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The Recording Academy has selected “Deliver,” written by Iman Jordan (performer), Roy Gartrell, Tam Jones, and Ariel Loh—as the 2025 recipient of its Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change Award. The honor will be presented at the academy’s Special Merit Awards ceremony on Saturday (Feb. 1) at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.
This is the award’s third year. In its first two years it went to “Baraye” by Shervin Hajipour and “Refugee” by K’naan, Gerald Eaton and Steve McEwan.
“Deliver,” a soulful ballad with hip-hop and rock elements, captures the challenges of today’s sociopolitical climate and the struggle to communicate and reconcile differences. As a rallying cry against war, the song calls for unity, civility and meaningful dialogue.
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The Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change Award is a CEO’s Merit Award established by the academy’s national trustees in 2022 to honor songwriters of message-driven music that speaks to the social issues of our time and has demonstrated and inspired positive global impact.
Recipient(s) are selected annually by a committee of peers dedicated to artistic expression, the craft of songwriting and the power of songs to affect social change. The award was named in honor of the late singer and actor Harry Belafonte, a powerful voice for social justice throughout his career. Belafonte, a two-time Grammy winner who received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2000, died in 2023 at age 96.
Ahead of the 67th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, the Recording Academy has also chosen the winner of its Music Educator Award presented with the Grammy Museum, and Entertainment Law Initiative Writing Contest scholarships.
Music Educator Award
Adrian L. Maclin of Cordova High School in Memphis, Tennessee is the recipient of the 2025 Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and the Grammy Museum. Maclin will also be recognized during the Special Merit Awards ceremony on Feb. 1.
The Music Educator Award recognizes current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the music education field and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. The award is open to current U.S. music teachers. Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their impact on students’ lives. They will receive a $10,000 honorarium and a matching grant for their school’s music program. Nine additional finalists will each receive a $1,000 honorarium and a matching grant. The remaining 15 semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium and a matching school grant.
The Music Educator Award program is made possible by 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. Nominations and applications for the 2026 Music Educator Award are now open via grammymusicteacher.com.
Entertainment Law Initiative Writing Contest
The Recording Academy Entertainment Law Initiative (ELI) has selected Melanie Sallis of Georgia State University/College of Law in Atlanta, Georgia as the winner of its annual ELI Writing Contest. Sallis won for her paper, “Beyond Takedowns: Expanding Music Monetization Tools to Support All Artists.”
In addition, two students were announced as runners-up: Angelina Craig of Drexel University/ Thomas R. Kline School of Law in Philadelphia, PA for “Words on Trial: The Use of Rap Lyrics as Evidence,” and Olivia McHenry of Nova Southeastern University/Shepard Broad College of Law in Fort Lauderdale, FL for “Hidden Fees and Scalpers are the Worst, So Put Fans First: Why the Fans First Act is a More Resourceful Option Over Structural Relief of Live Nation-Ticketmaster.”
The Recording Academy established the Entertainment Law Initiative in partnership with some of the nation’s most prominent entertainment attorneys to promote discussion and debate around compelling legal matters and trends in the music industry. Co-sponsored by the American Bar Association, the ELI Writing Contest challenges law students to identify and research a current legal issue in the music industry and outline a proposed solution in an essay. The winning paper is published in the ABA’s journal, Entertainment & Sports Lawyer. A $10,000 scholarship is awarded to the winner, who will also receive tickets to attend the 67th annual Grammy Awards and MusiCares Person of the Year event.
$2,500 scholarships are given to two runners-up. All three top finalists receive a mentor session with a leading entertainment attorney.
Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap have announced dates for their 2025 North American tour. The West Belfast, Northern Ireland group whose self-titled, semi-autobiographical film about their rise to fame premiered at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, will kick off the 15-show run in support of their 2024 debut album, Fine Art, with their Coachella Festival debut […]
Dr. Dre has long been one of Kendrick Lamar’s mentors, and when K. Dot clashed with Drake last year, it’s obvious what side the West Coast legend was going to be on.
Dre joined the debut episode of interview series The Unusual Suspects With Kenya Barris and Malcolm Gladwell on Thursday (Jan. 30), during which he publicly voiced his support for Lamar’s “Not Like Us” knockout blow and said he didn’t appreciate Drizzy speaking negatively on Kendrick’s family throughout the battle.
