Awards
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Jimmy Carter is likely headed for the Grammy history books. The former president’s audiobook Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration, is nominated for best audio book, narration and storytelling recording. If it wins on Feb. 2, Carter, 100, will become the oldest Grammy winner in history. That distinction is currently held by blues pianist Pinetop Perkins, who was 97 in 2011 when he won best traditional blues album for Joined at the Hip.
Perkins is followed by legendary singer Tony Bennett, who was 95 in 2022 when he won best traditional pop vocal album for Love for Sale, his second collab with Lady Gaga; George Burns, who was also 95 when he won in 1991 for spoken word or non-musical recording album for Gracie: A Love Story, a tribute to his late wife and comedy partner Gracie Allen; and Carter, who was a whippersnapper of 94 in 2019 when he won best spoken word album for Faith: A Journey for All.
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If Carter wins, this would be his fourth Grammy, which is more than any other president. He previously won in 2007 for Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis; in 2016 for A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety, and in 2019 for Faith – A Journey for All. Two other former U.S. presidents, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, have each won two Grammys.
Four of this year’s five nominees in the audiobook category are over 75. Funk legend George Clinton, nominated for …And Your Ass Will Follow, is 83; Barbra Streisand, nominated for My Name Is Barbra, is 82; Dolly Parton, nominated for Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones, is 78. The relative youngster in the nominations is Guy Oldfield, who produced All You Need Is Love: The Beatles in Their Own Words. He’s 55. (The two living former Beatles — Paul McCartney, 82, and Ringo Starr, 84 — are not nominees.)
Carter has had the longest life of any U.S. president. That title was formerly held by George H.W. Bush, who was 94 when he died in 2018. Carter has also had the longest post-presidential retirement of any U.S. president (nearly 44 years). That distinction was formerly held by Herbert Hoover, whose retirement lasted more than 31 years. Both Carter and Hoover were one-term presidents, who were unseated by Ronald Reagan and Franklin D. Roosevelt, respectively. Their long retirements provided some consolation for their landslide losses.
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars have a lot to smile about following the unveiling of the 2025 Grammy nominations Friday (Nov. 8), which saw the duo earn two major nods for their chart-topping collaboration “Die With a Smile.”
And on Sunday (Nov. 10), both pop stars reacted to the news with a passionate thank-you note to fans who supported the track. “I’m so grateful for these 2 GRAMMY NOMINATIONS! 😭” Gaga wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of herself and Mars enjoying glasses of champagne.
“Because of our amazing fans we are so blessed to be nominated for Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo recording for Die With A Smile!!” the Joker: Folie à Deux actress continued. “@recordingacademy We love y’all! 😭Monsters and Hooligans did that! 🥂”
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In the comments, Mars added, “(Monsters 🤝 Hooligans) Thank you! We love you!”
Nominations for next year’s Grammy awards arrived about three months ahead of the Feb. 2 ceremony. Gaga and the Silk Sonic star share the song of the year category with Shaboozey, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé, while 2025’s best pop duo/group performance is split among “Die With a Smile” and “Us” by Gracie Abrams and Swift, “Levii’s Jeans” by Bey and Post Malone, “Guess” by Charli XCX and Eilish, and “The Boy Is Mine” by Ariana Grande, Brandy and Monica.
Gaga and Mars spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Die With a Smile” this year. Complete with a retro Nashville-themed music video, the track served as a standalone collaboration ahead of Gaga’s Joker 2 companion album, Harlequin, and upcoming seventh studio album. It also preceded Mars’ “APT.” duet with ROSÉ of BLACKPINK, which recently debuted atop the Global 200.
“This was a pure, organic thing that both these artists who respect each other so much wanted to do together,” songwriter Andrew Watt, who worked on “Die With a Smile” with the two superstars, told Billboard earlier this year. “This was about the love of making great music.”
Taylor Swift, Tyla and Sabrina Carpenter were among the big winners at the 2024 MTV EMAs, which also included a poignant tribute to Liam Payne, almost one month on from the singer’s death in Argentina.
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“I just want to take a moment to remember someone that was very, very dear to us. We lost him recently, and he was a big part of the MTV world and my world, and I think a lot of yours at home and everybody in here tonight,” said the show’s host Rita Ora, who duetted with the former One Direction vocalist on 2018’s “For You (Fifty Shades Freed).”
