Music

11 Nov 2023

Lana Del Rey, ‘So Surprised’ Over Grammy Nominations, Says She Only Learned the Awards Submission Process This Year

Lana Del Rey checked in from Nashville to share her reaction to the five nominations she received for the 2024 Grammy Awards. Although she’s been nominated for a six Grammys previously, she apparently only personally became aware of the process of submitting material for consideration this year.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“I woke up so surprised,” Del Rey said with a giggle in a black-and-white clip posted on Instagram Friday (Nov. 10). “Very excited about these Grammy nominations. Five!”

Del Rey is nominated for album of the year and best alternative album for Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd; song of the year and best alternative music performance for “A&W,” and best pop duo/group performance for “Candy Necklace” feat. Jon Batiste.

“And we’re singing on I think two of the other albums that are nominated, with Jon and Taylor,” she added, referencing her contributions to Jon Batiste‘s World Live Radio (“Life Lesson”) and Taylor Swift‘s Midnights (“Snow on the Beach”).

Plus, Jack Antonoff is nominated for producer of the year for his work on Del Rey’s Did You Know…, Swift’s Midnights, as well as The 1975‘s Being Funny in a Foreign Language.

Smiling in the Instagram clip, Del Rey said, “It’s just such a fun day. It’s really just about how excited everybody else is, and everybody calling, getting in touch and saying hi. All about the process and just one more exciting thing that’s happening.”

Adding that she was “genuinely touched” by the nominations and support on Friday, Del Rey said, “I in fact only learned this year that you have to submit your own album if you want to be nominated. Even that was out of my wheelhouse, but I did do that.”

Recording Academy members and record companies submit work released during the eligibility period that they believe is worthy of recognition by the Grammys; the submissions for the 2024 awards ceremony had to be released between Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 15, 2023. The Academy’s voting members then participate in the nominating process that determines finalists in each category, and later the final voting process that determines winners.

If Del Rey takes home an award at the 2024 ceremony, it will be her first Grammy win.

Del Rey was in Nashville hanging out with Beth and Luke Laird and Nikki Lane, and earlier this week appeared on The Ryman stage to sing backup for Lukas Nelson on “Find Yourself.”

See the Grammys reaction clip from Lana Del Rey’s Instagram below.

11 Nov 2023

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Enjoy Dinner Date Amid Eras Tour Shows in Buenos Aires

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce enjoyed a night out in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while the pop superstar continues the South American leg of her Eras Tour.

On Friday (Nov. 10), Swift and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end were spotted on a dinner date at Argentinian steakhouse Elena, a restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel, according to People. The lovebirds were reportedly joined by Swift’s father, Scott Kingsley Swift.

The “Cruel Summer” singer and NFL star were caught on camera holding hands while entering the dining establishment, as seen in a fan-captured video on X (formerly Twitter). In another clip, the pair receives cheers from people in the background as they walk into the restaurant.

The timing of the Friday night date worked out well, as Swift was forced to postpone her second Eras show at Buenos Aires’ Estadio River Plate due to dangerous weather conditions and because Kelce’s football team is on their bye week.

Swift launched the international leg of her Eras Tour on Thursday (Nov. 9). During the show, she delivered her nightly two surprise songs. For her first concert in Buenos Aires, the “Maroon” singer offered up “The Very First Night,” followed by the Midnights deep cut “Labyrinth.”

“Uh oh, I’m falling in love/ Oh no, I’m falling in love again,” Swift smiled while singing the chorus of “Labyrinth,” prompting Swifties to flood X with speculation that she’s singing about Kelce.

“MY GIRL IS SMITTEN,” tweeted one fan. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TRAVIS KELCE.”

Kelce didn’t attend Swift’s first Buenos Aires show on Thursday, but he had good reason for missing the event. The Chiefs star was instead at teammate Patrick Mahomes’ fourth annual 15 and Mahomies Foundation Gala in Kansas City. Kelce was spotted in video from the event shared on the foundation’s Instagram Stories. In one clip, he stood up at his table and clapped in thanks to the cheers from attendees after he received recognition for becoming the team’s all-time leading receiver during a recent game against the Miami Dolphins.

11 Nov 2023

Adele Tells Las Vegas Crowd She’s Ready to Drink Again: ‘This Is Red Wine Weather’

Adele‘s break from drinking appears to be over.

