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UPDATE (Nov. 17): The 45th annual Kennedy Center Honors have an air date: Wednesday, Dec. 28 (8-10 p.m ET/PT) on CBS. Paramount+ Premium subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service as well as on demand. Essential-tier subscribers will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs. As previously announced, the show will tape on Sunday, Dec. 4 in Washington, D.C.
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PREVIOUSLY (July 21): U2, Gladys Knight, Amy Grant, actor-director George Clooney and Cuban-born composer, conductor and educator Tania León are the 2022 Kennedy Center Honors recipients.
The 45th edition of the prestigious awards, presented for lifetime artistic achievements, will be held on Sunday, Dec. 4, on the Opera House stage at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The Honors Gala will be recorded for broadcast on CBS at a later date as a two-hour prime-time special and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
U2 is the fifth band to receive the honor, following The Who (2008), Led Zeppelin (2012), Eagles (2016) and Earth, Wind & Fire (2019). Before 2008, the Kennedy Center Honors focused entirely on individuals. Brian Wilson was honored rather The Beach Boys, for example. U2 consists of Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr.
Knight is the fifth Motown Records alumnus to receive the honor, following Stevie Wonder (1999), Smokey Robinson (2006), Diana Ross (2007) and Lionel Richie (2017). Last year, Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. was saluted. Gladys Knight & the Pips had a long string of hits on Motown, including “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and “Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye).”
Knight has won seven Grammys; impressively, in three different musical fields – pop, R&B and gospel. At the 1973 Grammys, Knight & the Pips became the first group to win in both pop (for “Neither One of Us”) and R&B (for the immortal “Midnight Train to Georgia,” one of the most classic recordings of the past half-century).
U2 has won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other group in history. Their Grammy haul includes two wins each for album of the year (The Joshua Tree and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb), record of the year (“Beautiful Day” and “Walk On”) and song of the year (“Beautiful Day” and “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own”).
Grant has won six Grammys – all in the gospel field. Her most recent Grammy was best Southern, country or bluegrass gospel album for Rock of Ages…Hymns & Faith in 2005. Grant was nominated for album, record and song of the year at the 1991 Grammys for her smash “Baby Baby,” a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and her album Heart in Motion, which made the top 10 on the Billboard 200.
Grant is among the very few gospel honorees in Kennedy Center Honors history. Marion Williams was a 1993 honoree.
León received a 2012 Grammy nomination for best contemporary classical composition for Inura for Voices, Strings and Percussion.
Knight & the Pips were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. U2 were inducted in 2005.
Clooney is a two-time Oscar winner – best supporting actor for Syriana (2005) and best picture for co-producing Argo (2012). He has also been nominated for directing and writing Oscars. He received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 2010 Emmy Awards. Clooney’s dozens of films include O Brother, Where Art Thou?. The soundtrack to that film topped the Billboard 200 in March 2002, after winning the Grammy for album of the year.
Grant’s husband, Vince Gill, has yet to receive a Kennedy Center Honor, but very well may someday. Such peers as Garth Brooks and Reba McEntire have been honored. Clooney’s aunt, the great pop and jazz singer Rosemary Clooney, was not chosen as an honoree. These awards are not presented posthumously, so there is no chance that she will be.
The 45th Kennedy Center Honors Gala concludes with a dinner in the Grand Foyer.
The Honors recipients are recognized for their contributions to American culture through the performing arts—whether in music, dance, theater, opera, motion pictures, or television—and are confirmed by the executive committee of the Center’s board of trustees.
Deborah F. Rutter, Kennedy Center president, noted: “For nearly a half-century, the Kennedy Center Honors has represented the very best of America’s creative culture. The Honors is often referred to by past recipients as the pinnacle of awards because it recognizes not just one performance, album, or film, but esteems an artist’s cumulative body of work and influence over many decades…”
Done+Dusted, producers of the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize since 2018, have been selected as executive producers of the 45th annual Kennedy Center Honors. Done+Dusted will produce the show in association with ROK Productions, represented by Elizabeth Kelly, who will executive produce alongside David Jammy and Ian Stewart. The show will be directed by Alex Rudzinski.