“He had the biggest heart and was always the first person to offer help in any way that he could,” said a tearful Ora. “He brought so much joy to every room he walked into, and he left such a mark on this world,” said the visibly moved host.
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The EMAs show, which was staged at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, on Sunday (Nov. 10), also featured a brief video tribute to Payne.
Swift, who was not present in Manchester, won the most awards on the night, taking home prizes for best artist, best live, best U.S. act and best video for her Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone.
“I have to say thank you so much to Post Malone for being the most amazing co-star possible,” said Swift in a video acceptance speech.
Just behind Swift with three awards was Tyla, who took home trophies for best Afrobeats, best R&B and best African act. The South African singer, who was honored with a global impact award at Billboard’s R&B No. 1s event in New York earlier this year, also delivered one of the night’s standout performances, flanked by writhing dancers for a lively two-song medley of “Push 2 Start” and “Water.”
“I can’t believe it,” said Tyla accepting the best afrobeats prize from LL Cool J. “Literally, all the nominees, they are insane. They have taken Afrobeats so far and I’m so honored to be winning this award… Afrobeats has opened so many doors for African music, so thank you so much to Afrobeats.”
Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande, who both did not attend the show, won best song for “Espresso” and the award best pop, respectively. Billie Eilish and Charli xcx, who were also absent, failed to win in any of the five categories they were each nominated.
Benson Boone opened the two-hour show, which was being held in the U.K. for the first time since 2017, with an impassioned energetic run through “Slow It Down” and “Beautiful Things” that began with the 22-year-old suspended in the air as he played a golden grand piano. Later in the evening, Boone collected his first EMA award in the form of the best new act title.
Making their U.K. live debut, K-pop band LE SSERAFIM delivered an energetic performance of “Chasing Lightning” and “CRAZY”, the title track from their latest EP, which topped Billboard’s Top Album Sales in September.
The five-piece pop group, who made their Coachella debut this year, were rewarded for their efforts with the best push award, one of three prizes they were nominated for in the lead up to Sunday’s show.
Other memorable performances included Shawn Mendes playing his new single “Heart of Gold,” Mexican trio The Warning with a raucous, pyrotechnic-accompanied rendition of “Automatic Sun” and Best U.K. and Ireland act winner Raye, joined by a 30-piece choir for a stirring medley of “Escapism, “Oscar Winning Tears” and “Body Dysmorphia.”
Meanwhile, best Latin recipient Peso Pluma was joined by Estevan Plazola for a rousing performance of their hit single collaboration “Hollywood.”
Busta Rhymes won the global icon award, EMAs top honor, previously received by Queen, Eminem, Janet Jackson, U2 and Whitney Houston, among others.
“Thirty-four years of professionally recording, this is the first time I’m getting an award from MTV. And it feels fucking incredible,” said Rhymes collecting the icon trophy from British rapper Little Simz.
The Brooklyn-born rapper went on to play glowing tribute to “one of my heroes” LL Cool J, who was at the ceremony on presenting duties, before performing a collection of his greatest hits, including “Scenario,” “Put Your Hands Where The Eyes Can See,” “Do The BusABus Pt.2,” “Break Ya Neck” and “Pass The Courvoisier”.
“LL Cool J was the template that I followed,” said Rhymes in a lengthy eight-minute-long acceptance speech that also saw him thank his mother and Public Enemy’s Chuck D for supporting him at the start of his career.
“I learned how to become the embodiment of Busta Rhymes because I love to bust rhymes for real and I love hip-hop for real,” he told the audience.
“Busta Rhymes is a true creative visionary who has made a massive impact on the musical landscape and pop culture,” Bruce Gillmer, the event’s executive producer and president of music and chief content officer for music at MTV parent company Paramount+, told Billboard in the run up to Sunday’s ceremony.
The show also contained a succession of playful references to the musical heritage of host city of Manchester with the Hacienda night club’s famous yellow and black striped branding and the distinctive opening riff of New Order’s “Blue Monday” recurring motifs throughout the evening.
