Story by Peyton Tranas / Core Writer
For some people, Sunday is their Super Bowl. Mar. 14 is the 63rd Grammy Awards.
Huge stars are slated to perform, such as Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion, and many more. However, there are a few noticeable differences this year, besides the shadow of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: women now have a much greater influence on the ceremony.
Typically, the Grammy Awards are held in January. This year, however, the show had to be postponed to March due to coronavirus concerns. Fittingly, March is also celebrated as Women’s History Month.
For the first time in Grammy’s history, the category for Best Rock Performance is made up entirely of women. The nominees include “Shameika” by Fionna Apple, “Not” by the female-fronted band Big Thief, “Kyoto” by Phoebe Bridgers, “The Steps” by HAIM, “Stay High” by Brittany Howard, and “Daylight” by Grace Potter.
This is a monumental step for women in rock music. Women have to work twice as hard typically in the music industry to gain credibility, but especially in the rock music industry. While there are veterans in the music industry, such as Fionna Apple, in the category, Best New Artist nominee Phoebe Bridgers is also showing that she is a prevalent force in the music industry.
This year’s Grammys has also shown a redemption arc for artists too. Taylor Swift’s last two albums, “reputation,” and “Lover,” were virtually ignored by their respective Grammy ceremonies, each only receiving one nomination – and losing both years. This year, however, Swift is up for six awards for her critically acclaimed quarantine-made album, folklore, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year for “cardigan.” In past years, Swift has walked away a big winner, specifically with albums “Fearless” and “1989.” Many critics have predicted that Swift will walk away with the coveted Album of the Year award this year.
In terms of top nominees, Beyoncé is the most nominated artist this year, with nine nominations, despite having not released a true album. Her song “Black Parade” dominated categories. The song was released at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, empowering Black Americans and reassuring hope in their fight. She also gained nominations for her featured work on the Megan Thee Stallion TikTok hit, “Savage.”
Another surprising category to feature exclusively women is Best Country Album. Like rock, women have to fight to gain credibility in the country industry, because the genre is primarily male-dominated. The nominees include “Lady Like” by Ingrid Andress, “Your Life is a Record” by Brandy Clark, “Wildcard” by Miranda Lambert, “Nightfall” by female-led group Little Big Town, and “Never Will” by Ashley McBryde. This is monumental for women in the music industry in Nashville.
With many superstar performances and close-call categories, the 63rd Grammy Awards will be a moment you want to watch. The show will be available to watch on CBS at 7 PM CT, as well as streaming on Paramount+ and Grammy.com.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Ashley Barrientos, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com.
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