Here are complete and unabridged statements from each of the 45th Kennedy Center Honorees:
“Growing up in a small town in Kentucky I could never have imagined that someday I’d be the one sitting in the balcony at the Kennedy Center Honors. To be mentioned in the same breath with the rest of these incredible artists is an honor. This is a genuinely exciting surprise for the whole Clooney family.” –George Clooney
“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine ever receiving this prestigious Kennedy Center Honors. Through the years, I’ve watched so many of my heroes serenaded by colleagues and fellow artists, always moved by the ability of music and film to bring us together and to see the best in each other. I cannot wait to celebrate with my fellow honorees, friends, and family. Thank you for widening the circle to include all of us.” –Amy Grant
“I’m humbled beyond words to be included amongst this prestigious group of individuals, both past and present. You could never have told me as a young girl starting my career that I would be honored on a stage such as this, with artists and humanitarians such as these—it just wouldn’t have seemed possible. It would have been the dream of all dreams. I have been blessed with so much in my life and this certainly stands with those achievements at the top of that list. To be honored as a Kennedy Center Honoree is among the highlights of my career. I stand here with my fans, my family, my friends, my team, and my faith in accepting such an amazing distinction. It is dedicated to all those who paved the path for me to be able to accomplish the wonderful blessings I’ve been able to receive. The Kennedy Center’s commitment to the arts is unparalleled and I am so very grateful for this moment.” –Gladys Knight
“Little did I imagine when studying in La Habana that life was going to grace me with such a distinction! My first thoughts went to my ancestors: they believed in my dreams, and what we lacked in material wealth, they made up for in spirit, encouragement, and support. My heartfelt thanks go to the many people who have blessed my path by helping my talent to blossom and by giving me the chance to be heard. I am incredibly humbled to join such a prestigious family of artists, and deeply grateful to the Kennedy Center for bestowing me with this incredible honor.” –Tania León
“In December 1980, we made our first trip across the Atlantic to America. Our first show was at The Ritz in New York City, the second, The Bayou in D.C. We had big dreams then, fueled in part by the commonly held belief at home that America smiles on Ireland. And it turned out to be true, yet again. But even in the wilder thoughts, we never imagined that 40 years on, we would be invited back to receive one of the nation’s greatest honours…It has been a four-decade love affair with the country and its people, its artists, and culture. We consider America to be a home away from home and we are very grateful to the Kennedy Center Honors for welcoming us into this great clan of extraordinary artists.” –U2 (Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr.)
For ticket inquiries, visit kennedy-center.org/honorsinfo or email Honors@kennedy-center.org.
Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” won song – feature film at the 13th annual Hollywood Music in Media Awards ceremony, which was held at the Avalon in Hollywood on Wednesday, Nov. 16. Rihanna co-wrote the song from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever with Tems, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Göransson.
Terence Blanchard’s The Woman King won score – feature film.
Unlike the Oscars, which present just best original song and best original score, the HMMAs have five categories for songs and eight for scores. As a result, trophies here are much easier to come by. Even so, the HHMAs are seen as early indicators of the Oscars. Nominations-round voting for the Oscars extends from Jan. 12-17, 2023. Oscar nominations will be announced on Jan. 24.
The HMMAs also have a broader scope than the Oscars. They honor composers, songwriters and music supervisors for their work in film, television and video games.
Alexandre Desplat was the only double winner on the night. He won score – animated film for Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio and song – animated film for “Ciao Papa” from that film. He composed the song, which has lyrics by Roeben Katz and del Toro.
Two of the most intriguing categories are ones where the Oscars don’t have an equivalent. The HMMAs have a separate category for song – onscreen performance. (Nominations go to the performers, not the songwriters.) The winner was Billy Eichner’s “Love Is Not Love” from Bros. Eichner co-wrote the song with film music veteran Marc Shaiman.
Billy Eichner at the 13th Annual Hollywood Music In Media Awards.
Robert Smith
The Oscars also don’t have an equivalent category for music-themed film, biopic or musical. At the Oscars, these films compete with all other films for best picture. The winner was Tár.
Nor do the Oscars have a category for music documentary/special program. At the Oscars, these films compete with all other docs for best documentary feature. The winner was Killing Me Softly With His Songs.
Musical highlights included Charles Fox performing a medley of his TV theme songs; Diane Warren performing “Applause,” her winning song from Tell It Like a Woman; Rita Wilson performing “Til You’re Home,” her original song from A Man Called Otto; and Iranian singer Mojgan Shajarian, daughter of Maestro Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, performing “Morghe Sahar.”
Kurt Farquhar, prolific television composer and the recipient of the HMMA Career Achievement Award, gave an inspiring acceptance speech about growing up in Chicago and experiencing homelessness before beginning his career as a composer. He extended thanks to his brother, Ralph Farquhar, who helped him get his first jobs in television. He urged Hollywood to consider working with composers and creatives that aren’t the obvious choice.
Presenters included composers Justin Hurwitz, Nami Melumad and Amie Doherty and Ralph Johnson of Earth, Wind & Fire.
Here’s the complete list of nominees, with winners checked:
SONG AWARDS
Song – feature film
WINNER: “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Written by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler, and Ludwig Göransson. Performed by Rihanna.
“(You Made it Feel Like) Home” from Bones and All. Written by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross. Performed by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Mariqueen Maandig Reznor.
“Love Is Not Love” from Bros. Written by Billy Eichner & Marc Shaiman. Performed by Billy Eichner.
“Do a Little Good” from Spirited. Written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Performed by Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell, Sunita Mani, Patrick Page and Tracy Morgan.
“Stand Up” from Till. Written by Jazmine Sullivan and D’Mile. Performed by Jazmine Sullivan.
“Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick. Written by Lady Gaga & BloodPop. Performed by Lady Gaga.
“Carolina” from Where the Crawdads Sing. Written and performed by Taylor Swift.
“new body rhumba” from White Noise. Written by James Murphy, Nancy Whang, Patrick Mahoney. Performed by LCD Soundsystem.