Barris brought up Kendrick’s Pop Out concert and how it made the director “feel proud to be from L.A.,” which prompted Dre to defend his mentee.
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“I love that record,” the Death Row icon said of “Not Like Us.” “I’ma say this on camera. I don’t want to get negative. My whole s–t is about being positive and moving forward and all that s–t, but the fact I heard Drake say something negative about Kendrick’s wife and his kids, that made me say, ‘Ah, adios!’”
Drake repeatedly poked at Kendrick with allegations of abusing his wife, Whitney Alford, and claims that his business pgLang partner Dave Free illegitimately fathered one of their kids on diss tracks such as “Push Ups,” “Family Matters” and “The Heart Part 6.”
“Not Like Us” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and broke the record for most weeks atop the Hot Rap Songs when it passed Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road” in October.
Dr. Dre made a special surprise appearance at Kendrick’s Pop Out concert on Juneteenth last year at the Kia Forum, where he had the honor to introduce “Not Like Us” with a simple, “Pst, I see dead people.”
Lamar will have the chance to bring “Not Like Us” to millions of households in February when he takes the stage at the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show in New Orleans.
Hosted by Barris and award-winning author Malcolm Gladwell, The Unusual Suspects debuts on Thursday, and the audio series will feature additional episodes with Jimmy Kimmel, Ava Duvernay, David Chang, Sue Bird and more as guests.
Listen to the clip of Dr. Dre talking about “Not Like Us” below.
Former One Direction band mates Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik had an unexpected reunion, sort of, during Zayn’s Stairway to the Sky show at Los Angeles’ Shrine Expo Hall on Wednesday night (Jan. 29). In video of the sweet moment caught posted by Pop Crave, Malik told the crowd, “tonight is kind of special. An […]
While the Los Angeles wildfires have all but silenced the many parties and performances that were slated to precede the Feb. 2 Grammy Awards ceremony, legendary record man Clive Davis says his annual pre-Grammy gala — which he is calling his 50th — will still take place on Feb. 1, this time for a cause greater than celebrating the music industry.
“Seeing the ongoing devastation that has been caused by the wildfires in Los Angeles, we feel strongly that the pre-Grammy gala should be a fundraising event to provide needed funds for all those affected, including many in the music community,” Davis says. “We are working closely with our longtime partners at the Recording Academy and will help support their MusiCares Los Angeles Fire Relief effort through fundraising at our event. We want to ensure that the evening will not only be a memorable night of music but will also provide impactful support for those very much in need.”
A week before Davis, 93, made the decision to convert the gala into a philanthropic event, he spoke to Billboard about its origins in 1976 and some of the more memorable experiences he’s had at his soiree — which he calls “one of the most exciting aspects of my life” — over the last five decades. One of Grammy Week’s most coveted invitations, the gathering attracts a cross-section of celebrity that in previous years has included former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Kim Kardashian, Caitlyn Jenner, Beck, Serena Williams, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Dave Grohl, St. Vincent, Quincy Jones, Clarence Avant, Dua Lipa, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and “Weird Al” Yankovic. They come to mingle and watch musical performances by an unannounced lineup of acts that have included Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Gladys Knight and Green Day, to name just a few.
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Clive Davis and Whitney Houston onstage at the 2011 event
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Davis says a documentary about the gala’s history by producers Jesse Collins and Rob Ford is in the works and will include never-before-seen footage from the event over the years.
Now that invitations have gone out, what kind of response are you getting in light of the fires?
The response is the strongest ever. But beyond that, the paramount concern is safety, health and getting out of this disaster.
Your first gala was in 1976. What led to your decision to throw a party?
I started Arista. Obviously, you can only hope that your first record goes straight to the top of the charts, and that’s what happened [with Barry Manilow’s “Mandy”]. Barry then gets two Grammy nominations. He comes to me and says, “Where’s our party? Every label has a party the night of the Grammys.” I said, “You’re right, but Barry, we just formed. At best we’ll have one table at Chasen’s.”
I thought, “I’ve got to come up with a different idea.” I decided to have our party the day before the Grammys. I invited everybody, and Stevie Wonder showed up, Elton John showed up and John Denver showed up. I said to myself, “My God, I think I’ve landed on a really compelling idea to celebrate the night before.” And that began the tradition.
Barry Manilow (left) and Clive Davis at the 2016 Pre-Grammy Gala and Salute to Industry Icons.
