Music stars prepare for Grammy Awards
Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and Sza are among those going head-to-head for gongs tonight
Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and SZA are among the global music stars set to go head-to-head for gongs at the Grammy Awards on Sunday after female musicians dominated the nominations.
US musician SZA leads the pack with nine nods including record of the year, song of the year and best R&B performance for Kill Bill – her revenge anthem cloaked in an R&B ballad.
Her second studio album SOS is also up for the coveted album of the year prize, with Swift’s Midnights and Cyrus’s Endless Summer Vacation also in contention.
They will face tough competition from US singers Olivia Rodrigo for Guts, Janelle Monae for The Age Of Pleasure and Lana Del Rey for Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, as well as American singer-songwriter and composer Jon Batiste for World Music Radio and indie supergroup Boygenius for The Record for the major prize.
Swift also has the chance to make history at the show if she takes home the album of the year award, as she would become the first person to win the gong four times.
The pop megastar is the first and only female solo artist to win the prize three times, tied with Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder, but could make history with her 10th studio album Midnights.
US indie rock musician Phoebe Bridgers will enter the ceremony as the second-most nominated artist with seven nods, six with her band Boygenius, which also includes US singer-songwriters Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus.
They will compete for the record of the year, best rock song and best rock performance with their hit Not Strong Enough.
Batiste, who follows with six nods, is the only male up for album of the year, record of the year for track Worship and song of the year for Butterfly – having dominated the 2022 ceremony, winning five awards.
Swift, Rodrigo, Cyrus and Billie Eilish also all have six nominations apiece – facing off in the song of the year and record of the year categories for tracks Anti-Hero, Vampire, Flowers and What Was I Made For? respectively.
Cyrus’s viral hit Flowers was named the top single of 2023 in the UK charts, based on combined streaming and sales figures, according to the Official Charts Company.
US R&B and pop singer Victoria Monet’s track On My Mama will also compete for the acclaimed record of the year prize.
Song of the year, which is described as a songwriters’ award, will also see Dance The Night by Dua Lipa and A&W by Del Rey compete.
Among the British representation for the night is Ed Sheeran, who appears in the best pop vocal album category for Subtract, and The Rolling Stones, who are nominated for best rock song for Angry following the release of new album Hackney Diamonds – their first collection of original songs for 18 years.
Australian singer Kylie Minogue, who last appeared as a nominee during the 2009 ceremony, features in the best pop dance recording category for summer smash hit Padam Padam.
While Canadian-American singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is set to make history by performing live at the award show for the first time at the age of 80.
The nine-time Grammy winner, who is nominated in the best folk category for her 2023 live album, tops the performance bill alongside a host of stars including SZA, Eilish, Travis Scott and Lipa.
Luke Combs, Rodrigo, Billy Joel and Burna Boy will also perform, alongside Irish rock band U2 – who will make history as the first broadcasted Grammy performance, delivering their set from the Sphere in Las Vegas.
Comedian Trevor Noah will return to present the 66th annual ceremony at the Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles, his fourth consecutive year of hosting duties.
The 2024 Grammy Awards ceremony will air on live on CBS and Paramount+.
Published: by Radio NewsHub