Jon Batiste is perhaps the Grammys largest shock: The multi-genre performer and up to date Oscar winner made such an impression on voters that he scored probably the most nominations with 11 on Tuesday (Nov 23).
Batiste earned an album of the yr nod for We Are together with document of the yr with Freedom, a feel-good ode to the town of New Orleans. His nominations span a number of genres together with R&B, jazz, American roots music, classical and music video.
Justin Bieber, Doja Cat and H.E.R. every got here away with the second-most nominations with eight by the point the Recording Academy was carried out saying its nominees for its Jan 31 present. Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo each had seven nods.
Together with Batiste’s shock domination, one other shock was The Weeknd nabbing three nominations after the pop star claimed he wouldn’t enable his label to submit his music. Earlier this yr, he angrily slammed the Grammys, calling them “corrupt” after he acquired zero nominations regardless of 2020’s largest single, Blinding Lights.
Despite the fact that The Weeknd stated he would boycott future Grammys, he nonetheless grew to become a nominee for his work on album of the yr tasks, together with Doja Cat’s deluxe version Planet Her and Kanye West’s Donda. His third nomination was for his look on West’s single Hurricane, which additionally options Lil Child.
“What I like is the truth that nobody is considering what occurred earlier than, what was the controversy, what was the noise, or the place was this artist making music final yr,” stated Harvey Mason jr., the Recording Academy’s CEO. He stated voters targeted on the “excellence of music” whereas contemplating nominees like Batiste and Kacey Musgraves, whose work additionally crosses over into completely different classes.
“The voters are actually evaluating music and never getting caught up within the reputations of some other outdoors noise or any historical past of artists,” he continued. “With that in thoughts, I believe they’re voting for issues that they’re acknowledging as excellence.”
Mason stated he was happy with the brand new peer-driven voting system after seeing the checklist of nominees. He instituted the 10-3 initiative – which permits the academy’s greater than 11,000 members to vote for as much as 10 classes in three genres. All voters can vote for the highest 4 awards.
The brand new system changed the nameless nominations evaluate committee – a gaggle that decided the contenders for key awards. Some claimed committee members favored tasks primarily based on private relationships and promoted tasks they favored and labored on.
Harvey is aware of the brand new voting system won’t be good at first, however he believes the initiative will produce truthful ends in the long term.
“I do know we didn’t get each single one good,” Harvey stated. “I do know there can be some those that really feel omitted or that we missed a nomination right here or there. That makes me unhappy as a result of I don’t need anyone to have that feeling. However I do really feel like we’re not off course. I’m happy with the way in which our voters did the work.”
For the primary time, the academy expanded the variety of nominees within the basic discipline classes from eight to 10. The change impacts classes reminiscent of document, album, track of the yr and finest new artiste.
Harvey stated the academy elevated slots within the basic discipline classes after seeing an uptick voting participation over the previous yr together with the acceptance of recent membership invites and a excessive variety of greater than 21,730 entries submitted for Grammy consideration.
“We thought the timing was proper,” he stated. “We noticed a chance to do what the academy does – which is to spotlight music, spotlight the trade and spotlight excellence in a much bigger approach. With the change in our voting construction, we don’t have the nomination evaluate committee. This offers our voters a chance to have their voice heard, but in addition provides them an opportunity to have a much bigger pool to attract from when it comes time to that one winner that takes house the Grammy.”
Different album of the yr nominees embody: Bieber’s Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe), Eilish’s Happier Than Ever, West’s Donda, Tony Bennett & Girl Gaga’s Love For Sale, Olivia Rodrigo’s Bitter, Taylor Swift’s Evermore and Lil Nas X’s Montero.
Batiste, the bandleader of The Late Present With Stephen Colbert, picked up a bid in the most effective rating soundtrack for visible media class for his work on Pixar’s Soul, which received him an Oscar for finest rating earlier this yr. Coming into Tuesday, he had three Grammy nominations however no wins but.
Jay-Z, who was nominated for 3 Grammys on Tuesday, now has probably the most nominations of all time with 83. The 23-time Grammy-winning rapper moved previous Quincy Jones, who has been nominated 80 instances. – AP