The British songstress, 35, told her Las Vegas residency audience that she’s ready to enjoy an alcoholic beverage as she prepares to take some time off before launching her 2024 Weekends With Adele shows at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

“I’m just going to chill. I’m annoyed as well that I’m sick because this is red wine weather,” Adele told fans, according to a Daily Mail report on Wednesday (Nov. 8). “I stopped drinking, but obviously now I’m ready to start again because it is my break.”

The 16-time Grammy winner announced in October that she’ll be extending her Weekends With Adele show into mid 2024. The 32-date run begins Jan. 19 and ends June 15.

“I can’t drink red wine ever when I’m singing because I don’t know about you, but red wine f—s me up. I cannot handle it,” the singer said between songs, adding that she’s shifted to sparkling water and half white wine with ice.

“A glass of red wine tips me over the edge,” she added. “I have the worst hangover, my whole mouth and tongue turns red. I look like a disaster and it just gets rid of my voice.”

The “I Drink Wine” singer recently shared with fans that she had given up drinking liquor in recent months. The revelation came during a mid-October concert when she spotted an audience member enjoying an alcoholic beverage.

“I stopped drinking quite a long time ago… I stopped drinking, when did I stop drinking? It feels like forever. Maybe like three-and-a-half months ago,” Adele said. “It’s boring. I mean, oh my God, it’s boring. I was literally borderline alcoholic for quite a lot of my 20s, but I miss it so much. I cut out caffeine, so enjoy your whiskey sour. I’m very, very jealous.”

The superstar has been vocal about drinking in the past, telling Vogue in a November 2021 feature that she was “fascinated by alcohol” because it’s what took away her absentee father, Mark Evans (who died of bowel cancer May 2021 and, according to People, was gone for most of Adele’s life after her parents’ divorce when she was 3 years old).

“I’ve always had a very close relationship with alcohol. I was always very fascinated by alcohol. It’s what kept my dad from me. So I always wanted to know what was so great about it,” she told the magazine.

Adele also spoke with Oprah in the same month about abstaining from alcohol, noting that quitting it is an incredible tool for self-reflection. “That’s one great way of really sort of getting to know yourself, is just drinking water and being sober as anything,” the artist said.

11 Nov 2023

Jelly Roll Shares Tearful Reaction to First Grammy Nominations: Watch

Jelly Roll was overwhelmed with emotion after receiving his first Grammy nominations.

On Friday (Nov. 10), the country star shared a tearful video on social media after learning about his nods for best new artist and best country duo/group performance for the remix of “Save Me” with Lainey Wilson at the upcoming 66th annual Grammy Awards.

“I’m not sure if I should post this or not because I’m so emotional, but the greatest honor an artist can ever hear is that they’ve been nominated for a Grammy,” Jelly Roll said while weeping in a clip on Instagram. “I got to hear that this morning.”

The rising star — who took home new artist of the year award at the 2023 CMA Awards on Nov. 8 — noted that he attempted to record the video seven times.

“I haven’t cried like this since my daddy died,” he said. “I love you all, man, so f—ing much.”

Jelly Roll wrote in the caption that he was “embarrassed” to share the clip but that his wife, Bunnie XO, encouraged him post it because his “honesty and rawness” are two traits he’s known for among fans. “I’ll post a more complete thought about this when I get my head together, he wrote. “I just never would’ve imagined.”

The intimate post received congratulatory messages in the comments from numerous other stars, including Wynonna Judd, Wiz Khalifa, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, Flavor Flav, Tamar Braxton, Carly Pearce and others.

“YOU DESERVE IT ALL!!!!!!! We are so happy for you!!!!!!! Congratulations my sweet friend,” wrote Judd, who performed her hit “Need a Favor” with the rapper-turned-country singer at the 2023 CMAs.

“Jelly, I love ya. Your energy is contagious. See ya at the GRAMMYs,” Wilson added.

Click here for a full list of nominations for the 2024 Grammy Awards, set for Feb. 4, 2024, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

See Jelly Roll’s reaction on Instagram below.

11 Nov 2023

James Fauntleroy Revels in His ‘First Grammy Nomination as an Artist’

James Fauntleroy says he learned of his and Terrace Martin’s nomination for their first joint collaboration, Nova, when he awoke to 38 text messages on Friday (Nov. 10).

“I was worried at first, you know, that it was something bad,” says Fauntleroy about seeing the flurry of messages about the project landing a berth in the best progressive R&B album category. “Then I started reading them and got super excited. Because even though I’ve been nominated several times as a songwriter and won, this is my first Grammy nomination as an artist.”