Lester Cohen/WireImage
The evening always includes a budding star and at least one classic performer who blows the audience away. Where did that idea come from?
In 2001, for the first time, I was going to introduce a best new artist category, and I told Alicia Keys, “I’ve got good news and bad news. I’m going to invite you to sing ‘Fallin’ ’ at my party.” This was before she broke. She said, “What could be the bad news?” I said, “Well, right before I introduce you, Angie Stone and Gladys Knight [are] singing ‘Neither One of Us,’ and I can’t let Gladys leave the stage without singing ‘Midnight Train to Georgia.’ ” I love that one of the great old-time performances will be followed by the introduction of a brand-new artist.
Will the 50th anniversary be reflected in the party?
There will be elements. We have some great performers who will show why over the 50-year period this evening is so unique.
You will present Universal Music Publishing Group chairman/CEO Jody Gerson with the Industry Icon Award. Does she choose any of the performers?
Yes, she’ll have one performer sing in her honor.
If you could only pick one favorite memory from the gala, what would it be?
At the height of Arista Records, there was a short-lived attempt to stop my earning capacity, which had been very considerable. I had to leave Arista and form J Records, which would mean I would no longer be working with Whitney Houston or Santana 30 years after signing him initially. That was the only year [2000] I had only two artists perform: Santana on the birth of Supernatural [the massive hit album Arista released in 1999] and Whitney Houston. The emotion I felt with her singing “I Believe in You and Me” and “I Will Always Love You” to me can never be duplicated.
Have you thought that 50 years is a good number to step away from the party on a high note?
We’ll deal with the future afterward. This evening is my paramount consideration.
Carlos Santana and Alicia Keys onstage at the 2005 gala.
Kevin Mazur/WireImage
La India, Alejandro Fernández and Manuel Alejandro will receive special awards at the 2025 Premio Lo Nuestro, Billboard can announce.
Recognizing her three-decade-long career, La India, known as the Princess of Salsa, will receive the Premio Lo Nuestro a La Trayectoria (Lifetime Achievement Award) for her contributions to Latin music. Mexican star Alejandro Fernández will be honored with the Premio Lo Nuestro a la Excelencia (Excellence Award) for his enduring legacy in Mexican music and beyond.
Meanwhile, Spanish composer and producer Manuel Alejandro will receive the Visionario Lo Nuestro for his six-decade career, penning over 500 songs and having worked with iconic artists like José José, Rocío Jurado and Julio Iglesias, to name a few.
All three will be honored at the awards ceremony, which will air at 8 p.m. ET Thursday, Feb. 20, via Univision, UNIMÁS, and Vix. Becky G and Carin León lead the list of nominations at this year’s Premio Lo Nuestro, taking the lead with 10 nods each. The two hitmakers are followed by Shakira and Myke Towers with nine nominations each and the eight-time nominees Ángela Aguilar, Emilia, Grupo Frontera, and Leonardo Aguilar.
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Nominations “are based on airplay on Uforia stations and take into account airtime on Univision Radio, streaming data, and evaluation by a Television Committee composed of music and entertainment industry experts,” according to a press statement. Fans can vote from January 22 to February 4 on PremioLoNuestro.com. See the complete list of nominations here.
Co-hosted by Laura Pausini, Thalia, and Alejandra Espinoza, this year’s theme is “Uniendo Generaciones” (Uniting Generations), honoring the artists, songs, and albums that connect the past, present, and future of Latin music.
Katy Perry can’t wait to hit the road this year with the whole family for her Lifetimes tour. On Wednesday night (Jan. 29) she told Jimmy Kimmel that she and fiancé Orlando Bloom will be taking their four-year-old daughter Daisy with them on her 75-date world tour, which kicks off in Mexico City on April 23.
“Now I have a four-year-old little girl and we’re going around the world and it’s going to be very different,” Perry said of her first global outing since 2017. One of the biggest changes is that instead of taking the stage around 9 or 9:30 p.m., Perry plans to take all her fellow mothers and fathers into consideration by kicking things off closer to 8:30 because she now understands that bedtime takes more than 90 minutes.
