Grammys
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Sometimes, smaller is better. The Recording Academy’s Special Merit Awards returned to the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles on Saturday (Feb. 4) after several years at the larger Dolby Theater in Hollywood (home of the Oscars) where the show was taped for airing as a PBS special that ran its course.
Maybe the Special Merit Awards ceremony was always meant to be a small, intimate affair, where the Academy dispenses its lifetime achievement awards, trustees awards, technical Grammy Awards and the music educator award. As in years past—before the pandemic shut the event down entirely the past few years—you get personal glimpses of artists that are revealing.
Nancy Wilson, who received a lifetime achievement award along with her absent sister Ann Wilson, recalled that when they formed Heart in 1974, they wanted to be The Beatles. “Not to be married to them, or to be the girlfriend of one of them, but to be The Beatles.”
Wilson added “What an honor to stand next to this force of nature (referring to Ann) and rock our butts off.” She thanked such industry boosters as Don Passman, Rob Light and John Sykes and thanked the audience “for helping us survive the sheer insanity of this rock and roll circus. We couldn’t care less about the gender politics of the time and we still don’t.”
Merck Mercuriadis, founder of Hipgnosis Songs, accepted the award on Ann Wilson’s behalf. He recalled being a 12-year-old in Canada and hearing Heart’s first hit “Magic Man” on the radio and said he has been a fan ever since. He noted that Ann is still going strong – featured on a track on Disturbed’s new album and on Dolly Parton’s upcoming rock album.
Several artists and executives were honored for challenging gender or racial norms. Jim Stewart of Stax Records received a trustees award in part for Stax’s progressive stance for the time and place (Memphis) of having an interracial band, Booker T. & the MG’s.
Stewart died on Dec. 5, 2022 at age 92. A niece said that he advocated equal rights for all. She said “We should all try for a little more tenderness,” borrowing from the title of a 1966 hit by Otis Redding, “Try a Little Tenderness,” released on Stax’s Volt label.
The Supremes received a lifetime achievement award, in part for the way they broke down barriers that had kept white and Black fans separated – literally, in segregated theaters, and also culturally.
Diana Ross, who was present when she received a solo lifetime achievement award from the Academy in 2012, wasn’t on hand to receive the trio’s honor, even though she is its only surviving member. Instead, the award was accepted by daughters of Mary Wilson, who died in 2021, and Florence Ballard, who died in 1976.
It was a touching moment when Wilson’s daughter Jurkessa and Ballard’s daughter Lisa Sabrina – both middle-aged women now – hugged.
Jurkessa Wilson said that “The Supremes changed perceptions of how the world viewed Black people.” She also thanked Ross, who she noted was her godmother.
“I really don’t have many memories of my mom,” Lisa Sabrina Ballard shared. “I was just three years old she passed. But she was very well loved all over the world.”
Krist Novoselic spoke for Nirvana, which received a lifetime achievement award. Dave Grohl, an 18-time Grammy winner, also went up to accept the award, but let his former colleague take the lead. Novoselic said that he reads fan mail from around the world and detects that there’s a new generation of fans discovering Nirvana’s music.
Novoselic quoted the line “Teenage angst has paid off,” adding, “Well, and so it has.”
Slick Rick was honored, even though he has yet to receive a Grammy nomination or a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nod. The rapper’s lifetime achievement award was presented by veteran industry executive Lyor Cohen, currently YouTube’s global head of music. Cohen noted that Slick Rick was the first act he signed to Def Jam Records.
Slick Rick appeared wearing a purple coat. “Do you like the coat?” he asked the audience, and then announced where he bought it: “Macys. Women’s section.”
He said that growing up in England, he knew he wanted to be a singer, singing snatches of Dionne Warwick’s “Walk on By” and The Supremes’ “Baby Love” before identifying other favorites – The Beatles, Jamaican dance hall and hip-hop.
Nile Rodgers has received so many awards, you might think his trustees award would be just another one to put on the shelf, but he was emotional throughout his acceptance speech, in which he named many of the artists he’s worked with. “I don’t want to cry so I’m going to try to be strong,” he said, concluding “We are part of the great and wondrous musical family.”
Bobby McFerrin received a lifetime achievement award and demonstrated his talent by doing a seemingly impromptu acapella voicebox bit. He came across a bit like a Robin Williams of music – someone so inspired and gifted that they seem to just ping from one thing to the next.