In fact, Fauntleroy’s Grammy stats include four wins and six nominations. Comprising the wins tally: song of the year and best R&B song for the Bruno Mars smash “That’s What I Like” plus album of the year for Mars’ 24K Magic at the 60th Grammy Awards and best R&B song for Justin Timberlake’s “Pusher Love Girl” at the 56th ceremony. Fauntleroy’s estimable list of writing credits includes collaborations with Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar and Stevie Wonder, among others. Fauntleroy is also a member of the songwriter/producer/musician collective 1500 or Nothin’ and a co-founder of the 1500 Sound Academy for aspiring young talent .

Musician/producer and BMG artist Martin is a five-time Grammy nominee who coincidentally was nominated in the best progressive R&B album category for the 65th and 64th ceremonies for his solo album Drones and Dinner Party: Dessert, respectively. Dinner Party is the name of the supergroup featuring Martin and fellow musicians Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper and 9th Wonder. Martin’s other Grammy nods: best R&B album for his Velvet Portraits and consecutive album of the year nods for his contributions to Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly and good kid, m.A.A.d city.

Released in August 2023, Nova is Martin and Fauntleroy’s hybrid take on the Brazilian music style known as bossa nova. The six-track project is the third in a six-album series being helmed by Martin. And for Fauntleroy — whose friendship and creative relationship with Martin dates back years (“Terrace and I have known each other my whole adult life; he’s literally one of the first people I ever worked with”) — it was definitely a labor of love.

“Terrace and I had been talking forever about what we were going to do together,” says Fauntleroy. “Everybody that knows me knows I just love bossa nova, and I think he knew that that was a smooth way to get me to really do this. And he was absolutely right. I loved having the opportunity to put my spin on bossa nova because I listen to hardcore Brazilian jazz all the time. So I’m really familiar with the melodies they [artists] like to use and the different dynamics of their phrasing. But it was super fun to do it in my way. I’m really happy with the way it turned out.”

James Fauntleroy, NOVA

11 Nov 2023

Just How ‘New’ Are the Grammys’ Best New Artist Nominees?

What constitutes a new artist? It’s a question that’s likely on the minds of many who have pored over the list of best new artist nominees at next year’s Grammys.

Indeed, this year’s crop — announced along with the rest of the nominees on Friday (Nov. 10) — includes several acts with notably deep discographies. Jelly Roll — one of 2023’s biggest breakthroughs — started releasing a long string of albums more than a decade ago. Victoria Monét put out her debut EP way back in 2015. And prior to releasing this year’s Lover’s Game, Americana duo The War and Treaty already had three albums under their belt and years of experience outside the band before that.

This is far from a new phenomenon. Chance the Rapper, who won best new artist in 2017, had released three albums prior to winning the award. Lizzo had also put out three full-lengths, including her breakthrough smash Cuz I Love You, prior to her 2020 nomination in the category. And the category’s 2011 winner, Esperanza Spalding, had likewise put out a trio of albums prior to taking home the award.

Some of this is the result of The Recording Academy changing the eligibility criteria over the last decade-and-a-half. After Lady Gaga was deemed ineligible for best new artist in 2010 because she’d been nominated for a Grammy for best dance recording the year prior, the academy updated its rules to allow previous nominees to be nominated for best new artist — just as long as they hadn’t actually won a Grammy, or released an entire album.

Six years after that, the academy again updated the eligibility requirements “to remove the album barrier given current trends in how new music and developing artists are released and promoted.” It also required artists to have “released a minimum of five singles/tracks or one album, but no more than 30 singles/tracks or three albums” in order to qualify.

In 2020, the academy updated the requirements once more by declining to specify the “maximum number of releases” an artist could put out before being deemed ineligible. Instead, it stated that “screening committees will determine whether the artist had attained a breakthrough or prominence prior to the eligibility year.” Today, the academy officially describes the category as recognizing “an artist whose eligibility-year release(s) achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape.” In sum, the definition of “new” has become more open-ended than ever.

That may be why this year’s group of nominees is arguably one of the most head-scratching in Grammys history. Below, we take a look at just how “new” this year’s best new artist nominees really are.

The 2024 Grammy Awards ceremony will be telecast live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Feb. 4.