Local band Blossoms, from the nearby town of Stockport, also made a cameo joking with host Ora as she served champagne in a bar style setting, while one of the show’s more surreal moments featured Ora chatting with Happy Mondays’ founder members Shaun Ryder and Bez, with the latter in characteristically uncontrollable, highly spirited form.
In addition to marking the 30th anniversary of MTV’s EMAs, which first took place in Berlin in 1994, Sunday’s show was the first EMAs since 2022 after last year’s event in Paris was cancelled due to global security reasons in connection with the Israel-Hamas war.
Pet Shop Boys were joined by members of the Manchester Camerata orchestra (wearing the band’s iconic cone hats) to close the show with a stirring cover of David Bowie’s “All The Young Dudes” followed by the band’s debut hit “West End Girls,” first released in 1984.Full list of 2024 MTV EMA nominees and winnersGlobal Icon Award Busta RhymesMTV EMA Pop Pioneers AwardPet Shop BoysBest SongAriana Grande – we can’t be friends (wait for your love)Benson Boone – Beautiful ThingsBeyoncé – TEXAS HOLD ‘EMBillie Eilish – BIRDS OF A FEATHERChappell Roan – Good Luck, Babe!WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter – EspressoBest VideoAriana Grande – we can’t be friends (wait for your love)Charli xcx – 360Eminem – HoudiniKendrick Lamar – Not Like UsLISA ft. Rosalía – NEW WOMANWINNER: Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – FortnightBest ArtistBeyoncéBillie EilishPost MaloneRAYESabrina CarpenterWINNER: Taylor SwiftBest CollaborationCharli xcx & Billie Eilish – Guess featuring Billie EilishFuture, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar – Like ThatLady Gaga, Bruno Mars – Die With A SmileWINNER: LISA ft. Rosalía – NEW WOMANPeso Pluma, Anitta – BELLAKEOTaylor Swift ft. Post Malone – FortnightBest NewAyra StarrWINNER: Benson BooneChappell RoanLE SSERAFIMTeddy SwimsThe Last Dinner PartyTylaBest PopWINNER: Ariana GrandeBillie EilishCamila CabelloCharli xcxDua LipaSabrina CarpenterTaylor SwiftBest AfrobeatsAsakeAyra StarrBurna BoyRemaTemsWINNER: TylaBest RockBon JoviColdplayGreen DayKings of LeonLenny KravitzWINNER: Liam GallagherThe KillersBest LatinAnittaBad BunnyKAROL GWINNER: Peso PlumaRauw AlejandroShakiraBest K-PopWINNER: JiminJung KookLE SSERAFIMLISANewJeansStray KidsBest AlternativeFontaines D.C.HozierWINNER: Imagine DragonsLana Del ReyTwenty One PilotsYUNGBLUDBest ElectronicWINNER: Calvin HarrisDavid GuettaDisclosureDJ SnakeFred Again..Swedish House MafiaBest Hip-HopCentral CeeWINNER: EminemKendrick LamarMegan Thee StallionNicki MinajTravis ScottBest R&BKehlaniSZATinasheWINNER: TylaUSHERVictoria MonétBest LiveAdeleColdplayDoja CatRAYEWINNER: Taylor SwiftTravis ScottBest PushAyra StarrChappell RoanCoco JonesFlyana BossJessie MurphLaufeyWINNER: LE SSERAFIMMark AmborShaboozeyTeddy SwimsThe WarningVictoria MonétBiggest FansAnittaAriana GrandeBeyoncéBillie EilishChappell RoanCharli xcxKaty PerryWINNER: LISANicki MinajSabrina CarpenterShawn MendesTaylor SwiftFull list of 2024 MTV EMA Worldwide WinnersBest African Act – TylaBest Asia Act – BINIBest Australian Act – SiaBest Austrian Act – RAF CamoraBest Brasilian Act – Pabllo VittarBest Canadian Act – Shawn MendesBest Caribbean Act – Young MikoBest Dutch Act – Roxy DekkerBest French Act – Pierre GarnierBest German Act – AylivaBest India Act – MaliBest Israeli Act – Noa KirelBest Italian Act – AnnalisaBest Lat Am Central Act – Manuel TurizoBest Lat Am North Act – YerimuaBest Lat Am South Act – DillomBest Nordic Act – Zara LarssonBest Polish Act – Daria ZawiałowBest Portuguese Act – Bárbara BandeiraBest Spanish Act – Lola IndigoBest Swiss Act – NemoBest UK & Ireland Act – RayeBest US Act – Taylor Swift
The 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards celebrated music around the globe with a star-studded event on Sunday (Nov. 10) hosted by Rita Ora.
