The versatile American singer SZA received the highest number of nominations at the Grammy Awards on Friday night. She can win in nine categories, more than her better-known colleagues Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and Billie Eilish. This year, the most important awards in the music industry mainly go to the favorites, not the favorites. The winners will be announced on November 4.
The 34-year-old SZA, whose real name is Solána Rowe, can win the award for album of the year with last year’s record called SOS, while her single Kill Bill has a chance to become both record and song of the year. The singer could receive other statuettes in the categories of pop, melodic rap or progressive and traditional R&B. Her album topped Billboard magazine’s chart for ten consecutive weeks last year, and the singer subsequently supported it on tour, complements the New York Times.
The song Kill Bill, also nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B Performance, is named after Quentin Tarantino’s two-part film of the same name, in which the singer declares that she feels like killing her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. “I’d rather go to hell than be alone,” she announces here.
Taylor Swift with Midnights, Miley Cyrus for Endless Summer Vacation, Jon Batiste with World Music Radio or girl indie-rock trio Boygenius with The Record can also win the most watched Grammy for album of the year. Lana del Rey for the album Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, Janelle Monáe with the recording The Age of Pleasure and Olivia Rodrigo for the recent Guts were also nominated in the same category.
Thirty-four-year-old R&B singer and songwriter Victoria Monét, who has a chance to win a Grammy for the discovery of the year, can change seven nominations. British dance music producer Fred Again, R&B singer and dancer Coco Jones, rapper Ice Spice and singer Gracie Abrams also impressed the judges in this category.
Phoebe Bridgers was nominated for a Grammy for the duet Ghost in the Machine with SZA, she received another six nominations as a member of the trio Boygenius, in which she sings and performs alongside colleagues Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus.
Olivia Rodrigo ended up with six nominations, including several for song Vampire. Country star Brandy Clark or pop stars Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift can get the same number of statuettes. This year, the media wrote about her first in connection with her record-breaking sold-out tour The Eras, and then thanks to her relationship with American football star Travis Kelce. With the current six, Taylor Swift already has a total of 52 nominations, of which she has converted 12 so far.
A total of 11 nominations in seven categories went to the music from the movie Barbie directed by Greta Gerwig. For example, a song can be successful What Was I Made For?, which Billie Eilish contributed to the soundtrack. Actor Ryan Gosling could also enjoy the song I’m Just Ken.
Foo Fighters, Greta Van Fleet, Metallica, Paramore or Queens of the Stone Age can win the prize for the best rock album.
In the alternative category, Arctic Monkeys, Gorillaz and singer PJ Harvey were nominated. Guitarist Pat Metheny, singers Samara Joy and Cécile McLorin Salvant, saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin or pianist Fred Hersch with singing double bassist Esperanza Spalding were proposed for the Jazz Grammy.
Among the bluesmen, John Primer, Eric Bibb, singer Ruthie Foster or sisters guitarist Larkin Poe have a chance to succeed.
Already Grammy this year, artists or compositions released between October 1 last year and September 15 this year could be nominated. The winners of the 66th edition will be decided by more than 11,000 musicians, composers, producers and sound engineers. They will be announced at a ceremony in Los Angeles on February 4.
According to the New York Times, the nominations suggest that this year the organizers could avoid the criticism of recent years, when some journalists and industry insiders accused them of not valuing women. But the key will be who wins, adds the paper.
This year’s gala evening was dominated by singer Beyoncé, who won in four categories.
Video: Kill Bill single by singer SZA
Singer SZA may succeed with the single Kill Bill, named after the film of the same name by Quentin Tarantino. | Video: RCA Records
