greatest gainer solo single release, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and marking her first time in the chart’s top ten as the main artist. To this day, SZA continues to set the standard on creativity and break records with over 7.2 billion streams worldwide across all platforms. Ctrl remains on the Billboard 200 chart since its release in 2017 (over 207 weeks) and holds the record for the longest run for any Black female artist’s debut album.

Astroworld Festival

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By: McKinley Franklin

Popular rapper and Houston-native Travis Scott hosted the Astroworld Festival this past weekend. The festival resulted in eight fatalities and dozens injured. How did the once cherished Astroworld Festival turn so dark so fast, and how can society learn from this atrocity?

This year’s Astroworld Festival marked the third of an annual series since 2018. The festival is held in Houston, Texas, where Scott grew up. Scott’s third studio album attributes directly back to Houston, being named after a theme park from Scott’s childhood, Astroworld. Before the festival was held in 2019, Scott was given a key to the city of Houston from the city’s mayor. The rapper received the key during his Astroworld Tour while performing in Houston. While presenting Scott with the key, mayor Sylvester Turner praised him for the recognition and reputation that Scott linked with the city of Houston. During the presentation Turner also announced that Scott had inspired the city to bring back another amusement park, like the original Astroworld, to the city.

Later in 2019, the second annual Astroworld Festival was held where a prelude to the events in this past year’s festival would be showcased. Much like the most recent festival, fans stormed the venue and three people were reported to be trampled. Such patterns of seemingly aggressive behaviors have been associated with Scott in the past that date back to 2015. Two arrests of Scott have been reported for similar behaviors of prompting fans to engage in disorderly conduct(s). Both instances involved Scott encouraging fans to breach security at music festivals.

After another successful year of the festival in 2019, the annual scheduling came to a halt amidst the ongoing pandemic in 2020. With much anticipation due to the cancellation of the festival in the past year, Scott announced the third annual festival in May 2021. This year the festival would be extended to two days “due to overwhelming demand as well as rave reviews around the festival’s incredibly curated lineup.” The official lineup was not released until October 26 of 2021, a little over a week before the festival was scheduled. Popular artists in the lineup included SZA, Young Thug, 21 Savage and Lil Baby, accompanied by Travis Scott as the leading headliner of the festival. Scott promoted the festival on his socials and referred to members of the lineup as “avengers.” In the same post Scott also communicated that the festival was sold out, but he had managed to acquire more tickets so that more fans could be in attendance.

November 5, 2021, marked the beginning of what was supposed to be the two-day Astroworld Festival. Festival gates opened at 1pm this past Friday, and mayhem began shortly after. A lot of the set protocols and rules surrounding security at the festival were disregarded early before the festival commenced. Security was failing to enforce ID and coronavirus vaccination checks, as well as other rules surrounding prohibited items and general security checks. The performance areas were noticeably packed around 7pm, and the crowds only grew as Scott’s performance was approaching. A countdown started thirty minutes prior to when Scott was set to perform, and as the countdown crawled down, so did the available space for those at the venue.

When Scott finally did take the stage, the intense compressing of the crowd really took off. The squeezing of the crowds became unoccupiable as the first song in Scott’s performance began. Fans in the crowd had nowhere to move, and if there was movement it was inevitably devastating. People were falling onto the floor, piling on top of each other in some areas. Individuals began to become so crushed that they were passing out in the crowds. Fans that were close enough to the front of the stage begged security to pull them out of the crowds to safety, As the night continued, paramedics were seen amidst the masses of fans performing CPR, treating unconscious people and even carrying off lifeless bodies.

During the chaos, Scott continued his performance taking few short pauses to notify security of fans being unconscious in the crowds. Kylie Jenner, Scott’s baby mother of two, posted to social media a video of the crowds at the festival with a noticeable ambulance in the mass of people. Multiple videos and images have been posted from fans at the festival across social media platforms. Specific videos recount the fearful experiences that individuals went through, and some even recount people trying to notify security of the chaos that was occurring throughout the swarms of fans in the crowd. The festival continued, forcing over three hundred people to be treated on-site by medical personnel, dozens being hospitalized and eight individuals dead.

How did the festival turn out so gruesome? On the Astroworld Festival webpage there are clear rules, regulations and precautions written out that were to be followed. One of the main problems that resulted with this festival was the insufficient quality of security and amount of medical personnel/ supplies onsite. Fans were spotted running past security throughout the day leading to Scott’s performance. Security checks were not followed as intensely as they were publicized to be. An insufficient number of medical supplies and personnel showed cracks in the groundwork of the festival throughout the day and when Scott’s performance started.

How can festivals be prevented from tragedies like this from reoccurring? A few simple tactics can be implemented that all lead back to ensuring efficient safety of all people in attendance of a festival. To ensure a safe venue, festivals must be held at safe venues with secure layouts. Creating a reliable layout with a well-organized security team can allow for a safer and more comfortable experience for everyone. Making sure the facility and its grounds have been well-inspected, kept and prepared for the festival are key elements to a safe experience. A well-managed and prepared security team and plan for the facility of an event can also ensure a safer experience for a festival.

SAM SMITH × SUMMER WALKER – YOU WILL BE FOUND

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FROM DEAR EVAN HANSEN (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK) OUT TODAY

UNIVERSAL PICTURES TO RELEASE DEAR EVAN HANSEN IN THEATERS NATIONWIDE ON SEPTEMBER 24

Multi-platinum, GRAMMY® Award, BRIT, Golden Globe and Oscar- winning artist and songwriter Sam Smith and acclaimed Soul Train, iHeart Music, ASCAP and Billboard Award winning R&B singer/songwriter Summer Walker release their version of “You Will Be Found,” the next song to be unveiled from the DEAR EVAN HANSEN (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK), today. Dear Evan Hansen (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) will be released September 24 through Interscope Records. Listen to “You Will Be Found” Sam Smith featuring Summer Walker HERE.

Last month, Universal Pictures & Interscope Records unveiled new renditions of the film’s iconic anthems “Waving Through A Window” and “You Will Be Found” performed by Tony^®, Grammy^® and Emmy^®winner Ben Platt, who originated the role of Evan Hansen on Broadway and reprises the role for the film. Other songs that have been released from the soundtrack include Carrie Underwood and Dan +Shay’sversion of “Only Us” and a brand-new song written specifically for the Universal Pictures release, “The Anonymous Ones,” written by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Amandla Stenberg. A co-star in the movie, Stenberg’s performance of the song as featured in the film was released last week along with a version by SZA.

The full lineup of artists has been revealed for the soundtrack, including Sam Smithwith Summer Walker, SZA, Carrie Underwood and Dan + Shay, FINNEAS and Tori Kelly. Plus, the 16-track album features new recordings by the film cast of these beloved songs with music and lyrics by the Oscar^®, Grammy^®, and Tony^®winning songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman). Among the new songs, the Soundtrack also includes “A Little Closer” performed by Colton Ryan and “The Anonymous Ones” performed by Amandla Stenberg, who wrote the lyrics and music with Pasek and Paul. FINNEAS and SZA add their renditions of these originals to the soundtrack.

Pre-order the Dear Evan Hansen: (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). —HERE.

The film premiered last week at the Toronto International Film Festival and Universal Pictures will release Dear Evan Hansen in theaters nationwide on September 24^th.

Dear Evan Hansen opened on Broadway in December 2016 and became a generation-defining phenomenon, winning six Tony Awards, including for Best Musical and for Ben Platt as Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. The show’s cast album would go on to earn a Grammy^®. Now, in the film, Ben Platt returns as Evan Hansen, an anxious, isolated high schooler aching for understanding and belonging amid the chaos and cruelty of the social-media age.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being A Wallflower, Wonder), the film is written for the screen by the show’s Tony^® winner Steven Levenson with music and lyrics by Pasek & Paul. Dear Evan Hansen stars six-time Oscar^®nominee Amy Adams, Oscar^® winner Julianne Moore, Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart), Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give), Colton Ryan (Little Voice), Nik Dodani (Atypical) and Danny Pino (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit).

The film is produced by Marc Platt (La La Land, Into the Woods, Mary Poppins Returns) and Adam Siegel (2 Guns, Drive), and is executive produced by Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Michael Bederman and Stacey Mindich.

Tracklist:

Waving Through A Window – Ben Platt & Dear Evan Hansen Choir
For Forever – Ben Platt
Sincerely Me – Colton Ryan, Ben Platt & Nik Dodani
Requiem – Kaitlyn Dever, Danny Pino & Amy Adams
If I Could Tell Her – Ben Platt & Kaitlyn Dever
The Anonymous Ones – Amandla Stenberg
You Will Be Found – Ben Platt, Amandla Stenberg, Liz Kate, DeMarius Copes, Isaac Powell, Hadiya Eshe’, Kaitlyn Dever & Dear Evan Hansen Choir
Only Us – Kaitlyn Dever & Ben Platt
Words Fail – Ben Platt
So Big / So Small – Julianne Moore
A Little Closer – Colton Ryan
You Will Be Found – Sam Smith feat. Summer Walker
The Anonymous Ones – SZA
Only Us – Carrie Underwood & Dan + Shay
A Little Closer – FINNEAS
Waving Through A Window – Tori Kelly

About Sam Smith:

Sam Smith has become one of the most celebrated artists to emerge on the music scene in recent history. Smith’s critically acclaimed latest album Love Goes, out now on Capitol Records, builds on the 30+ billion career streams they have amassed and the global success of their multi-Platinum debut and sophomore albums, In the Lonely Hour and The Thrill of It All, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and also topped the charts in the U.K., Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and Belgium. Awarded four stars by Rolling Stone, the album included the hit single “Too Good At Goodbyes” which along with Smith’s songs “I’m Not The Only One” and “Stay With Me,” have each received over a billion streams on Spotify alone. Smith has sold over 30 million adjusted albums worldwide and won GRAMMY, BRIT, Golden Globe and Oscar awards.

About Sumer Walker:

Atlanta based singer/songwriter Summer Walker’s 2019 debut album, Over It, contains the platinum-certified single “Come Thru” and the 2x platinum hit single “Playing Games.” Her acclaimed effort helped her win Soul Train Music Awards in 2019 and 2020 for Best New Artist and Album of the Year, respectively. In 2020, she won an iHeart Music Award for Best New R&B Artist and Top R&B Female Artist for Billboard that same year. “Come Thru” and “Playing Games” also helped Walker win several ASCAP Awards as well. Last year, she graced several illustrious magazine covers, including Rolling Stone’s Musicians on Musicians issue, and Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players issue. She recently launched her new imprint Ghetto Earth Records in a joint venture with Interscope Records last December. Summer is currently putting the finishing touches on her second album.

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FROM DEAR EVAN HANSEN (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK) OUT TODAY

UNIVERSAL PICTURES TO RELEASE DEAR EVAN HANSEN IN THEATERS NATIONWIDE ON SEPTEMBER 24

About Sam Smith:

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