Taylor Swift leads the list of nominations with seven nods including best pop, best artist and biggest fans.
Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish earned five nods. Beyoncé, LISA, Kendrick Lamar, Ayra Starr, Chappell Roan and Tyla landed four nods each.
Other nominees include Boone, LE SSERAFIM, Teddy Swims, Camila Cabello, Dua Lipa, Rema, Tems, Coldplay, Jimin, Katy Perry, Anitta, Karol G, Shakira, NewJeans, Stray Kids, Hozier, Megan Thee Stallion, Kehlani, SZA, Tinashe, RAYE and Shawn Mendes.
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See below for everything you need to know about how to watch the 2024 MTV EMAs on TV and online.
When are the 2024 MTV EMAs?
The 2024 MTV EMAs will be held at the Co-Op Live in Manchester on Sunday. The show will broadcast live on MTV in the U.K. and 150 countries, in addition to red carpet and backstage footage streaming via MTVEMA.com and the MTV EMA’s Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram accounts. Viewers can stream internationally via ExpressVPN.
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How to Watch & Stream the 2024 EMAs online free
For those looking to watch the EMAs, the ceremony will re-broadcast on MTV and MTV2 on Monday (Nov. 11) at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. If you already have cable or satellite, check your local listings for channel information.
Online viewers can stream MTV and MTV2 via Direct TV Stream, fuboTV, Philo and Sling TV. Signing up for free trials through platforms such as Direct TV Stream, fuboTV and Philo will give you access to MTV and MTV2 to let you watch the EMAs from your TV, laptop, tablet or phone.
Additionally, the 2024 MTV EMAs will begin streaming on Paramount+ and Pluto TV on Monday. Not subscribed to Paramount+? Subscriptions start at $7.99/month after a free, one-week trial.
From must-watch movies and acclaimed originals to live sports and exclusives from MTV, and other Viacom channels, Paramount+ is home to a mountain of entertainment. The lineup of original programs on Paramount+ includes Lioness, Tulsa King, Ink Master, The Good Fight, Evil, Seal Team, 1883 and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.
Paramount+ is also available on Prime Video and you can access the platform from outside of the U.S. with ExpressVPN.
Who is performing at the 2024 MTV EMAs?
LE SSERAFIM, Peso Pluma, Tyla, Benson Boone, Mendes, The Warning, RAYE, Pet Shop Boys are among this year’s performers.
Nominees for the best children’s music album award at the 2025 Grammys were revealed with the full announcement of Grammy nominations on Friday (Nov. 8). Among the artists named are three family-centered acts with previous nominations in the category — Lucky Diaz and The Family Jam Band, Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats and Divinity Roxx and Divi Roxx Kids — plus newcomers to the category, John Legend and Rock for Children (in collaboration with Alice Cooper).
The 67th annual Grammy Awards are set for Feb. 2, 2025 at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. The event will be broadcast on CBS and streamed live and on demand via Paramount+.
For parents and kids who are curious about the children’s albums up for a Grammy at the 2025 ceremony, here’s an introduction to all five nominees from Billboard Family.
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Divinity Roxx, pictured in the jubilant photo above, is Beyoncé’s former bassist and musical director, and the composer and performer of the Lyla in the Loop theme song on PBS. Divinity Roxx and Divi Roxx Kids are up for the best children’s music album Grammy for the album World Wide Playdate, an upbeat collection of songs celebrating friendship, family, self-empowerment and going after your dreams that’s inspired by ’90s hip-hop and fit for a family party. It’s Divinity’s second time receiving a nod in the category following a nomination at the 2023 Grammys for Ready Set Go!, her debut children’s album.
“I am proud to create music that inspires, empowers and encourages future generations and I am overjoyed and honored that my peers in the Recording Academy recognized the power of positivity in World Wide Playdate. Mom says always expect a Miracle and right about now we all need one,” Divinity tells Billboard Family, after receiving the news on Friday that she’s a Grammy nominee again.
Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats‘ Creciendo — Kalantari’s first full-length, Spanish-language children’s album — is nominated for best children’s music album at the 2025 Grammys following Kalantari’s previous two Grammy wins: All the Sounds was named best children’s album in 2019, and All the Ladies took home the best children’s album honor in 2021. Creciendo means “growing up” in Spanish, and that’s the sweet theme of this new collection by Kalantari, who was raised by immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Drawing from her family’s roots, she even brings her own child on as a guest (playing cello in the album) on this album, a musical fusion of Latin and jazz.
“I’m moved to bits to have my Spanish album Creciendo nominated for a GRAMMY!” Lucy Kalantari tells Billboard Family following Friday’s Grammy nominations announcement. “It’s so wonderful to be nominated along side such incredible artists! I truly hope this nomination can help bring my big messages of joy, community and resilience to families all over the world.”
Lucky Diaz and The Family Jam Band receive their third Grammy nomination for best children’s music album this year with Brillo, Brillo!, having previously been nominated in the category for Crayon Kids at the 2023 Grammys and Los Fabulosos at the 2022 event. Also four-time Latin Grammy nominees, the husband-and-wife musical team (Lucky Diaz and Alisha Gaddis) have won twice in the best Latin children’s album category: they’re award winners for ¡Fantastico! in 2013, and for Buenos Diaz in 2019 under the name The Lucky Band. With this year’s Brillo, Brillo!, they bring bilingual, whimsical pop-rock to the family-centered music space.
The band tells Billboard Family they are “deeply honored” by their latest Grammy nod: “This nomination is historical for our band — with seven nominations and two wins across the Latin Grammy and Grammy spaces, we’re the most nominated in the children’s category. That’s huge. This means that families continue to welcome us into their homes, year after year after year, and trust us to entertain their children. This is an honor we don’t take lightly, even though children’s music is full of silly joy and delight!”
They are also offering a warm welcome to a familiar name who’s brand-new to the children’s category: “Thrilled to welcome the legend, John Legend, into the category. Obviously, he is a talented star who we love — so it’s fabulous that he will bring more eyes to our category.”
John Legend has a longtime history with the Grammys, including 12 wins, but is a first-timer to the best children’s music album category with his debut children’s set, My Favorite Dream. The singer-songwriter, whose Sufjan Stevens-produced album is a mix of sweet originals and Legend’s version of children’s classics, was influenced by life at home with his young kids (two of which make musical cameos, as does wife Chrissy Teigen). He shared a statement about the Grammy nomination on Instagram, where he wrote, “My Favorite Dream holds a very special place in my heart. It’s my first children’s album, inspired by the heart of our family. Working alongside the incredibly gifted @sufjan brought this dream to life in ways I could have never imagined.”
Legend, whose album track “Always Come Back” is also up for the best arrangement, instrumentals and vocals Grammy with string arranger Matt Jones, gave a shout-out to his peers in children’s music.
“Thank you to the @recordingacademy for recognizing our labor of love, and thank you to the Children’s Music community for welcoming this rookie into your beautiful world. These nominations aren’t just for me and my family — they’re for everyone who believes in the magic of music, family, togetherness and L-O-V-E.”
Rock for Children receive their first Grammy nomination with Solid Rock Revival‘s nod in the best children’s music album category at the 2025 awards. Those unfamiliar with the collection, which was recorded with young musicians from an after-school teen center, might be intrigued to learn Alice Cooper is heavily involved with the album, and even guests on six tracks; other classic rockers playing on the project include Rob Halford and Slash, and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run-DMC also makes an appearance. Proceeds from the album benefit Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with bringing free music and arts programs to local aged 12-20, and the Norelli Family Foundation.
“It’s a takeoff on our own stuff,” Cooper, who’s been nominated for a Grammy three other times throughout his career, told The Arizona Republic of the Solid Rock Revival project earlier this year. “Instead of ‘I’m Eighteen,’ it’s ‘I’m Thirteen.’ ‘School’s In.’ And ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ is ‘Now, I’m Mr. Nice Guy.’ It’s kind of a positive take on the stuff we used to do.”
