GRAMMY nominations are out, and the anticipation for who will win the top categories is starting to rise. If you are not an avid fan of the GRAMMYs, you’re probably asking yourself, ‘What are the top categories?’ The categories include album of the year, record of the year, song of the year, and best new artist. As a music fan, I want to share my opinion on who I think is most deserving of each award

First up is the Album of the Year. The nominees for this category are: 

1. “New Blue Sun” by André 3000
2.  “Cowboy Carter” by Beyoncé
3.  “Short n’ Sweet” by Sabrina Carpenter
4.  “Brat” by Charlie XCX 
5. “Djesse Vol.4” by Jacob Collier
6. “Hit Me Hard and Soft” by Billie Eilish
7. “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” by Chappell Roan
8. “The Tortured Poets Department” by Taylor Swift

My personal favorite from this list, and the one I feel most deserving of this award, is “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” by Chappell Roan. This album provides a large variety of music from slow beats like the ones heard in “Casual” to the upbeat anthems like “HOT TO GO!.” Roan put a little bit of everything into this album so that anyone can enjoy it. I feel that her music is uniquely hers with its club-type beats and cheerleader chants that express her personality perfectly. She was an artist new to the scene and this album was the perfect way to introduce herself to the music industry.

Next, we have the Record of the Year. Here are the nominees:

1. “Now and Then” by The Beatles
2. “Texas Hold ‘Em” Beyoncé
3. “Espresso” Sabrina Carpenter
4. “360” Charli XCX
5. “Birds of a Feather” Billie Eilish
6. “Not Like Us” Kendrick Lamar
7. “Good Luck, Babe!” Chappell Roan
8. “Fortnight” Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone

For me, this was a no-brainer, “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar has to win this category. This song completely changed the atmosphere of rap and social media this year. Feuling his beef with Drake, Lamar navigates the consequences of stereotypes and the dangers of labels, a very important message in today’s times. Lamar isn’t afraid to say what’s on his mind even if it might be controversial. He’s not hesitant to be himself and he always has a unique beat he’s rapping to and he always manages to keep his music uniquely “Kendrick” and for that, he deserves to win Record of the Year. 

Third,, we have Song of the Year. And the nominees are

1. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey
2. “Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish
3. “Die With a Smile” by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
4. “Fortnight” by Taylor Swift, featuring Post Malone
5. “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan
6. “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar
7. “Please Please Please” Sabrina Carpenter
8. “Texas Hold ‘Em” Beyoncé

This category had so many good nominations but once again, I will have to go with Roan and her song “Good Luck, Babe!”. This song was a vulnerable display of her powerful voice that introduced her to a larger audience. This song helped her showcase her talented singing and songwriting skills. Her ability to convey her emotions through her low tones and high notes showed her quite impressive vocal range and her ability to be personal with her fans. As a musical artist alone, she is capable of incorporating so many different elements in her music that draw attention from all types of people. All the different aspects of her music make her stand out from the other nominees and ultimately make her most deserving of the award.

Last but not least, the final category is the Best New Artist. The Nominees are: 

1. Benson Boone
2. Sabrina Carpenter
3. Doechii
4. Khruangbin
5. Raye
6. Chappell Roan
7. Shaboozey
8. Teddy Swims

Ever since watching her Tiny Desk Concert, I have fallen in love with Doechii’s voice and unique style. Just seeing what Doechii was capable of with her raw vocals and use of background singers proved herself to me as a reputable artist. She has worked on multiple collaborations with artists like Tyler, The Creator, on his most recent album “Chromakopia”, and even gained recognition from a previously mentioned artist, Kendrick Lamar, saying she’s the “hardest out.” Her Unique style of music is showcased in her song “Denial is a river” where she appears to be having a conversation with herself. She talks to her rational self who is attempting to make her see the truth, but she chooses to ignore it, lie to herself, and live in denial instead. Her creative way of putting what is in her mind out into the world solidifies her as an artist who will continue to produce quality music. She’s the most talented artist introduced this year and for that, I believe she deserves to win Best New Artist. 

Those are just a few of the top categories, but there are so many more that will be decided on the night of Feb. 2, and I can’t wait to see the results.   

by LARA DE VALK