“The Songcord” from Avatar: The Way of Water. Written by Simon Franglen. Performed by Zoe Saldana
“Time” from Amsterdam. Written by Jahaan Sweet, Aubrey Drake Graham, Daniel Pemberton, Giveon Evans. Performed by Giveon.
Song – animated film
“Sunny Side Up Summer” from The Bob’s Burgers Movie. Written by Loren Bouchard, and Nora Smith. Performed by Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman, H. Jon Benjamin, John Roberts, and Kristen Schaal.
“Nobody Like U” from Turning Red. Written by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell. Performed by 4*TOWN (Finneas O’Connell, Grayson Villanueva, Jordan Fisher, Josh Levi, and Topher Ngo)
“Lift Your Wings” from My Father’s Dragon. Written by Mychael Danna, Jeff Danna, Frank Danna, Nora Twomey, Meg LeFauve. Performed by Anohni.
“Turn Up the Sunshine” from Minions: The Rise of Gru. Written by Jack Antonoff, Kevin Parker, Sam Dew, Patrik Berger. Performed by Diana Ross and Tame Impala
WINNER: “Ciao Papa” from Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio. Written by Alexandre Desplat, Lyrics by Roeben Katz and Guillermo del Toro. Performed by Gregory Mann
Song – documentary film
“My Mind and Me” from Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me. Written by Selena Gomez, Amy Allen, Jonathan Bellion, Michael Pollack, Stefan Johnson, Jordan K Johnson. Performed by Selena Gomez.
“At the Automat” from The Automat. Written and performed by Mel Brooks
WINNER: “Ready As I’ll Never Be” from The Return of Tanya Tucker – Featuring Brandi Carlile. Written by Brandi Carlile and Tanya Tucker. Performed by Tanya Tucker.
“Sing a Brand New Song” from Killing Me Softly With His Songs. Written by Charles Fox and Lonnie “Common” Rashid Lynn. Performed by Donald Webber, Jr.
“Dust & Ash” from The Voice of Dust and Ash. Written by J. Ralph. Performed by J. Ralph & Norah Jones
“We Are Art” from We Are Art Through the Eyes of Annalaura. Written by Annalaura di Luggo and Paky Di Maio. Performed by Annalaura di Luggo.
“A Sky Like I’ve Never Seen” from Wildcat. Written by Robin Pecknold. Performed by Fleet Foxes.
Song – independent film
WINNER: “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman. Written by Diane Warren. Performed by Sofia Carson.
“Til You’re Home” from A Man Called Otto. Written by David Hodges and Rita Wilson. Performed by Rita Wilson and Sebastián Yatra
“This Is a Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once. Written By Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski. Performed By Son Lux with Mitski and David Byrne.
“We Two Made One” from The Silent Twins. Written by Marcin Macuk, Zuzanna Wrońska, June Gibbons, Jennifer Gibbons. Performed by Tamara Lawrance.
“Stand the Test of Time” from Tomorrow’s Game. Written and performed by Lionel Cohen and Stefni Valencia.
Song – onscreen performance
“Naatu Naatu” from RRR – Rahul Sipligunj, Kaala Bhairava
“Baby Let’s Play House” from Elvis – Austin Butler
“Cucamonga” from Knights of Swing – Knights of Swing
WINNER: “Love Is Not Love” from Bros – Billy Eichner
“On My Way (Marry Me)” from Marry Me – Jennifer Lopez
SCORE AWARDS
Score – feature film
Marcelo Zarvos – Emancipation
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross – Empire of Light
Nicholas Britell – She Said
Carter Burwell – The Banshees of Inisherin
WINNER: Terence Blanchard – The Woman King
Abel Korzeniowski – Till
Mychael Danna – Where the Crawdads Sing
Danny Elfman – White Noise
Hildur Guðnadóttir – Women Talking
Score – animated film
Steve Jablonsky – DC League of Super-Pets
WINNER: Alexandre Desplat – Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio
John Debney – Luck
Heitor Pereira – Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Daniel Pemberton – The Bad Guys
Finneas, Ludwig Göransson – Turning Red
Score – sci-fi film
Lorne Balfe – Black Adam
Ludwig Göransson – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
WINNER: Danny Elfman – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Michael Giacchino – Spider-Man: No Way Home
Michael Giacchino – The Batman
Michael Giacchino and Nami Melumad – Thor: Love and Thunder
Score – fantasy film
Tom Holkenborg –Three Thousand Years of Longing
WINNER: Simon Franglen – Avatar: The Way of Water
James Newton Howard – Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Bruno Coulais – Wendell & Wild
Joseph Metcalfe, John Coda, Grant Kirkhope – The King’s Daughter
Score – horror film
Anna Drubich – Barbarian
John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter & Daniel Davies – Halloween Ends
WINNER: Michael Abels – Nope
Lance Treviño – Scream Legacy
Mark Korven – The Black Phone
Colin Stetson – The Menu
Score – documentary
Simon Poole – Black Ice
Ray Angry, Rhiannon Giddens, Dirk Powell – Descendant
Lisbeth Scott – Gratitude Revealed
Emilie and Peter Bernstein – Landis: Just Watch Me
WINNER: Jessica Jones – The Tinder Swindler
Clare Manchon, Olivier Manchon – Turn Every Page – The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb
Score – independent film
Xander Rodzinski – Dead for a Dollar
Jessica Weiss – Don’t Make Me Go
Son Lux – Everything Everywhere All at Once
WINNER: Emilie Levienaise – Farrouch – Living
Alexandre Desplat – The Outfit
Rob Simonsen – The Whale
Score – independent film (foreign language)
WINNER: Carlo Siliotto – Cuando Sea Joven (Spanish)
Paweł Mykietyn – EO (Polish)
Min He – Railway Heroes (Mandarin)
M. M. Keeravaani – RRR (Telugu)
Volker Bertelmann – War Sailor (Norwegian)
Music themed film, biopic or musical
Elvis – Produced by Gail Berman, Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Patrick McCormick, Schuyler Weiss. Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio – Produced by Alexander Bulkley, Corey Campodonico, Guillermo del Toro, Lisa Henson, Gary Ungar. Directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson
Spirited – Produced by Diana Pokorny, Daniel Silverberg, David Koplan, Sean Anders, John Morris, George Dewey, Jessica Elbaum, Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell. Directed by Sean Anders and John Morris.