See the roundup of 2025 Grammy nominations for best children’s music album nominees below, and find the complete list of nominees in all categories here.
2025 Grammy Nominations: Best Children’s Music Album
Brillo, Brillo!, Lucky Diaz and The Family Jam Band
Creciendo, Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats
My Favorite Dream, John Legend
Solid Rock Revival, Rock for Children
World Wide Playdate, Divinity Roxx and Divi Roxx Kids
“To be a visionary, not only do you have to have a vision but you have to have an unwavering belief and faith in that vision to make it happen. Don’t accept no. Understand that you are not too difficult. The job is just too difficult for them. God will put you in a position and connect you with people who are able to do the job.”
So declared newly minted four-time Grammy nominee Doechii as she accepted the Visionary Award from her mother Celesia Moore at the Give Her FlowHERS Awards Gala Friday evening (Nov. 8). Her empowering speech — in which Doechii also shared that she’s “recently sober … with a truly renewed spirit” — was just one of many inspirational moments that drew hearty cheers and shout-outs inside the Beverly Hilton Hotel’s packed ballroom at Femme It Forward’s third annual gala and fundraiser, presented by Live Nation. Additional sponsors included Spotify.
Also among the evening’s honorees were GloRilla and Jill Scott. GloRilla, who was also announced as a two-time Grammy nominee earlier in the day, was presented with the Big Femme Energy Award by actress LisaRaye McCoy.
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GloRilla attends the Give Her FlowHERS Awards Gala, receiving the Big Femme Energy Award, on Nov. 8, 2024.
“Shout out to God. Shout out to you all. Shout out to me,” GloRilla said in part. “I always live out of the three D’s: determination, dedication and diligence. And don’t let nobody tell you all what you all can’t do because at the end of the day, their sun won’t shine.”
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jill Scott, recipient of the Muse Award, was paid tribute beforehand by gala host Saweetie — who was honored with the Give Her FlowHERS Award, recognizing an artist who embodies empowerment, resilience and cultural influence — and singer-songwriter Alex Isley.
Jill Scott receives The Muse Award at the Give Her FlowHERS Awards Gala on Nov. 8, 2024.
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“I have an office at my house where I write and read; I believe in inspiration,” said Scott. “So there’s literally a cacophony of extraordinary women, artists and entertainers on my wall. I look at them all the time because sometimes I get scared, sometimes I get paranoid to the point of paralysis where I don’t think I have enough. So I’m looking at these powerful entertainers and how brave, devoted and passionate [they are] about what they do. And I think, ‘I can do this just another day, maybe just another hour … It’s OK to be scared as long as you walk forward in the thing.”
Making a special surprise appearance at the top of the evening were Snoop Dogg and his wife Shante Broadus. They were presented with the Black Love Award by Femme It Forward president/CEO Heather Lowery. “There’s nothing like an award that brings your family, your backbone to the stage. This one here feels better than a Grammy,” noted Snoop, who’s had multiple Grammy nominations but no wins.
The evening’s additional honorees included Chloe + Halle (My Sister’s Keeper), Lady London (Self Love) and artist-songwriter Nija Charles (Pen It Forward). Also among the presenters was Grammy-winning singer-actress Andra Day. Integrated throughout the awards ceremony were segments honoring music and media executives who have served as mentors to young women through Femme It Forward’s sister organization Next Gem Femme.
That circle of honorees — paid tribute by their Next Gem Femme mentees — featured COLTURE co-founder Jayne Andrew, Vydia/gamma. vp Lynne M. Scott, Tri-Star CEO Lou Taylor, MVD Inc. president/CEO Miatta Johnson, Amazon Music head of hip-hop and R&B Sierra Lever and CAA music agent Cheryl Paglierani. Funds donated to Next Gem Femme by audience members during the evening will go toward improving equity in the workplace and accelerating career opportunities and trajectories for young women of color.
Explaining the mission behind Give Her FlowHERS in her opening remarks, Lowery — who also founded Next Gem Femme — told the room, “We see you and honor you. You are the reason we’re here tonight.” Quoting the message on notecards found at each place setting (“No rain, no flowers”), she added, “This is also about weathering the storm and planting your flowers. We can’t change the past, but we can rewrite the future.”
Snoop Dogg and his wife, Shante Broadus, were honored with the Black Love Award at the 2024 Give Her FlowHERS Awards Gala.
The legendary hip-hop artist and his spouse accepted the award during Femme it Forward’s third annual gala, held on Friday (Nov. 8) at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
In his acceptance speech, Snoop reflected on the significance of the award. “This is beautiful because throughout my career I’ve been nominated and won a lot of awards, but there’s nothing like an award that brings you back home to the stage to let people know that this is the reason why you are so successful,” the rapper shared, standing beside Shante, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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He continued, “I’ve been nominated for 20 Grammys and never won one, but this right here, this feels better than one. And to the couples out there tonight, it’s always going to be rocky, it’s always going to be hard, but if it’s true love, and it’s meant to be, it’s going to always be good news. That’s real love. Black love.”
The 2024 Give Her FlowHERS Awards Gala, hosted by Saweetie, also honored other musical artists, including Jill Scott, Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, GloRilla, Doechii, Lady London and Nija.
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Saweetie, who was also presented with an award, expressed gratitude in her speech. “I’d like to thank God because without prayer and faith, I would have lost my mind a long time ago,” the rapper said. “We all know this because we know how crazy this industry can get, but tonight this room is safe. Thank you all for allowing us to be vulnerable.”
Femme it Forward founder Heather Lowery, in her opening remarks, seemed to acknowledge the emotional impact of the 2024 U.S. presidential election results, particularly among supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris.
“To the women and girls who are overqualified and undervalued, can you all stand if you’ve felt this way at any point in your journey?” Lowery said, according to THR. “We want to hold space for you tonight and remind you we see you, we honor you, and you are more than enough. You are the reason why we are here tonight. I know we’ve all been overwhelmed with so many emotions over the last few days. I want you to treat your grief the same way you would treat your garden. Nurture it. Give it space, give it time, let it bloom.”
Other notable honors during Friday’s gala included the My Sister’s Keeper Award presented to siblings Chloe and Halle Bailey; the Visionary Award for Doechii; the Big Femme Energy honor for GloRilla; and the Muse Award for Jill Scott.
Sabrina Carpenter earned her first-ever Grammy nominations — six, actually — when the Recording Academy announced their picks for the 2025 ceremony on Friday morning (Nov. 8). The “Please Please Please” singer took to Instagram to celebrate, sharing a series of videos of herself on her tour bus with her team finding out about the […]
Coldplay, Morgan Wallen, Noah Kahan, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift and Zach Bryan are vying for major tour of the year at the 2025 Pollstar Awards.
This marks a fairly young roster of nominees in the top category. Rodrigo, Kahan and Bryan are in their 20s, Wallen and Swift are in their 30s and the members of Coldplay are in their mid-40s. The relative youth of these headliners, and the range of genres they represent — encompassing pop, rock and country — is considered a healthy sign for the touring industry.
The Pollstar Awards recognize the most innovative and successful artists, tours, companies, venues and executives in the touring industry. Winners will be announced on Feb. 19 at the awards ceremony, which is slated to be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
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Impressively, Chappell Roan and Gracie Abrams are nominated for both support/special guest of the year and new headliner of the year, a sign of their fast climbs to headliner status. Roan is nominated for support/special guest of the year for opening for Rodrigo, while brams is nominated in the support category for opening for Swift.
The other nominees for new headliner of the year are Charli XCX, Fred again.., Sabrina Carpenter and Sleep Token, a rock band from London. Thus, four of the six nominees for new headliner of the year are women.
Elsewhere, three of the six nominees for residency of the year were held at The Sphere in Las Vegas: Dead & Company, Eagles and U2.
“Once again, this year’s nominees represent the best of the best, showcasing the incredible talent, innovation, and hard work that drives our industry,” said Ray Waddell, chief content director of OVG Media & Conferences, which produces Pollstar Live!, Production Live!, and the Pollstar Awards.
A new honor this year is the Maxie Solters Award – Touring Publicist of the Year, recognizing the highest achievement for a public relations executive in the live touring industry. The award was named in tribute to the widely-respected Scoop Marketing publicist, who died on Aug. 15 at age 37.
Nominations were submitted by the Pollstar Awards nominating committee, which is comprised of agents, promoters, managers, producers, production professionals, venue representatives, Pollstar Boxoffice reporters and other touring professionals.
Pollstar subscribers can vote by logging into Pollstar.com to access their ballot. Voting is open now through December 6 at 5 p.m. PT. In addition to subscriber votes, data reporting and ticket sales will be weighted elements in the final results in some categories.
The Pollstar Awards ceremony is a highlight of the three-day Pollstar Live! conference, which is set to take place Feb. 18-20 at the Beverly Hilton. Registration is now open. Go to Pollstar.live to register and for the latest announcements about keynote speakers, panelists, session topics and more.
Here are the 36th Annual Pollstar Awards nominees in selected categories. View all the nominees at news.pollstar.com.
Major tour of the year
Coldplay, Music of the Spheres World Tour
Morgan Wallen, One Night at a Time 2024
Noah Kahan, We’ll All Be Here Forever Tour
Olivia Rodrigo, Guts World Tour
Taylor Swift, The Eras Tour
Zach Bryan, The Quittin Time Tour
Rock tour of the year
Blink-182, The More Time Tour
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, 2024 World Tour
Coldplay, Music of the Spheres World Tour
Foo Fighters, Everything or Nothing at All Tour
Green Day, The Saviors Tour
Metallica, M72 World Tour
Hip-Hop tour of the year
$uicideboy$, Grey Day Tour 2024
Drake, It’s All A Blur Tour
Megan Thee Stallion, Hot Girl Summer Tour
Missy Elliott, Out of This World – The Missy Elliott Experience
Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday 2 World Tour
Travis Scott, The Circus Maximus Tour
R&B tour of the year
Janet Jackson, Janet Jackson: Together Again
Jhené Aiko, The Magic Hour Tour
Kehlani, The Crash World Tour
Maxwell, The Serenade Tour
Usher, Usher: Past Present Future Tour
XSCAPE & SWV, The Queens of R&B Tour
Pop tour of the year
Billie Eilish, Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour
Charli XCX & Troye Sivan, Charli XCX & Troye Sivan Present: Sweat
Justin Timberlake, The Forget Tomorrow World Tour
Olivia Rodrigo, Guts World Tour
P!nk, Summer Carnival 2024
Taylor Swift, The Eras Tour
Country tour of the year
Chris Stapleton, All-American Road Show
Jelly Roll, The Beautifully Broken Tour
Kenny Chesney, Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour
Lainey Wilson, Country’s Cool Again Tour
Morgan Wallen, One Night at a Time 2024
Tyler Childers, Mule Pull ‘24 Tour
Zach Bryan, The Quittin’ Time Tour.
Latin tour of the year
Bad Bunny, Most Wanted Tour
Carin León, Boca Chueca Tour 2024
Fuerza Regida, Pero No Te Enamores Tour 2024
Karol G, Mañana Será Bonito Tour
Luis Miguel, Luis Miguel Tour 2023-24
Peso Pluma, Éxodo Tour 2024
Comedy tour of the year
Gabriel Iglesias, Don’t Worry Be Fluffy Tour
Jim Gaffigan, Barely Alive Tour
Matt Rife, ProbleMATTic World Tour
Nate Bargatze, The Be Funny Tour
Nikki Glaser, Alive and Unwell Tour
Sebastian Maniscalco, It Ain’t Right
Residency of the year
Adele at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace/Neue Messe München
Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden
Dead & Company at The Sphere
Eagles at The Sphere
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Ryman Auditorium
U2 at The Sphere
Support/special guest of the year
Chappell Roan for Olivia Rodrigo
Ciara/Timbaland for Missy Elliott
Gracie Abrams for Taylor Swift
Paramore for Taylor Swift
The Smashing Pumpkins for Green Day
Zac Brown Band for Kenny Chesney
New headliner of the year
Chappell Roan
Charli XCX
Fred again..
Gracie Abrams
Sabrina Carpenter
Sleep Token
Lalah Hathaway may be a five-time Grammy Award winner, but the singer-songwriter tells Billboard that becoming a nominee again never loses its luster. “I never take it for granted,” says Hathaway. She received two nominations in the R&B category: best R&B album (Vantablack) and best traditional R&B performance (“No Lie,” featuring Michael McDonald). Explore See […]