McFerrin noted that his father was the first African American to sign a contract with the Metropolitan Opera of New York – so Bobby grew up listening, in his words, to Beethoven, Brahms and Basie.
Blues legend Ma Rainey, who died in 1939, was finally honored, her award presumably given fresh impetus by the 2020 film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, in which Viola Davis received an Oscar nomination for playing Rainey.
Henry Diltz, who became just the second photographer (following the late Jim Marshall) to receive a trustees award, recalled that he almost stumbled into his career. “I was happy being a hippie folk singer,” he said. “I saw a little second-hand store that had a table full of little used cameras. I got one and put film in it and decided to take photos of all my friends. Well, they all became famous.” And as Diltz rattled off just their first names – including Graham, Stephen, Joni, Jimi, James and Jackson – you realize he truly was in the right place at the right time.
Diltz ended his acceptance remarks with two bits of sound advice: “Behave properly. Be happy.”
Dr. Andy Hildebrand, who created the groundbreaking Auto-Tune software program for pitch correction, admitted that he didn’t realize the effect it would have on recording studio economics. Where singers would once have to do take after take of a song to get it right, now they could sing it once and a producer could Auto-Tune it. “It’s been an amazing trip and I’m still writing software,” Hildebrand said.
As in years past, the selections can sometimes seem random. The best way to look at each year’s class is as a representative sample of greatness across a broad range of genres, rather than, necessarily, the seven most deserving artists of those yet to honored.
The Academy had said that the song for social change award would be presented at this event. It was not even mentioned. It will presumably be presented on the Grammy Awards telecast on Sunday.
Here’s a complete list of 2023 Special Merit Award recipients.
Lifetime Achievement Awards
The Supremes
Nirvana
Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson
Nile Rodgers
Slick Rick
Bobby McFerrin
Ma Rainey
Trustees Awards
Jim Stewart
Ellis Marsalis
Henry Diltz
Technical Grammy Award Honorees
AES
Dr. Andy Hildebrand
Music Educator Award
Pamela Dawson, director of choral activities, DeSoto High School, DeSoto, Tex.
On Friday night (Feb. 3), Rita Ora hosted a pre-Grammy Awards party to celebrate the release of her new single “You Only Love Me,” as well as the anniversary of her decade-long music career.
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Adjacent to the Los Angeles’ iconic Chateau Marmont hotel, the “Celebrating 10 Years of Music” party took place at a private West Hollywood residence for an intimate gathering of Ora’s close friends and peers. Stars in attendance included Kate Beckinsale, Alessandra Ambrosio, Kristen Stewart, Chloé Zhao, Tia Mowry and Camila Mendes.
At 10 p.m. sharp, guests gathered inside the residence for a cozy performance from Ora, who sang three songs acoustically. She opened with “Let You Love Me” off her 2018 album, Phoenix, followed by her new single “You Only Love Me,” which released last week. Ora finished off the intimate performance with another song from Phoenix titled “Anywhere.”
“It feels good to sing it like that,” Ora told the crowd about the new single. “It’s a lot of work to continue a career after a decade. You’re thinking, ‘S—, I’m getting old.’ But it’s also a nice feeling because you kind of grow in people’s face, and you have lots and lots to talk about, so that’s the beauty of being able to do what we do.”
Just last week, Ora confirmed that she recently married Thor: Ragnarok and Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi, who was also in attendance at the party.
This article originally appeared on The Hollywood Reporter.
“We’re back!” Universal Music Group chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge said to a round of applause, opening the first UMG Grammy week artist showcase in three years due to the pandemic. “A lot has happened in these last three years, but today is about the music.”
UMG’s pre-Grammy artist showcase at Milk Studios has always been about the emerging artists that are coming through the ranks at Universal Music Group in a given year, and the performances are a highly-anticipated event each year. But the pandemic meant that this year’s was the first since 2020, and this edition also included highlights from a series of forthcoming docu-films that the company is set to release.
Grainge spent a few moments in his opening remarks shouting out the artists who were set to perform, as well as those in attendance, which included Elton John, Jon Batiste, Sabrina Carpenter, Yo Gotti, Niall Horan, Fletcher, Ice Spice, Queen Naija and Natalie Jane. “We all know the extraordinary power of music; it touches each of us,” he said. “Music’s power increases in a socially conscious way whenever artists use their talents to promote positive change in our community. When we at UMG employ the vast reach and resources of our company to support our artists in their efforts to promote change, the power of music blossoms even more.”