WINNER: Tár – Produced by Todd Field, Scott Lambert, Alexandra Milchan. Directed by Todd Field.
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story – Produced by Eric Appel, Lia Buman, Mike Farah, Joe Farrell, Zachary Halley, Tim Headington, Whitney Hodack, Henry R. Munoz III, Neil Shah, Max Silva, ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic. Directed by Eric Appel.
Music documentary/special program
Halftime – Produced by Courtney Baxter, Jason B. Bergh, Bernardo Loyola, Christopher Rouse, Yong Yam. Directed by Amanda Micheli and Sam Wrench
Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song – Produced and Directed by Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine
WINNER: Killing Me Softly With His Songs – Produced by Danny Gold, Robert Bader, Lisa Lautenberg Birer, Mark Brown, Jay Firestone, Phil Ittner, Bruce Levine and Taryn Grimes. Directed by Danny Gold
Louis Armstrong’s Black and Blues – Produced by Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilkes, Sacha Jenkins and Julie Anderson. Directed by Sacha Jenkins.
Selena Gomez My Mind & Me – Produced by Alek Keshishian p.g.a., Michelle An p.g.a., Katherine LeBlond. Directed by Alek Keshishian
Still Working 9 to 5 – Produced and Directed by Camille Hardman and Gary Lane
The Voice of Dust and Ash – Produced by Mandana Biscotti, Ben Biscotti, and Sam Changizi. Directed by Mandana Biscotti
When the slate of Grammy nominees was announced on Tuesday (Nov. 15), Big Machine Music-signed songwriter Laura Veltz was among the inaugural class of nominees in the newly minted songwriter of the year (non-classical) category, nominated alongside Amy Allen, Nija Charles, Tobias Jesso Jr. and The-Dream.
Veltz’s multifarious songwriting talents cinched the nomination following her contributions to a lengthy list of songs in country and pop circles, including songs with Maren Morris (“Background Music,” “Humble Quest”), Demi Lovato (“29,” “Feed”) and Ingrid Andress (“Pain”). Veltz has previously been nominated a Grammy three times, all of them in the best country song category, for her work on Morris’ “The Bones” and “Better Than We Found It,” as well as Dan + Shay’s “Speechless.”
But to be nominated in the inaugural year of an all-genre category dedicated to songwriters is another thing entirely, Veltz says. “I’m still sort of in shock about the whole thing, just because of its historical nature,” she explains. “And I’m friends with a lot of the people who made this category happen, and I know a lot of people work so hard to make sure songwriters are recognized this way — so it’s so much beyond an honor.”
Fittingly, Veltz says she was entering a writing session in Nashville with co-writer Alyssa Vanderheym when she learned of her nomination.
“I started getting so many text messages that just said, ‘Congratulations!’ and it took me a full three minutes to get the tea of what I actually got. Then I just fell to the ground. I was so shocked. [Alyssa] was getting like 50,000 phone calls, just like I was, so our co-writer was like, ‘You guys should just go celebrate.’ So we did, we bailed on the session and celebrated and I went home and hugged my husband and all that stuff. It was so special.”
Below, Veltz talks with Billboard not only about the meaning the nomination holds for her, but how she hopes the songwriter of the year (non-classical) Grammy category serves as a harbinger for the songwriter advocacy being done on Capitol Hill.
What does this nomination mean to you, personally — as it is recognizing an overall body of work from a songwriter, instead of a specific song or songs on a specific album?
It is so centralized to my life experience — but it’s weird having my name in the list. I’ve been nominated for Grammys before, but it’s so tough within the wordage that it’s not as recognizable. It’s just absolutely bizarre to know that I moved around a lot as a kid, just thinking about all the high schools I’ve ever been to and all the churches I went to and everyone I’ve ever known. It’s just a weird thing to have my name associated with something like this.
You don’t sign up for that as a songwriter, typically, because we purposefully put ourselves behind the scenes. The fact that my name is associated with a body of work… it really is humbling, because it’s so different.
