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Confirmed superstars, rising stars and nonagenarian crooner: all generations are represented on Sunday for the 64th Grammy Awards. Jazzman Jon Batiste and revelation Olivia Rodrigo are favorites.
The big favorite of this evening is the talented jazzman Jon Batiste, with eleven nominations in total.
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The ceremony was originally scheduled to take place on January 31 in Los Angeles, as tradition dictates, but the pandemic passed by and the organizers had to postpone the event. As no time slot was available before June in the big halls of LA, they fell back on Las Vegas, a city of parties and gambling accustomed to glitter and stars.
The big favorite of this evening is the talented jazzman Jon Batiste, with eleven nominations in total. Virtuoso pianist, conductor, anti-racist activist and Oscar-winning composer for the music of the animated film “Soul”, Jon Batiste is also very well known to the general American public: since 2015, he has been musical director of the very popular TV show television “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”.
Heir to a long line of musicians from New Orleans, the 35-year-old artist will defend his album “We Are” and the title “Freedom” in the major categories at the Grammy Awards, but he competes in almost all styles ( R&B, jazz, classical, etc.)
Olivia Rodrigo, grand chelem?
Canadian megastar Justin Bieber, social media darling, will be nominated in eight categories, as will HER, darling of the Grammy Awards, and rising star Doja Cat, during this ceremony presented by comedian Trevor Noah.
Another darling of the Academy, Billie Eilish, who has just won an Oscar with the song from the latest James Bond (“No time to die”), will run for seven trophies in total but this time risks finding Olivia Rodrigo on her way. , even younger than her at only 19 years old.
Some recording professionals predict that the great pop sensation launched by the Disney series “High School Musical” is able to repeat Sunday evening the grand slam achieved by Billie Eilish two years ago, by winning the four most prestigious trophies. It is in any case given as ultra-favorite in the category “revelation of the year”.
Kanye vs. Taylor
With six nominations in total, the improbable duo formed by pop diva Lady Gaga and crooner Tony Bennett, aged 95 and absent from the evening because he suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, might also create a surprise with the covers album “Love For Sale”.
The whimsical Kanye West will also be in the running with his album “Donda”. He will take on Taylor Swift’s “Evermore,” whose microphone he rudely snatched from her hands in 2009 as she took the stage to receive an award at the MTV Music Awards. The singer did not wish to compete this year at the Grammy Awards with “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)”, a re-recording of her 2008 album which had already won four trophies.
Among the rappers, the competition will pit Kanye West once morest veteran Nas, J. Cole and Tyler, the Creator, but Drake, who was selected, asked the Academy to withdraw his two candidacies, without giving a reason. His hit album “Certified Lover Boy” had been royally ignored in the generalist categories during the nominations and the artist, very influential and among the most listened to, has repeatedly taken the beak with the Grammy Awards. He accuses them in particular of confining him to the category of rappers because he is black.
The explosives Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, who ignited the Grammy stage last year by rubbing once morest each other, legs spread on a giant bed for a duet on the hit “WAP”, will be for this times opponents in the “best rap performance” category.
Kanye in the room but not on stage
BTS, sacred monster of K-pop, will defend its global success “Butter” but it is its only nomination for the Grammy Awards, where the South Korean group is struggling to impose itself. He will perform on stage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, along with Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Jon Batiste, HER, Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow.
And Kanye West in all this? As named, he is invited to the room but specialized media have indicated that he is no longer welcome on stage. In question, virulent attacks on social networks once morest comedian Pete Davidson, in a relationship with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, and Trevor Noah which earned “Ye” a brief suspension from Instagram. Trevor Noah has publicly spoken out once morest the decision to exclude him from the party.
The organizers of the Grammy Awards will have to heart anyway to avoid an incident, only one week following the resounding slap of Will Smith on the stage of the Oscars which had eclipsed the party and the artists rewarded.
(AFP)