He then introduced a video that focused on Billie Eilish and her mother’s efforts to address climate change and promote sustainability with her tours and the way she lives her life, as well as UMG’s own efforts to promote sustainability and limit their carbon footprint and waste. Then Grainge introduced Eilish herself, who came out and accepted UMG’s Amplifier Award for her efforts.
“I do as much as I can — I feel like I can always do more — but I feel very impressed and excited that you guys are actually making this a priority and thinking about it and doing your part to support me,” Eilish said while accepting the award. “I would just say I’m really thankful — I feel really seen right now. I spend a lot of my time feeling really anxious because I don’t feel like a lot of people, and especially people in the business, care very much, and it’s really nice to see that this is happening and that you guys do. And I just wanted to say, everyone in this room, we can all do our part. I know a lot of you got some money in your f—in’ pocket, so you can use it for good things and not stupid things,” she added, laughing. She then thanked her mother, and continued, “I’m always trying to think of how to do things in the least wasteful ways possible, and it’s shocking how little I feel that gets reciprocated, and it makes me feel like nobody’s doing anything. So it’s nice to see that you are, and I’m really thankful.”
Then the performances got underway, beginning with Kim Petras, who sang her song “brrr” before bringing out Sam Smith for their chart-topping collaboration “Unholy.” Verve Records artist — and best new artist nominee at this year’s Grammys — Samara Joy then came out to perform a beautifully jazzy “Sweet Pumpkin,” with her vocals taking things to the next level with her trio on stage, and GloRilla hit the stage with highly energetic performances of her songs “Tomorrow” and “FNF.”
Elton John then emerged from the crowd to introduce Stephen Sanchez, a young singer and guitarist signed to Republic Records. John thanked the Universal staff — the label group that he’s been with his entire career — before noting how when he was a young artist he benefited from and valued the support he got from established artists who reached out to him and encouraged him. He then turned his attention to Sanchez, who he compared to Roy Orbison and Ricky Nelson. “I am so thrilled to see this boy, at 20 years of age, taking the reins and writing this great song — he’s gonna be a big, big star,” John said. “I really think he’s the bee’s knees.”
Sanchez then played “Evangeline” and “Until I Found You,” two songs with his retro feel, adding that he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to talk on stage instead of just performing — “It feels like I broke into a party I’m not supposed to be at,” he joked — and thanking Elton before walking off to a big ovation. Singer-songwriter Lauren Spencer-Smith got a huge ovation as well, with the crowd audibly gasping at her vocal performances of brand-new, unreleased track “Best Friend Breakup” and her breakout hit “Fingers Crossed.” And Universal Music Latino signee Feid brought a Latin presence to the afternoon, with guitar-rocking performances of “Tengo Fe” — “the song that changed my life while we were in lockdown,” he noted — and “Porfa.”
Def Jam signee Muni Long showcased her powerful vocals and impressive range with the new, unreleased song “Made for Me,” a gorgeous ballad that will be included on her upcoming debut album, which she added she’s still working on, before shimmering on her own breakout hit from last year, the sultry “Hrs and Hrs.” And TDE/Capitol artist Doechii wowed those in attendance with a breathlessly insistence dance set of “Persuasive” and “Crazy” that packed raw energy into every second of her performance.
The show didn’t just contain performances, but was also an opportunity for Universal to preview three new documentaries that it will be releasing in the coming months, including Love to Love You, a Donna Summer doc directed by her daughter, Brooklyn Sudano, as well as Roger Ross Williams, that will arrive on HBO in May, and a Paul McCartney documentary directed by Morgan Neville focusing on his post-Beatles career in the 1970s, when he had to reinvent himself with his solo work and his band Wings, that is called Man on the Run and will be released in 2024.
Batiste was also on hand to speak about an upcoming documentary that follows his life for the past year, called American Symphony, that explores the emotional highs of his big Grammy wins last year, when he took home album of the year, and the devastating lows of his wife’s cancer battle, a film that he says became about a lot more than he originally envisioned while he worked on his next musical project.