What does it mean for the songwriter community as a whole to be recognized with their own category at the Grammys?
It’s just such a change for my community, and such a change for the industry at large to have this on the ballot. It’s wild, too, because it’s such a community-driven thing. I’m watching my friends nominated in song categories. The song [of the year] nominations were really all we had for a really long time. Then people like Ross Golan and so many others expanded it to having a larger body of work on an album, that we suddenly are credited in that way [for the album of the year category].
So seeing all these people getting these nominations and now the crown jewel of it — having its own very own category — it’s very humbling and beautiful. Then, when it comes to things in on Capitol Hill and such, the fact that this might begin a new era where the recognition of the beginning of music — which is in fact the writing of a song — the fact that that might be a little bit more seen might lead to it being a little bit more valued.
“Background Music” is one of the songs you are being recognized for, which you wrote with Maren Morris and Jimmy Robbins.
As with me, Maren is continually willing to gut punch a song — and [get into] talking about the passing of time, talking about mortality and what we leave behind, and the truth that in a hundred years our names will be virtually forgotten no matter how dominant we are as creators. Just to write to that directly was so f–king fun. It sounds dark, but it really kinda helped me to live in the moment. And the fact that this was her idea, of “Background Music.”
My favorite lyric in the song is “Not everybody gets to leave a souvenir.” That is just the most true statement, and it makes being a songwriter, or any kind of creator… you just feel so lucky that you get to live a little longer, so to speak, than the average person, through such a gift. I’ve written so many songs with Maren, but I think that was the first time that we collectively made ourselves cry. All three of us were like, “Wow.”
Your work with Demi Lovato, especially on songs like “29,” is also being recognized.
The 13 songs that Demi and I wrote together [for Lovato’s album Holy Fvck] are some of my absolute most proud moments as a creator. Her willingness to say the uncomfortable thing and heal out loud. I am so proud of Holy Fvck. Every single song has a sting and a sweetness of just truth.
And “29” in particular — because the value of what you do as a songwriter, it ebbs and flows. Sometimes you earn a No. 1, sometimes you just reach the right person that needed to hear what you wrote. And this song falls under that feeling of “there are a group of people that needed to hear this song.” Most of them are young women. And just the idea that you can unplug the power of feeling of “Oh, he thinks I’m mature for my age.” I used to say that s–t. I used to feel that s–t, and I used to take it as a compliment. And I feel like we wrote a song that unplugged the power of those words. You are not mature for your age, they’re predators, and you need space to be a kid.
I love TikTok, and watching all of the thousands of women who use “29” as a reality check for their own dating history. Then the idea that those women will have daughters, then those daughters will have daughters. I can’t even wrap my head around the power of that song, by way of butterfly effect. We just decided to address something difficult. We said something difficult, we said it in the most eloquent way, and in a commercial way that it wasn’t in innuendo, it was clear as crystal. I feel like that is such a win as a songwriter.
Is there anything else you want to add about the songwriter of the year nomination?
I truly feel that the value of what a songwriter is could very well go extinct if we don’t put some actual value on what it is to write a song. I feel like it’s something that can just go unnoticed so many jobs that just go unnoticed. Then, when somebody goes on strike, you realize, ‘Oh, we do need those people.’ I feel like music would change entirely if it wasn’t appreciating the poets in the back of the classroom who just want to tell stories. We were meant to tell stories. Many of us are just born to tell stories and to not have the music medium for that — we’ll find our way because we’re resilient and because honestly, nothing in this world could stop us from telling these stories.
But [also], I just feel the gratitude that this category is now in play. I imagine the future, and it’s realizing that things need to change. I’m gonna be fine. I caught the right era. But the next generation of songwriters will literally go away. There’s no way it’s sustainable. Kids that are writing songs that are getting streamed millions of times, but they can’t keep their lights on at home — that’s not okay. I’m just really grateful that this category is in play and I’m really hoping that it traces itself backwards to how songwriters are paid. It needs to be addressed.
Lady Gaga took to social media on Wednesday (Nov. 16) to react to her latest pair of Grammy nominations for “Hold My Hand” and the Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack.
“I am so honored to be nominated for 2 Grammys for ‘Hold My Hand’ and the Top Gun: Maverick Soundtrack with my fellow composers,” the superstar wrote on Instagram alongside a black-and-white shot of the single’s cover art. “It’s a real dream to be included in this celebration of music with a song and musical theme so close to my heart thank you… I fully cried, this never gets old and I’m super humbled.”
Released ahead of the Top Gun sequel’s theatrical release, “Hold My Hand” is up for best song written for visual media at the 2023 ceremony while the soundtrack notched a nominated for best compilation soundtrack for visual media. The album peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the Soundtracks chart, while Gaga’s single ultimately flew to No. 2 on the Digital Song Sales chart.
Mother Monster’s track was also recently nominated in the song – feature film category at the 2022 Hollywood Music in Media Awards alongside Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Taylor Swift’s “Carolina” from Where the Crawdads Sing, Jazmine Sullivan’s “Stand Up” from Till and more.