11 Nov 2023

Anahi Pays Tribute to Karol G in Colombia & More Uplifting Moments in Latin Music

From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The Charly García Street

The iconic Argentine rockstar and musician, Charly García, has been honored with his own street in New York City. The official naming ceremony took place Nov. 6 at the intersection of Walker Street and Cortlandt Alley, where the official “Charly García Corner” was inaugurated. The street name is in honor of García’s Clics Modernos album which was launched 40 years ago. “I feel honored by the invitation and that they have chosen me to have a corner bearing my name,” García, who did not attend the ceremony, said in a press statement. “I can’t wait to tell a taxi driver: ‘Leave me here, on Walker St… and ME.’” García’s sister, Josi García Moreno, actor Mariano Cabrera, and some of the artist’s musicians were part of the celebration. 

“Tu y Yo Por Siempre”

Another heartfelt tribute took place early this week during RBD’s Soy Rebelde Tour stop in Colombia. This time, group member Anahí showed her love and appreciation to Karol G on stage at her hometown. Wearing a pink t-shirt dress that read “Team Bichota,” the Mexican singer shouted: “Carolina, love is paid with love, my queen, I love you. You and I forever!” Their friendship began in 2022 when the “Provenza” singer invited Anahí to join her onstage during her Bichota Reloaded Tour in Mexico for a once-in-a-lifetime performance of RBD’s hit “Salvame”—also marking Anahí’s first live performance in 11 years. On stage, the two artists even rocked pink cowboy hats resembling the one Anahi wore in the song’s official music video.

Karol G to Take Over the Billboard Music Awards

In other Karol G news, the Colombian singer was announced as a performer at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards, set to take place Sunday, Nov. 19. In addition to taking the stage, the Colombian hitmaker is up for five awards, including top Latin artist, top Latin female artist, top Latin touring artist, top Latin album (Mañana Será Bonito) and top Latin song (“TQG” with Shakira). This year alone, Karol’s Mañana Será Bonito made history as the first all-Spanish-language album by a female artist to top the Billboard 200 and embarked on her first-ever U.S. stadium tour, which included stops in Miami, Los Angeles and Chicago. News of Karol at the BBMAs came on the heels of Peso Pluma also being announced as a performer.

Antonio Banderas & The Latin Recording Academy

Earlier this week, the Latin Recording Academy announced that Banderas will receive the 2023 President’s Award for his “outstanding and numerous contributions to the artistic community.” The Spanish actor will be presented with the award during the Latin Grammy Awards ceremony taking place Thursday, Nov. 16 in Seville, Spain. “We are delighted to present Antonio Banderas with the President’s Award as we celebrate our first international edition of the Latin Grammys in Andalucía,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy, in a press release. “Antonio’s outstanding and numerous contributions to the artistic community have made him a global ambassador of our cultural heritage.” The most recent President’s Award recipient was Lin-Manuel Miranda in 2017.

10 Nov 2023

Robert Glasper on Scoring Two More Grammy Nominations: ‘It Feels New Every Time’

“There’s a party going on here this morning,” a laughing Robert Glasper tells Billboard after learning about his nominations for the 2024 Grammy Awards. Glasper received two nods this go-round — best R&B performance and best R&B song — both for the track “Back to Love,” featuring SiR and Alex Isley. 

To date, Glasper has won five Grammys and earned 12 nominations, claiming his first career Grammy for best R&B album for Black Radio back in 2012. But the artist/songwriter/producer/pianist says receiving a Grammy nomination never gets old.

“It feels new every time,” he explains, “no matter how many times I’ve won or been nominated. Because there are so many new artists and producers out here; so much music. So for me to get selected down to only five is always an honor and always, to be honest, kind of unexpected for me. When I say that, people always say what you do you mean?. But like I said there are so many great artists out here that I never take it for granted or never think I’ll be a shoo-in.”

The genesis of “Back to Love” stems from Glasper’s scoring of the Starz original series Run the World: Season 2. Last October, he got a call from the show’s team asking if he could pull off writing and recording a song needed for a specific scene in the season’s last episode. However, there was a catch: The deadline was under two weeks. But it also gave him the chance to work with SiR and Alex Isley, each of whom he’s worked with separately on other projects.

“I’ve always been a fan of SiR and Alex,” says Glasper. “They’re both so effortless in their writing with something original to say that it just made sense to call them. And they got it done so fast. They also have such unique voices. So the fact that we worked on this together means everything. It was just a match made in heaven.”

The artists/songwriters that Glasper is vying against in the best R&B performance and best R&B song categories include SZA, Halle Bailey, Chris Brown, Coco Jones and Victoria Monét. “Everyone in those categories is great. It’s always amazing to be mentioned in that kind of company,” says Glasper. That includes Brown, who earlier this year queried on social media “Who da f-k is this?” after his album Breezy (Deluxe) lost to Glasper’s Black Radio III for best R&B album at the 65th Grammy ceremony. Brown later apologized.

“As a talent, I hold Chris Brown in the highest regard,” notes Glasper. “He’s a great singer and performer. I’ve never had anything negative to say about Chris.”

Glasper’s across-the-aisle genre work with other nominees in the aforementioned categories, including Bailey and Jones, also symbolizes his own version of the six degrees of separation theory.

“I remember going to Chloe x Halle’s first major performance in Los Angeles,” shares Houston native Glasper. “I went to high school with Beyoncé as well as the A&R head at Parkwood. He asked me back then if I’d mind coming to their first show. So to see them [sisters Chloe and Halle Bailey] both blossom has been amazing to watch. I’m so proud of them.

“And that goes for Coco as well,” Glasper adds. He got the chance to work with Jones when he and Terrace Martin scored the first season of last year’s Bel-Air, the reimagined version of the popular ’90s series TheFresh Prince of Bel-Air. In the reboot, Jones played the character Hilary Banks. “I’ve been putting music to her talking for a long time,” says Glasper with another laugh.

10 Nov 2023

Keke Palmer Granted Restraining Order Against Ex-Boyfriend Darius Jackson, Details Claims of Domestic Abuse

Keke Palmer was granted full custody of her nine-month-old son, as well as an order to prevent child abduction and a temporary restraining order against her ex-boyfriend Darius Jackson on Thursday (Nov. 9), after citing multiple instances of physical abuse.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The actress filed for the restraining order in L.A. Superior Court, according to The Hollywood Reporter, accusing Jackson of domestic abuse in instances as recent as Nov. 5, claiming he trespassed into her home and threatened and physically attacked her, including “lunging for my neck, striking me, throwing me over the couch, and stealing my phone when I told him I was going to call the police.”

Palmer claims that Jackson came to her house around 11 a.m., and began filming her on his phone and demanding to see the former couple’s son, Leodis Andrellton Jackson. After Palmer told Jackson that Leo was not home and attempted to escort him out of the home, she says Jackson sat down in the living room chair and continued to demand to “take Leo — an eight-month-old baby who is being breast fed — to watch a football game,” per THR. Palmer then said she would call the police, and that’s when Jackson allegedly lunged at her face and neck, knocking her backwards over the couch, and he stole her phone and ran out of the house.

Palmer also detailed an alleged incident from February 2022, “when Darius body slammed me onto the stairs by my neck,” and also claimed Jackson has destroyed her personal property, thrown her personal items in the street her car keys to prevent her from driving away, and threatened to kill himself with a gun if she left him.

Their relationship, which began in June 2021, ended in October, which came a few months after

Jackson took to Twitter to call out Palmer for a sheer outfit she wore to Usher’s Las Vegas concert, lamenting: “We live in a generation where a man of the family doesn’t want the wife & mother to his kids to showcase booty cheeks to please others & he gets told how much of a hater he is. This is my family & my representation. I have standards & morals to what I believe. I rest my case.”

Reposting a clip of Usher dancing with a swooning Palmer during the show, Jackson also wrote in a now-deleted tweet: “It’s the outfit tho.. you a mom.” To clap back, Palmer starred in Usher’s “Boyfriend” music video in August.

A hearing has been set for Dec. 5.

10 Nov 2023

Coco Jones’ ‘Childlike Faith’ Powers the R&B Singer to 5 Grammy Nominations: ‘This Is My First Stamp of Approval’

Coco Jones was 11 years old when she made her first CD. Despite being a novice, the singer/songwriter had dreams of one day winning best new artist at the Grammy Awards. Fourteen years later, Jones, 25, finds herself closer than ever to achieving that feat after notching five Grammy nominations Friday morning (Nov. 10).

“That child-like faith is what kept me going,” Jones relayed to Billboard hours after receiving the news. 

This year, Jones morphed into one of music’s most formidable double-threats, thriving in both R&B and acting. Her breathtaking vocals on the Billboard Hot 100 hit “ICU” propelled her to platinum status and granted her a feature alongside pop giant Justin Timberlake for the song’s remix. Aside from “ICU,” Jones’ debut EP, What I Didn’t Tell You, captures every angle of the multi-faceted star and is a lush attempt at solidifying her place in the ever-growing R&B landscape. 

“I think this is my first stamp of approval, recognition, and respect on my name,” says the best new artist nominee. “Honestly, I get why it’s now because I wasn’t ready before. As a child actor, I didn’t know myself. So, to me, it all makes sense why it’s right now and why it’s gonna be forever.”

Billboard spoke to Jones about being closer to her Grammy dreams, the beauty behind her mom’s prayers, and why R&B is in an amazing place.

I heard you were on a plane when you found out you were nominated for five Grammy nominations. 

Honestly, I had just went to a celebratory dinner with my tour crew because we just finished the last show of the American leg of my tour. So, when I got on that plane, I was knocked out and I kept feeling this vibration like, “Dang. They driving crazy on this plane.” Then I was like, “What is this vibrating?” And of course, I had my Wi-Fi on so I can get text messages. I just saw all these messages and I knew what it was because I knew the nominations were this morning. I literally prayed with my manager [and] prayed with my mom last night. I knew it was something good and I was just shocked. I still had my sleep mask on, one eye off and I was just shocked. I was like, “How long I got on this flight? I wanna call people back.” It was crazy.

Between being nominated for best new artist versus “ICU” going platinum, which feat resonates with you more? 

Oh, that’s really tough. That’s really tough. Honestly, let me think about that for a second because I don’t know. They both mean something so different to me. “ICU” is about my personal work. It’s something that I took risks to be vulnerable and say, this is my story, but best new artist is all-encompassing. It’s like you as an artist, how you carry yourself, [and] how you present yourself. It’s you. I’m just gonna have to leave it as inconclusive because I don’t know. 

You said last month in an interview with HITS that you wanted to win best new artist. Your manifestation game is pretty strong, since you’re halfway there.

You know what? I really think it’s my mama’s prayers. Ever since I was a kid, she would write them down and I would see them on the wall — the prayers that she typed out for me, my brothers and my sisters. We all had specific prayers that she just stood on my entire life. I think it’s her. 

What are your thoughts on R&B receiving a lot of love this year in the field, ranging from SZA to Victoria Monét and, of course, yourself? 

Everything fluctuates and I love studying the Billboard charts. I tell y’all that all the time. It’s the world. It’s constantly changing, evolving and repeating. I feel like we just hit that rinse cycle and we’re going back to such a hearty type of music that connects. We need connection right now. We need to connect with people. We need those relationships again. We need songs about love again. That’s what the human race needs. As I’m watching R&B have its resurgence, it’s because we’ve been through a lot as a human race and we need connection again. We need passion. That to me is R&B. It’s vulnerability. It’s the pain. It’s the good. It’s sticking through rough relationships. It’s leaving bad relationships, but it’s very honest and I think that honesty is starting to be desired deeply again. I mean, it’s clear in these nominations that me, Victoria and everyone [else] are really putting R&B back on the map in a different way. I just feel like it’s time again. 

I was worried about you being labeled as just “the girl with the ‘ICU’ song.” With your project What I Didn’t Tell You being nominated as well, what does it mean for the overall effort itself to receive its just due versus the success of the single? 

The project in itself was my introductory, renaissance moment. It was my re-introduction of myself into the music industry. The last time they heard me in a big way was when I was 16. So I tried to give them different sides of me. All the capabilities that I could think of that I fit on an EP at that time, I wanted to them to know what they’re getting from me and decide if they like it or not. This is me. I didn’t want them to not just love “ICU,” but to love “Headlines,” where I’m really talking my sh-t. To love “Fallin” and “Plan B” where I’m more sensual. To love “Double Back” where I pay homage to SWV. These are sides of me.

So to me, they’re just giving me my big ups for every side of me, not just the soulful side that I can tap into, but the upbeat [ones] like “Crazy For Me.” To me, it just shows that they see where I’m trying to go and how I’m trying to diversify myself and be in every lane, be in every cadence, be in every tempo, and eat it up my way. They’re giving me my big ups to do that. It’s really motivating for my debut album. This was my freshman EP. I feel like a freshman, you know?

Knowing your journey to get here, do you finally feel vindicated as a singer/songwriter after today’s milestones?

It does feel like that. It kinda feel like [I got] this stamp on my name. As soon as you see it, it’s like, “Oh. Don’t play with her.” Respect her. Open your ears. She’s serious. She’s good. She’s quality. Beyonce has the stamp. She got it like multiple times. I think this is my first stamp of approval, recognition and respect on my name. Honestly, I get why it’s now because I wasn’t ready before. As a child actor, I didn’t know myself. So, to me, it all makes sense why it’s right now and why it’s gonna be forever.