“Making things is difficult. Being an artist is vulnerable process, it’s a vulnerable existence. It takes so much to express the truth of how you feel, where you’re from, to connect to the universal humanism, humanity, that everyone has from the beginning of time until now,” Batiste said, also praising director Matthew Heineman. “It’s like you’re connected to a source that exists on a plane that you can’t see but we can all feel. It’s just as real as this table, just as real as anything. And I really believe the process of that is a messy process. You gotta scrap with it a little bit. You gotta roll around. You gotta get a handle on it. I wanted to make a film that captured the process of it all — a lot of unprecedented moments in my life over this year, highs and lows, intense highs and very intense, near tragic, lows.”
The showcase ended with a surprise set from Shania Twain, whose new album Queen of Me came out this past week. The Canadian icon performed a stripped down “You’re Still the One” and an abbreviated honky tonk “That Don’t Impress Me Much” — complete with a tweak of a lyric to “OK, so you’re Lucian Grainge” — before grabbing an acoustic guitar for “Honey I’m Home.” Twain’s appearance capped an afternoon of star-studded performances, showcasing that UMG has another new crop of young stars with bright futures ahead.
The Los Angeles Convention Center was transformed into Hitsville U.S.A. on Friday night (Feb. 3) when the 32nd annual MusiCares Persons of the Year benefit gala honored Motown Records icons Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson. The two-and-a-half tribute elicited a raft of standing ovations thanks to dynamic performances from a lineup of Grammy winners and current/past nominees that included Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, John Legend, Dionne Warwick, Sheryl Crow, Chloe x Halle and Jimmie Allen, among others.
Musical director Greg Phillinganes and the house band formally kicked off the proceedings with rousing versions of the Contours’ “Do You Love Me” and “Going to a Go-Go” by Robinson’s group the Miracles. Then the evening was off and running as the Temptations took over the stage with their signature dance routines and a rousing medley of several classics: “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “I Can’t Get Next to You” and “My Girl.” Their performance drew the first of the evening’s multiple standing ovations — as well as boisterous singalongs — from a star-studded audience that included Elton John, Rep. Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul, Tom Hanks, Gayle King, Nile Rodgers and Richie Sambora, among others.
Also lighting up the stage and audience memories were performances by former Motown acts the Four Tops (“Baby I Need Your Loving,” “It’s the Same Old Song,” “Reach Out [I’ll Be There],” “I Can’t Help Myself [Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch]”), the Isley Brothers (“This Old Heart of Mine”), Richie and Wonder. Before segueing into fan fave “Easy,” Richie noted, “I don’t know which means more … To be part of the Motown family or having Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson as my very dear friends.”
Wonder soloed on an early Miracles song co-produced by Robinson and Gordy, “I’ll Try Something New.” Then he teamed with the band for a reggae-vibed take on a song he co-wrote with Robinson, “The Tears of a Clown.” Recalling his early years at Motown, Wonder said, “All of my appreciation, respect and love go to you, Berry Gordy — who thought I couldn’t sing. Let’s keep it real … he said, you can play but you really can’t sing.” As the audience laughed, Wonder added that he once told Robinson, “I can sing better than you.” Ending on a serious note, he told both Gordy and Robinson, “Thank you, I love you. Thank you, I love you.”
Upping the tribute’s magic quotient even further was the diverse group of artists chosen to put their own spins on the sound of Motown. Crow mesmerized the audience with her vocals on the Jackson 5 hit “I Want You Back,” while Legend and a trio of female singers sweetly harmonized their way through another Jackson 5 gem “I’ll Be There.” Legend talked about being the son of Motown-loving parents. “When my dad wanted to flirt with my mother, he’d start singing.” At this point, Legend mimicked his dad singing ‘I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day” — the first line to “My Girl.”
Songwriter/producer Valerie Simpson partnered with Allen on “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” one of the many hits that she and late husband Nickolas Ashford crafted at Motown. Mumford & Sons turned in another crowd-pleaser with their slowed down, bluesy interpretation of the Barrett Strong gem and Motown’s first hit “Money (That’s What I Want).” Warwick wowed with “My Guy.” Additional performances included Trombone Shorty (“Shotgun”), Michael McDonald (“Lonely Teardrops”), Rita Wilson and Sebastian Yatra (“It Takes Two”), Brandi Carlile and the Hanseroth Twins (a riveting “The Tracks of My Tears”), PJ Morton and Lalah Hathaway (“Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing”) and Chloe x Halle (“Baby Love”).