Last month, Gaga wrapped up her Chromatica Ball world stadium tour with a stunning $112 million. Next, she’s set to portray Harley Quinn opposite Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker in the upcoming movie musical Joker: Folie à Deux.
Read Gaga’s emotional reaction to her newest Grammy nominations below.
Bad Bunny made history on Tuesday (Nov. 15) when Un Verano Sin Ti became the first Spanish-language album to be nominated for the Grammy Award for album of the year.
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It was one of three nominations the Puerto Rican superstar scooped for his mega-successful set, and many had anticipated it. Perhaps less expected was Anitta’s nomination for best new artist, since the Brazilian star debuted almost a decade ago with a self-titled album that was followed by four other LPs.
However, the “Downtown” and “Me Gusta” singer has made a bigger impact in the American market, incorporating some English into her last two albums, 2019’s Kisses and 2022’s Version Of Me, as well as with songs like “Lobby” with Missy Elliott and “Envolver”, a Spanish-language hit that spent six weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and 21 weeks on the Hot Latin Songs, where it peaked at No. 3.
“Wow! Wow wow wow… never in my life would I have imagined that this moment would come. I’m from Brazil guys… I mean… wow! Speechless,” Anitta tweeted in response to her nomination in a category considered the most coveted of the Grammys. “Thank you, thank you, thank you… forever grateful. Winning or losing this is the biggest achievement I could imagine.”
Wow! Wow Wow Wow… never in life I would imagine this moment coming. I’m from Brazil guys… I mean .. wow! Speechless. Thank you, thank you, thank you… grateful forever. Winning or losing this is the biggest achievement I could ever imagine. pic.twitter.com/XZaUSAeKaL— Anitta (@Anitta) November 15, 2022
Bad Bunny, who leads the Latin Grammys nominations with 10 nods this year, will also compete for the Grammy for best pop solo performance for “Moscow Mule” — alongside the likes of Adele (“Easy on Me”) and Harry Styles (“As It Was”) — as well as Best Música Urbana Album.
Another Latino up for the best new artist Grammy is Omar Apollo, a singer-songwriter of Mexican parents, who creates pop, alternative music and R&B. Apollo began his career uploading his songs to SoundCloud before releasing his first EP, Stereo, in 2018. Since then, he has since released the EP Friends in 2019, the mixtape Apolonio in 2020, and two productions in 2022: his first full-length album, Ivory, which spent seven weeks on the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at No. 128, and the EP Live at NPR’s Tiny Desk. His song “Evergreen” entered the Billboard Hot 100 in October, where it spent seven weeks and peaked at No. 51, as well as the Streaming Songs chart (four weeks, peak at No. 21).
“Got nominated for best new artist omg,” he shared on Twitter with a series of emoticons to show how he feels.
Rosalía was nominated for best Latin rock or alternative music album for Motomami, and also got a nod under the best music film category for Motomami (Rosalía TikTok Live Performance,) directed by Ferrán Echegaray, Rosalía Vila Tobella & Stillz.
AGUILERA, Christina Aguilera’s latest Spanish-language album, got two nominations: best Latin pop album, and best immersive audio album (an award to the engineers.)
Both Motomami and AGUILERA will compete Thursday (Nov. 17) for the album of the year Latin Grammy with Un Verano Sin Ti. (See the full list of nominees here)
Under the Grammy’s Latin music categories there are other such favorites as Camilo, Sebastián Yatra, Rauw Alejandro, Christian Nodal and Marco Antonio Solís, the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year of 2022.
The nominees are:
Best Latin Pop Album:
AGUILERA, Christina Aguilera
Pasieros, Rubén Blades & Boca Livre
De Adentro Pa Afuera, Camilo
VIAJANTE, Fonseca
Dharma+, Sebastian Yatra
Best Musica Urbana Album:
TRAP CAKE, VOL. 2, Rauw Alexander
Un Verano Sin Ti, Bad Bunny
LEGENDADDY, Daddy Yankee
167, Farruko
The Love & Sex Tape, Maluma
Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album:
El Alimento, Cimafunk
Tinta y Tiempo, Jorge Drexler
1940 Carmen, Mon Laferte
Alegoría, Gaby Moreno
Los Años Salvajes, Fito Páez
MOTOMAMI, Rosalía
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (including Tejano):
Abeja Reina, Chiquis
Un Canto por México – El Musical, Natalia Lafourcade
La Reunión (Deluxe), Los Tigres Del Norte
EP #1 Forajido, Christian Nodal
Qué Ganas de Verte (Deluxe), Marco Antonio Solis
Best Tropical Latin Album:
Pa’llá Voy, Marc Anthony
Quiero Verte Feliz, La Santa Cecilia
Lado A Lado B, Víctor Manuelle
Legendario, Tito Nieves
lmágenes Latinas, Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Cumbiana II, Carlos Vives
For the Best Latin Jazz Album Grammy, the nominees are:
Fandango at the Wall In New York, Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra featuring The Congra Patria Son Jarocho Collective
Crisalida, Danilo Pérez with The Global Messengers
If You Will, Flora Purim
Rhythm & Soul, Arturo Sandoval
Music of the Americas, Miguel Zenón
Other jazz categories also have Latin nominees. Chilean saxophonist Melissa Aldana is nominated for Best Improvised Jazz Solo for “Falling”, from her album 12 Stars, and Puerto Rican double bassist Eddie Gómez appears in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album category for Center Stage, along with Steve Gadd, Ronnie Cuber & the WDR BigBand led by Michael Abene.
