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The forthcoming Grammy Awards are set to be a celebration of female musical talent, with SZA leading the nominations. Garnering nine nods, she stands at the forefront of a nominations list dominated by women, including notable figures such as Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish. The event, scheduled for February 4, 2024, in Los Angeles, is likely to see strong competition from Olivia Rodrigo, Phoebe Bridgers and the indie rock supergroup Boygenius.
It will be a woman’s world at the upcoming Grammys, with SZA scooping the most chances for gold ahead of the star-studded music gala. The soundtrack from the film Barbie, which includes contributions from main women artists, is also predicted to achieve significant recognition. SZA, known for her unique R&B style and storytelling in her albums Ctrl (2017) and SOS (2022), has received widespread acclaim and is a frontrunner across various categories. Phoebe Bridgers, a member of Boygenius alongside Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus, has individually secured seven nominations, while the group collectively garnered six. Billie Eilish, previously a Grammy winner, is in contention for six awards, primarily for her contributions to Greta Gerwig’s Barbie film soundtrack, which overall has eleven nominations.
Olivia Rodrigo, a past recipient of three Grammys, is up for six awards this year. Renowned producer Jack Antonoff has also been nominated six times for his collaborations with artists like Swift and Lana Del Rey. Taylor Swift’s album Midnights, if victorious in the Album of the Year category, would mark a record-setting fourth win for her in this prestigious category.
In contrast, Jon Batiste is the only male nominee for Record and Album of the Year. Other artists such as Miley Cyrus, Brandy Clark and engineer Serban Ghenea have received multiple nominations. Rising R&B artist Victoria Monet is a strong contender in the Record of the Year and Best New Artist categories. Industry predictions favor Ice Spice for the Best New Artist award, following a year of significant achievements and collaborations.
Janelle Monae has secured her second Album of the Year nomination for The Age of Pleasure. Rihanna’s work on the Black Panther sequel has also been recognized. The Best Visual Media category is expected to be competitive, featuring songs from the Barbie movie performed by artists like Eilish, Nicki Minaj, Dua Lipa and Ryan Gosling.
Senator Bernie Sanders has been nominated in the audiobook and narration category for his reading of It’s OK to Be Angry About Capitalism, competing against figures like Michelle Obama and Meryl Streep. The Rolling Stones and Foo Fighters have received nominations in the rock categories, with Boygenius also being a notable contender.
With AFP.