A trio of performances by three current best new artist nominees rounded out the performance slate: DOMi & JD Beck (“All I Do Is Think of You”), Molly Tuttle (“The One Who Really Loves You” and Samara Joy (“Ain’t That Peculiar”). Joy’s jazzy, smoky version of the Marvin Gaye classic, coupled with her velvety vocals, sparked another rollicking ovation led by John who was the first to stand up. Also co-signing the performances throughout the evening were Gordy and Robinson themselves as the camera caught them singing along, smiling broadly and raising their arms at various intervals.
The most emotional moment arrived when Robinson walked onstage to pay tribute to his longtime mentor and best friend Gordy. “In my life I’ve been blessed enough to get a few awards,” he began. “But this one is really the most special to me because I’m getting this award with my very best friend in the world. I’m standing here tonight because when I first met this man, it was the beginning of my dream come true. I wanted to be a singer, to be in show business, write songs and make music. I never thought it would be possible for me from where I grew up. But he took me under his wing … I love you man; you are so precious.”
After Robinson performed “Did You Know,” a ballad he wrote about Gordy and their friendship, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. presented the Persons of the Year award to the pair — the first duo to be so honored. The spry, 93-old Gordy — who could be seen dancing to “Get Ready” as all the performers returned for the finale, said simply, “I’m happy to be here with my best friend.”
As the charity arm of The Recording Academy, MusiCares’ annual benefit gala salutes musicians for their artistic achievements in music and dedication to philanthropy. Proceeds from the gala, which included a silent auction of various music memorabilia and other items, will provide essential support as MusiCares continues to provide music professionals with health and human services across a spectrum of needs.
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Music’s biggest night is back! The 65th annual Grammy Awards will take place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday (Feb. 5). Comedian Trevor Noah returns to host the ceremony for a third year in a row.
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Nominees include Beyoncé, Adele, Harry Styles, Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift, Brandi Carlile, Lizzo, Doja Cat, GloRilla, Coldplay, Kendrick Lamar, Anitta, Omar Apollo, Muni Long, Sam Smith, Kim Petras, Latto, Måneskin, Tobe Nwigwe, Samara Joy, Steve Lacy, Mary J. Blige, ABBA, BTS, Kelly Clarkson, Michael Bublé, Diana Ross, Beck, Bryan Adams, Ozzy Osbourne, Idles, The Black Keys, Machine Gun Kelly, Spoon, Florence + The Machine, Arcade Fire, Björk, Wet Leg, Lucky Day, Jazmine Sullivan, Snoh Aalegra, PJ Morton, Chris Brown, Jack Harlow, DJ Khaled, Willie Nelson, Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Ashley McBride and Miranda Lambert.
Jay Z, Bad Bunny, Lizzo, Stevie Wonder, Carlile, Combs, Styles, Blige, Smith and Petras have been announced to perform. Cardi B, Shania Twain and Olivia Rodrigo are among the presenters.
The Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony, which takes place ahead of the big show, will stream live on Grammy.com and the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel.
Keep reading to find out the how and when to watch the 2023 Grammys from your TV, laptop or smartphone.
How to Watch the Grammys on CBS
The 65th annual Grammy Awards will air exclusively on CBS on Sunday, beginning at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. If you have cable (or an HDTV antenna), simply check your local listings for channel information to watch the show. The ceremony can also be streamed live by signing into CBS.com.
For those who don’t have TV, the 2023 Grammys will be streaming exclusively on Paramount+. If you plan to watch the show from outside the U.S., CBS and Paramount+ are available through ExpressVPN.
How to Watch the Grammys on Paramount+
Paramount+ subscribers can watch the Grammys live via the Paramount+ app. If you’re not subscribed to Paramount+ Premium, sign up today and receive your first week free. You can access Paramount+ through the app, online at Paramountplus.com and on Prime Video. The monthly subscription is $9.99 after the free trial and you can cancel at any time.
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How to Watch the Grammys on FuboTV
Not familiar with FuboTV? If you’ve been looking for live TV for a good price, you might want to give it a try. Stream hundreds of cable, network and sports channels with Fubo’s Pro package which is $74.99 a month for 145 channels, including ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, FX, TLC, AMC, MSNBC, ESPN, FS1 and Nickelodeon. Also included in your subscription: over 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR and unlimited streaming on up to 10 devices.
How to Watch the Grammys on Hulu
Are the Grammys on Hulu? Yes! To watch awards shows live, you’ll need Hulu + Live TV. The subscription gets you access to over 75 live channels and loads of on-demand content that you can watch at home or on the go for less than $75 a month. CBS, ABC, NBC, CW and Fox are included with Hulu + Live TV along with popular entertainment channels such as MTV, VH1, OWN, TBS, TNT, USA, Bravo, Comedy Central, E!, Freeform and Lifetime.
Plus, you’ll get access to everything on Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+, and there’s an option to add HBO Max, Starz and other channels to your streaming package for an additional fee.
More Ways to Watch the Grammys Online
If you’re not already subscribed to you cable, satellite or internet providers that offer live television like Verizon Fios or T-Mobile, finding the right TV package takes a little digging. Unfortunately, Vidgo and Philo don’t carry CBS, but there are other affordable packages that you can find online. For example, DirectTV Stream starts at $74.99 for 75+ live channels and unlimited cloud DVR storage. Join DirectTV today and save $10 per month for 12 months (this limited offer only applies to new customers).
If you’re a SlingTV subscriber, the platform doesn’t have CBS, but members can watch CBS and other local channels with an AirTV Antenna. You can also watch CBS on Roku and Google Chromecast via the CBS and Paramount+ apps.
Bebe Rexha recently sat down with Billboard‘s Rania Aniftos to celebrate her third Grammy nomination. This year, the superstar is up for best dance/electronic recording for her David Guetta collaboration, “I’m Good (Blue).”
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“In the same category as Beyoncé, that’s incredible,” Rexha gushed, noting that Queen Bey is also nominated for her Renaissance hit, “Break My Soul.” “I was thinking the other day, I was like, ‘I wonder if she read through the nominees and she saw my name.’ Maybe Beyoncé knows my name.”
Rexha’s nomination is particularly special, as her Guetta collaboration was made back in 2017, but wasn’t released until 2022, when a clip of the track began blowing up on TikTok. “I was in London,” the singer shared of making the song nearly six years ago. “I think I saw that David was in London through Instagram or I was texting him. He was like, ‘I’m in the studio, come through.’ We went to the studio and he played me this remix track of [Eiffel 65’s ‘Blue’]. We didn’t think anything of it. We weren’t trying to be serious, like we had to write this insane song. We were just having a good time.”
She continued, “Finally, it started going viral on TikTok and I texted him and I was like, ‘We have to put this out.’ There was no thought process into it. Sometimes you don’t always need to overthink things. You just go with the flow.”
Rexha was previously nominated in 2019 for best new artist and country duo/group performance for her Florida Georgia Line collaboration, “Meant to Be.” On her ability to seamlessly genre blend, the star noted that she likes “to try different things” over the course of her 13-year career. “Imagine if you ate pizza — I mean, pizza is amazing. But if you had it every day for the rest of your life, you get really bored of it,” she explained. “If you had it every day for the rest of your life, you get bored of it. You want to try pasta or tacos. So, for me, I don’t want to be stuck in one category.”
Watch Billboard‘s full interview with Bebe Rexha above.
Maluma‘s The Love & Sex Tape is up for best música urbana album at the 65th annual Grammy Awards, set to take place on Sunday (Feb. 5). The Colombian star is up against fellow hitmakers Rauw Alejandro (TRAP CAKE, VOL. 2), Bad Bunny (Un Verano Sin Ti), Daddy Yankee (LEGENDADDY) and Farruko (La 167).
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It marks his first nomination ever in this category. Overall, it’s his second nomination. He was previously nominated in the best Latin pop album category for his 2019 set, 11:11.
If he wins his first Grammy, “I would feel very proud to take that to Colombia, that would be so amazing.” Maluma tells Billboard ahead of the awards ceremony, that will be held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. “That’s the biggest goal, to take the Grammy to my hometown and show it to my mom, to my dad and my friends.”
The Love & Sex Tape dropped in June and it showcased a darker, naughtier side of the “Pretty Boy.” In the eight-track album — produced by The Rude Boyz — Maluma stays true to his urbano essence singing about love, lust and heartbreak, but does so with slightly more raunchier lyrics. It peaked at No. 16 on Billboard‘s Top Latin Albums chart (dated June 25).
About his fellow nominees, Maluma shares that it’s “nice” to be part of that group of artists. “We represent our culture and being nominated with these huge stars is great.” Check out the entire one-on-one interview with Maluma above.
And below, stream his Grammy-nominated set The Love & Sex Tape.
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The 2023 Grammys, set to air on Sunday, Feb. 5, will have a strong focus on contemporary R&B and hip-hop. There will be individual performances by Lizzo, Mary J. Blige and Steve Lacy. DJ Khaled, joined by Fridayy, Jay-Z, John Legend, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross, will perform “God Did,” their No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit. Most notably, there will be an extensive 50th-anniversary salute to hip-hop, hosted by LL Cool J and featuring dozens of hip-hop stars.
Hip-hop will also factor into another set piece on the show. The annual In Memoriam spot will feature three breakout salutes – to Migos co-founder Takeoff, Fleetwood Mac mainstay Christine McVie and country legend Loretta Lynn. Maverick City Music will join Quavo for Quavo’s sentimental ballad “Without You” to honor Takeoff. Bonnie Raitt, Mick Fleetwood and Sheryl Crow will team to perform “Songbird” from Fleetwood Mac’s album of the year-winning Rumours to honor McVie. Kacey Musgraves will perform Lynn’s 1970 classic “Coal Miner’s Daughter” in tribute to the country legend.
Sam Smith and Kim Petras are expected to perform their Hot 100 No. 1 smash “Unholy,” which is nominated for best pop duo/group performance. The song was released just six days before the end of the eligibility year (Sept. 30, 2022). If it had had more time to fully register with Grammy voters, it would almost certainly have been nominated for record and/or song of the year.
At press time, only one of the four artists who had the most 2023 Grammy nominations (Carlile) has been announced as a performer on the show. The other three (Adele, Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar) have not. That may well change as the show approaches. Awards shows increasingly tend to hold back announcements of big names until the last minute to create buzz when they need it the most.
The 65th annual Grammy Awards will air live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and will be hosted for the third year in a row by Emmy-winning comedian Trevor Noah. The show will be broadcast live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
The 65th annual Grammy Awards are produced by Fulwell 73 Productions for the Recording Academy. Kapoor serves as showrunner and executive producer, alongside Winston and Jesse Collins as executive producers. Phil Heyes joins the team for the first time as director. Eric Cook is co-executive producer with Tabitha Dumo, Tiana Gandelman, Patrick Menton and David Wild as producers.
Prior to the telecast, the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony will be broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater at 12:30 p.m. PT and will be streamed live on live.Grammy.com. Randy Rainbow, a first-time Grammy nominee for best comedy album for A Little Brains, A Little Talent, is co-hosting the show. His co-host has yet to be named.
Main Telecast
Host
Trevor Noah
Performers
Bad Bunny
Brandi Carlile
DJ Khaled with Fridayy, Jay-Z, John Legend, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross
Harry Styles
Lizzo
Luke Combs
Mary J. Blige
Sam Smith & Kim Petras
Steve Lacy
Stevie Wonder with Smokey Robinson and Chris Stapleton
50th-anniversary salute to hip-hop: LL Cool J (host),Questlove (producer/musical director), The Roots (music), Black Thought (narrator), Big Boi, Busta Rhymes with Spliff Star, De La Soul, DJ Drama, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Missy Elliott, Future, GloRilla, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Melle Mel & Scorpio/Ethiopian King, Ice-T, Lil Baby, Lil Wayne, The Lox, Method Man, Nelly, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Rahiem, Rakim, RUN-DMC, Salt-N-Pepa and Spinderella, Scarface, Swizz Beatz and Too $hort.
In Memoriam breakouts: Kacey Musgraves; Bonnie Raitt, Mick Fleetwood and Sheryl Crow; Maverick City Music and Quavo
Presenters
Billy Crystal
Cardi B
Dwayne Johnson
James Corden
Jill Biden
Olivia Rodrigo
Shania Twain
Viola Davis
Premiere Ceremony
Host
Randy Rainbow
Performers
The Blind Boys of Alabama with La Marisoul from La Santa Cecilia
Arooj Aftab
Madison Cunningham
Samara Joy
Anoushka Shankar
Carlos Vives
Presenters
Babyface
DOMi and JD Beck
Myles Frost
Arturo O’Farrill
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Jimmy Jam