For Best Instrumental Composition, Cuban maestro Paquito D’Rivera is nominated for “African Tales”, Puerto Rican Miguel Zenón for “El País Invisible”, and Panamanian Danilo Pérez for “Fronteras (Borders) Suite: AI-Musafir Blues.”
As expected, Disney’s Encanto was also recognized, with nods for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s soundtrack and Germaine Franco’s original score. The movie’s mega-hit “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1, was nominated for Best Song Written for Visual Media.
Lin-Manuel Miranda is also up for the award for Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording for Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World.
In other areas, singer-songwriter Miguel, whose father is Mexican, shares a nod with Diplo for Best Dance/Electronic Recording for “Don’t Forget My Love.” And Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band compete for Best Children’s Music Album for their EP Los Fabulosos, an upbeat bilingual effort that includes tracks like “Ridiculous” and “Me Gusta.” Up for Best Album Notes is Fernando González for his work for Astor Piazzolla’s The American Clave Recordings.
Gang of Youths’ third studio set Angel In Realtime wins triple j’s J Award for Australian album of the year.
The alternative rock act took the main prize at the national youth broadcaster’s annual J Awards, to beat out a list of LPs by the likes of Eliza & The Delusionals, Flume, Julia Jacklin, King Stingray, Meg Mac and others.
Angel In Realtime blasted to No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart in March, for their second leader.
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It’s the rockers’ first J Award win in three attempts. GoY’s debut album The Positions was shortlisted in 2015 (won by Courtney Barnett’s Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit); and again in 2017 with Go Farther In Lightness (won by A.B. Original’s Reclaim Australia).
“We’ve been nominated for this award before but for some reason this one feels super-meaningful because it’s about my dad,” frontman Dave Le’aupepe told triple j hosts Bryce & Ebony, adding he was “totally blown away.”
The multiple ARIA Award-winning band “spent years working on this project,” Le’aupepe explained ahead of its release. Along the way, the Sydney act “scrapped it three times, recorded in various studios both commercial and informal in London, New Zealand and Budapest, and hopefully, have managed to capture something vital and beautiful in the process.”
Now based in London, GoY returned to Australia in July and August for a national arena tour. Several U.K. concerts are locked-in for this month.
The result is a recording loaded with textures and ideas on “Indigenous heritage and identity, family, god, life, death, grief, sport, forgiveness, and the Angel Islington,” he continued.
Also at the J Awards, Kenyan-born, Adelaide-based creator Elsy Wameyo scooped the Unearthed artist of the year prize; rock legends Midnight Oil won Double J’s artist of the year award; and electric Korean-Australian hip-hop act 1300 snag Australian music video of the year for “Oldboy,” directed by Raghav Rampal.
The J Awards were launched in 2005 to coincide with triple j’s 30th anniversary celebrations. The flagship award is given to the LP considered by a panel as the most “outstanding achievement as an Australian musical work of art – for its creativity, innovation, musicianship and contribution to Australian music.”
The Latin Recording Academy hosted its inaugural “Best New Artist Showcase” Tuesday evening (Nov. 15) at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, where this year’s 11 nominees were present.
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Each of the nominees — Angela Álvarez, Sofía Campos, Cande y Paulo, Clarissa, Silvana Estrada, Pol Granch, Nabález, Tiare, Vale, Yahritza y Su Esencia, and Nicole Zignago — had the opportunity to perform in front of industry leaders, VIPs, and special guests during the hour-long private event.
The up-and-coming talents represent different regions of the world such as Mexico, Brazil, and Peru, and ages ranging from 15 to 95 years old.
“We like to support and open spaces for new artists and what better opportunity than this for the mission to come to life?” Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy, said in his opening remarks. “At the Latin Grammys, what we want is to open diverse and inclusive spaces to all the artists that we have the opportunity to help.”
The nominees really shined on a two-part stage, where they were presented by dearest artists who have supported their rising careers, such as English singer-songwriter and record producer Elvis Costello who presented Colombian twin sisters Vale, and Miami-based artists Periko & Jessi Leon who presented Venezuelan songstress Tiare, whom they also manage under their indie label PJ Records.
Tiare performs onstage at 2022 Best New Artist Showcase during the 23rd annual Latin Grammy Awards on November 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
David Becker/GI for The Latin Recording Academy
Musica popular artist Nabalez crooned the crowd with his 2020 debut single “La Correcta,” which happens to be a collab with Colombian pop group Morat; Silvana Estrada brought her authentic Mexican folk to Vegas with “Te Guardo;” and Angela Alvarez, the oldest-nominated artist for best new artist at 95, had all the attention on her when she powerfully sang a bolero dedicated to her country, Cuba, to name a few.
Meanwhile, Peruvian singer-songwriter Nicole Zignago kicked off the showcase with a rocking performance, while Spanish-French singer and actor Pol Granch closed the set after Alejandro Sanz presented him via a video message.