And while Daisy saw her mom perform during Perry’s Las Vegas residency, when Kimmel asked if the toddler will be singing and dancing along to Katy’s songs — or if she has a favorite — the singer admitted that her daughter’s top pick is not the one she’d prefer. “She knows a song that I don’t want her to know,” Perry said. “[It’s] called ‘Peacock.’ Again, this is my karma. I have obviously tortured people with this,” she added of the spicy track from her 2010 Teenage Dream album on which she subtly requests, “I wanna see your peacock, cock, cock/ Your peacock, cock/ Your peacock, cock, cock.”
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“I got her a peacock dress-up dress at the zoo and she just dances around and sings that song I’m just like, ‘NO!!’,” Perry said, covering her face.
The singer, dressed in a studded leather two-piece outfit, kicked the chat off with a bang after Kimmel said she seemed hyped up and “ready to go,” prompting Perry to confirm she was “ret ta go!” before busting into a the hand-jive portion of Chappell Roan’s “Hot To Go.”
“H-O-T-T,” she began, before the studio audience picked up the “G-O!” part to Perry’s delight. Kimmel then noted that the last time Perry was on his show she’d announced she was quitting American Idol after seven years to mount the Lifetimes tour. “I miss them so much though,” she said of her former desk mates, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. “Hi Luke, hi Lionel!,” she added, noting that both men still reach out to her by text and that they still talk.
“They probably started a new text chain with Carrie Underwood,” Kimmel teased about the Trump inauguration performer country star who will join the team when the 23rd season of the show kicks off on March 9 on ABC. “They probably have a new text chain, but I think it’s perfect,” Perry said.
Perry also talked about her first-ever concert, a Radiohead show at the Santa Barbara bowl when she was 13 — but looked 18. “They invited me backstage and my dad said, ‘hell no!’,” she recalled. Kimmel then cued up a clip of a show from way back where Perry did a daring stage dive, a bit she said she used to do all the time during her first road outing on the Warped Tour in 2008. “I really went for that one! I’ve never seen that clip!” she said.
The singer also plugged tonight’s (Jan. 30) Fire Aid concert to raise funds for the victims of the recent L.A. wildfires, where she’ll perform at the Intuit alongside Billie Eilish, Gracie Abrams, Lady Gaga, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma and many more.
Watch Perry on Jimmy Kimmel Live! below.
SYDNEY, Australia — Various Artists Management is now open for business in the land Down Under.
As VAM builds out its international footprint, the company establishes an office in Sydney. Leading the new affiliate is industry veteran Arwen Hunt, VAM’s head of Australia/New Zealand, with duties across the talent agency’s management, label and publishing activities. Hunt reports to CEO David Bianchi.
With the launch, VAM’s empire includes offices in London, Los Angeles and now Australia’s most populous city.
“After the successful opening of our L.A. office a few years back we decided upon further global expansions and Australia/New Zealand seemed like a logical next step, both in terms of the amount of business we have down there and its proximity and access to Asia,” comments Bianchi.
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In Hunt, VAM lands a talented international executive with a stellar CV.
Born in the U.K., Hunt entered the music industry as a 17-year-old and has soaked-up experience as an artist manager, A&R, music publisher, label manager, product manager and promoter.
“It took one meeting with Arwen to know that she was the person to run Various in Australia/New Zealand,” explains Bianchi. “Her management background with Catfish and the Bottlemen and Kate Nash was super-impressive. Mixed with her publishing background at Universal she is just perfect! We are so happy to welcome her to the global VAM Family”.
Most recently, Hunt served as vice president, creative / head of A&R for Universal Music Publishing Group Australia and New Zealand, signing and A&Ring such artists and writers such as PJ Harding, Ruel, Lime Cordiale, Idris Elba, DMA’S, Odette, Timmy Trumpet, Alex the Astronaut, Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Gang of Youths, Vera Blue, The Chats, Styalz Fuego, Hiatus Kaiyote, CW Stoneking, D.N.A. and others.
Previously, she was as an artist manager and partner at ATC London, where she guided the careers of Catfish and the Bottlemen, Kate Nash, Augustines, Half Moon Run, Black Lips (U.K. & Europe), Tegan and Sara (U.K. & Europe), and more.
“If you’re lucky enough to find your tribe in this often brutal industry, you find a way to work together. That’s exactly what happened when I first sat down with the VAM team, and now, here we are,” Hunt comments in a statement, issued Jan. 30.
VAM’s team “not only have a knack for identifying incredible musical talent,” she continues, “they’re also astonishingly adept at handpicking the right people to grow VAM and the careers of their artists and writers.”
The team culture is “one that inspires and excites me more than any other I’ve encountered in my lifelong career, and exactly what working in music should be about: a shared vision and exuberant passion and belief in the art they represent; an incessant drive to kick down doors for their artists, clearing the path for them so they can progress; a team that fights together, grows together, celebrate wins together, and inspires and supports each other.”
The VAM roster includes Tom Grennan, Good Neighbours, Melanie C, Ashnikko, The Libertines, Supergrass, La Roux and Rose Gray.
Julien Baker and TORRES are officially teaming up for a full-length collaborative album, Send a Prayer My Way, due April 18 via Matador Records.
The announcement comes just a month after the duo debuted their first single, “Sugar in the Tank,” and now, they’ve dropped another track, “Sylvia.”
The project has been years in the making, with its roots tracing back to 2016 when Baker and TORRES first played a show together. That night, the idea of making a country album was casually thrown out. Nearly a decade later, that passing comment has turned into a full-fledged record.
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The 11-track album fuses classic country storytelling with reflections on modern struggles, navigating themes of love, loss, and life on the road.
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Their latest single, “Sylvia,” carries personal weight for TORRES, who wrote the song about adopting her dog. In a statement, she recalled the moment that inspired the track: “The morning I went to pick up my dog Sylvia from an upstate shelter, I was at home making my coffee and I turned on WFMU and Dolly Parton’s ‘Cracker Jack’ was on. I burst into tears—it felt like the universe was telling me she was going to be mine.”
She added, “I remember thinking that I’d love to write a song like that. A song that people could feel in their chest within five seconds of turning on the radio, because anyone who has ever had the honor of sharing a home with a beloved pet knows that a pet is family.”
Along with the album announcement, Baker and TORRES have confirmed a string of festival dates to support Send a Prayer My Way, including appearances at Big Ears in Tennessee, High Water Music Festival in North Carolina, and Green River Festival in Massachusetts.
Baker has previously found success as a member of boygenius alongside Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. The trio’s debut full-length album, the record, landed at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 in 2023, while Baker’s solo album Little Oblivions peaked at No. 39. TORRES, known for her sharp, introspective songwriting, has built a loyal following with critically acclaimed releases like Thirstier and Three Futures. With Send a Prayer My Way, the duo merges their strengths for an album that blends nostalgia with modern-day reflections.
Stream “Sylvia” below.
Esha Tewari is taking the next big step in her career. The rising singer-songwriter has officially signed with Warner Music in collaboration with Atlantic Records, setting the stage for a massive year ahead.
The deal, announced today (Jan. 30), marks a pivotal moment for Tewari, who built an impressive following through TikTok and streaming platforms.
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“I am super excited to welcome Esha Tewari to the Warner Music family and to be working with Atlantic Records to take her music to a global audience,” Rosen said. “Esha is an incredible talent with a unique ability to connect with her fans through her songs, and I can’t wait to work with her to amplify her music and her authentic storytelling to every corner of the world.”
For Tewari, the decision to sign with Warner wasn’t just about major-label backing—it was about finding a team that aligned with her fiercely independent vision.
“I’m so excited to be a part of the Warner Music family,” Tewari comments in a statement. “From LA to New York, we met with executives who spoke about an evolving label system that now gives artists more ownership and control. Warner stood out as their actions matched their words.”
She continues, “Especially this early in my career, the deal I have done with Warner Music gives me the ability to remain hands-on with the whole creative vision, and allows me to remain the leader of my now expanded team.”
Tewari first started making waves in February 2024 by posting covers and original songs on TikTok, quickly amassing a loyal fanbase she calls “Tewarians.”
Her independently released single “Beautiful Boy” went viral, catapulting her to over 601,000 monthly Spotify listeners, 217,000 Instagram followers, and 172,000 TikTok followers.
Her success continued with the release of two EPs—i can and Better Off—which helped establish her indie-folk sound. Now, she’s gearing up for her third EP, led by the heartfelt new single “You Were Mine,” which has already racked up 17,000 TikTok creations using the original sound.
With her career gaining momentum, Tewari is preparing for a North American tour in mid-2025, but first, she’s returning to Australian stages this April and May for her second national headline tour.
If the demand is anything to go by, she’s becoming a serious live force—Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Perth have already sold out, prompting a second show in Perth, while Adelaide is nearing capacity. It follows her completely sold-out Australian tour in November 2024.
