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Billboard Presents the Grammy Pre-Show: Predictions, Nominee Interviews, Snubs & More | Billboard

February 4, 2024

Ahead of Music’s Biggest Night, the Grammys, Billboard staffers sat down and chatted all about their predictions, performances, snubs and more!Tetris Kelly:It’s Grammy Sunday! I’m Tetris Kelly, here at Soho Warehouse in downtown Los Angeles. We have a great show for you today with behind-the-scenes access, exclusive interviews with nominees like Dom Dolla and Scott Hoying of Pentatonix, and some hot performances. Plus, we’ll talk to Billboard’s experts covering all things you need to know, the biggest snubs, hottest genres and their picks in the Big Four categories, including the highly competitive best new artist. Oh, and by the way, we’ll introduce you to all eight best new artist nominees, so let’s run it down! Welcome to Billboard Celebrates Music’s Hottest Night!

First up are two of Billboard’s most in-the-know contributors Katie Atkinson and Rania Aniftos to talk about some of the biggest moments in music this year and what everyone is talking about going into the Grammys. Hey, ladies, how’s it going?

Katie Atkinson:Hi, Tetris!

Rania Aniftos:Hi, Tetris!

Tetris Kelly:I love that you got the green memo with me, Katie.

Katie Atkinson:That’s right! Sorry, Rania!

Tetris Kelly:Sorry, Rania!

Rania Aniftos:No one informed me!

Tetris Kelly:You we’re not informed, but you guys are the most informed in music. So let’s talk about this year. Can’t talk about it without the biggest tours — Beyonce, Taylor’s Eras tour, Renaissance tour, how did that shape music this year?

Rania Aniftos:I mean, you were at both the tours this year.

Katie Atkinson:I did. I went to both. I think Tetris did too.

Tetris Kelly:I had a good time!

Katie Atkinson:Basically, two of our biggest superstars had their career-defining tours this year and I think that kind of goes into the Grammys because it’s like who’s going to be next? Whoever gets coronated as the big star after Sunday night, maybe they’re gonna have the big career-defining tour next year, right?

Tetris Kelly:Absolutely and I mean, Taylor is also having a big year in nominations as well, correct?

Rania Aniftos:Oh, yeah, I mean, she’s nominated for album of the year for ‘Midnights,’ and she basically dominates the Grammys once again, as she does with every single album cycle. Something that I really liked about her tour, and I’m hoping that more artists do it and it seems like with Madonna and the Jonas Brothers, there are already artists who are playing on this “Eras thing,” you know, where they want to celebrate their discography and the music that made them who they are. And I hope that more artists look towards the future to do something like that.

Tetris Kelly:And we can’t talk about women having a big year without talking about the ‘Barbie’ soundtrack I mean Lizzo, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, that soundtrack had bops on bops.

Watch the video above!

Jon Bon Jovi, Bell Biv DeVoe & A CeeLo DJ Set: Inside Primary Wave x Billboard No. 1s Pre-Grammy Party

djfrosty

February 4, 2024

Primary Wave’s annual pre-Grammy party went down Saturday night at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, and this year, for the first time, it celebrated Billboard No. 1s.So it makes sense that a crowd of hitmakers was in the building to celebrate Grammy Weekend, including Jon Bon Jovi, who had just been honored the night prior as MusiCares Person of the Year and is the voice of four Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits with his namesake band. Melissa Etheridge was also there, alongside wife Linda Wallem, and she’s a Billboard chart-topper too, including the Adult Contemporary No. 1 smash “I’m the Only One.”
Then there was Bell Biv DeVoe — the trio of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivens and Ronnie DeVoe — who scored three No. 1s on Billboard‘s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in their early ’90s heyday. They were the perfect people for Billboard‘s Rania Aniftos to ask “what is the key to making a hit song?” on the red carpet Saturday night.
“Be yourself, have fun, make sure you’re enjoying it,” Bell offered. “Make sure it’s what you would really listen to when you go to the clubs or jump in your car. Just keep it true in that aspect.”
Bivens chimed in next: “I would say get a hot beat. Don’t nothing happen without the beat. Then go straight to the chorus and get something that they want to remember. And then just tell a story that you think connects to men and women.”
Finally, DeVoe said, “It’s about that moment in time too, like being real as far as what you’re feeling in your life at that time. The biggest albums were about a moment in time in any given artist’s career. Whether it’s Prince, Purple Rain or Mary J. Blige, What’s the 411? There’s so many classics based on people’s pain and their victory at any time. A song should speak to that.”
CeeLo was in charge of the night’s music, spinning everything from Usher’s “Yeah!” and Too $hort’s “Blow the Whistle” to his own “F**k You! (Forget You),” a No. 1 hit on Billboard‘s Pop Airplay chart in 2011.
Also at the Waldorf Astoria for the party: Lauren Spencer-Smith, Fifth Harmony alumni Ally Brooke & Dinah Jane, Grandmaster Flash, Gavin Rossdale, “Lovin On Me” co-writer & co-producer Sean Momberger, Johnny Gill, Bonnie McKee, Israeli & Palestinian boy band as1one, Eric Benét, charlieonafriday, Pat Houston, Donna Houston, Damien “DDOT” Washington, Domani Harris, Armani White, James Charles, Crystal Kung MinkoffDom Fenison & Chanel West Coast, Terry Washington and, last but not least, The Hamburglar, who surprised the party with Happy Meal boxes filled with McDonald’s cheeseburgers and french fries.
Find photos from the party below:

Lauren Spencer-Smith