“You have been chosen among many proposals and this is the first step with which you begin to fulfill your dreams as musicians,” the evening hosts Jesse y Joy expressed.
The showcase, in partnership with MasterCard and produced by Ayleen Figueras, Nelson Albareda, and Loud and Live Entertainment, will evolve into a Latin American tour in 2023, to give fans a priceless night of new music.
The Latin Grammy Awards — which “promise to honor the legacy, celebrate the present and embrace the future of Latin music, with deliberate consciousness, paying-it-forward to the next generations of music creators,” according to a press statement — will be held Nov. 17 at the Michelob Ultra Arena at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, and will air live on Univision beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
Nicole Zignago performs during the 2022 Best New Artist Showcase during the 23rd annual Latin Grammy Awards on November 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
David Becker/GI for The Latin Recording Academy
The Grammy nominations were just announced on Tuesday (Nov. 15) and already people are looking ahead to who might win when the 65th annual Grammy Awards are presented on Feb. 5 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. And not just who might win, but what it would mean in Grammy history.
Some potential winners would truly be groundbreaking:
Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti is vying to become the first Spanish-language album ever to win album of the year.
Adele is vying to become the first three-time winner for song of the year. She is nominated this year for co-writing “Easy on Me” with Greg Kurstin. She previously won for co-writing “Rolling in the Deep” with Paul Epworth and “Hello” with Kurstin.
Kendrick Lamar is vying to become the first male solo rapper to win album of the year. He is nominated for Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. The only other hip-hop artists to win album of the year (as lead artists) are Lauryn Hill (The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, 1998) and OutKast (Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, 2003).
If Beyoncé’s Renaissance, Mary J. Blige’s Good Morning Gorgeous or Lamar’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers wins album of the year, it would set a new record as the album of the year winner with the most credited producers. A whopping 36 producers worked on Beyoncé’s album; 24 worked on the Blige and Lamar albums. The current record for the album of the year winner with the most credited producers is held by the multi-artist Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, with 16 producers. The current record for an individual artist’s album with the most credited producers is held by Celine Dion’s Falling Into You, which had 14 producers.
Here are more potential record-setters in the Big Four categories:
Summer Walker‘s name was noticeably absent when this year’s crop of Grammy nominations was announced on Tuesday (Nov. 15) and the R&B star took to social media to speak about it.
In a since-expired pair of Instagram Stories, the “Girls Need Love” singer wrote, “Thanks for all the overflowing love in my dm’s… & as for the grammys for a 2nd time, the math is literally not mathing… I was gone post some numbers but it’s ok, atleast the streets fuq with me. y’all always pack out every show & support everytime I drop so thanks for the love I do receive” with a pair of white heart emojis.
While Walker may have been disappointed her 2021 sophomore album Still Over It failed to earn any nods from the Recording Academy, she actually did, in fact, earn her first Grammy nomination this year for contributing to Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, which is up for album of the year. (The singer co-wrote and provided guest vocals on album cut “Purple Hearts” with Ghostface Killah.)
Meanwhile, the R&B fields for the 2023 ceremony were crowded by the likes of Beyoncé’s Renaissance, Mary J. Blige’s Good Morning Gorgeous, PJ Morton’s Watch the Sun and other work by Muni Long, Lucky Daye, Jazmine Sullivan and Robert Glasper.
In the last few months alone, Walker has released new collaborations with The Weeknd (“Best Friend [Remix]“), Ciara (“Better Thangs“) and Ari Lennox (“Queen Space“).
The 2023 Grammys will be held on Sunday, Feb. 5 at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. Check out the full list of nominees here.
kenzie is taking over the red carpet at the American Music Awards this Sunday, joining the Billboard News team as our on-camera host to chat with today’s top artists.
The 18-year-old pop star and Dance Moms alum announced the news in a selfie video shared to hers and Billboard‘s socials.
“Hey, guys! It’s Kenzie Ziegler. I have super exciting news,” she says in the announcement video. “I’m going to be chatting with all of your favorite artists at the AMAs this Sunday with Billboard, November 20th, so make sure to tune in!”
You can catch kenzie’s AMAs red carpet coverage on Billboard.com, as well as Billboard‘s Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube pages.
The 2022 AMAs, hosted by Wayne Brady, and the pre-show red carpet will take place at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Bad Bunny leads this year’s list of nominations with eight nods. Beyoncé, Drake and Taylor Swift follow closely with six nominations each. See the full list of nominations here. Lionel Richie will also take the stage to accept the Icon Award.
kenzie, meanwhile, has had a busy year. She released her steamy new single “100 Degrees” in October and is gearing up to drop her next song, “paper,” on Jan. 13. “I actually wrote this song about one of my friend’s breakups, not my personal one,” the star previously told Billboard News of “100 Degrees,” noting that her pal got broken up with on Christmas Eve. “I just wanted to shed light on how something can ruin everything for you during breakups. It’ll ruin seasons, restaurants you went to.”
“This is just an all-around new era for me,” she continued. “I’m so happy, I’m comfortable with my music and I’m trying new things.”
See her announcement below:
