2025 GRAMMYs To Take Place Sunday, Feb. 2, Live In Los Angeles; GRAMMY Awards Nominations To Be Announced Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 | GRAMMY.com (2024)

2025 GRAMMYs To Take Place Sunday, Feb. 2, Live In Los Angeles; GRAMMY Awards Nominations To Be Announced Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 | GRAMMY.com (1)

The 2025 GRAMMYs take place Sunday, Feb. 2, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Nominations for the 2025 GRAMMYs will be announced Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.

Graphic Courtesy of the Recording Academy

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The 2025 GRAMMYs return to Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 2. Nominations for the 2025 GRAMMYs will be announced Friday, Nov. 8. Learn more about the key dates and deadlines ahead of Music's Biggest Night.

John Ochoa

|GRAMMYs/May 21, 2024 - 12:59 pm

Music's Biggest Night is back! The 2025 GRAMMYs will take place Sunday, Feb. 2, live at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the Recording Academy announced today. The 2025 GRAMMYs will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on demand on Paramount+. As well, nominations for the 2025 GRAMMYs will be announced Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. See the full list of key dates and deadlines for the 2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards, below.

Key dates for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards season are as follows:

Sept. 16, 2023 – Aug. 30, 2024
Product Eligibility Period
The period by which recordings are submitted for GRAMMY consideration. All releases must be available for sale, via general distribution, to the public by this date and through at least the date of the current year’s voting deadline (final ballot) to be eligible for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards.

July 8, 2024 – Aug. 23, 2024
Media Company Registration Period
Media companies must apply for registration with the Recording Academy to submit recordings.

July 17, 2024 – Aug. 30, 2024
Online Entry Period
All eligible recordings must be entered prior to the close of the Online Entry Period, regardless of the public release date.

Oct. 4, 2024 – Oct. 15, 2024
First Round Voting
First Round Voting determines all the GRAMMY nominees for each GRAMMY Awards year.

Nov. 8, 2024
Nominees Announced for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards
Announcing the official nominees list for the 2025 GRAMMYs.

Dec. 12, 2024 – Jan. 3, 2025
Final Round Voting
Determines the GRAMMY winners across all categories revealed on GRAMMY night.

Feb. 2, 2025
2025 GRAMMY Awards
Music's Biggest Night, recognizing excellence in the recording arts and sciences.

This February, the 2024 GRAMMYs proved to be an epic, history-making night. Women dominated the 2024 GRAMMYs: For the second time in four years, women won in the majority of the General Field Categories, winning Album Of The Year (Taylor Swift), Song Of The Year (Billie Eilish), Record Of The Year (Miley Cyrus), and Best New Artist (Victoria Monét). Elsewhere, Taylor Swift broke the all-time record for most GRAMMY wins in the Album Of The Year Category after winning for Midnights. Tyla won the first-ever GRAMMY Award for Best African Music Performance, one of three new GRAMMY Categories that debuted this year.

The 2024 GRAMMYs also celebrated the return of music legends, including Tracy Chapman, Joni Mitchell and Celine Dion, and ushered in new music icons-in-the-making like Victoria Monét, Samara Joy and Tyla. Relive some of the must-see moments and memorable, heartwarming acceptance speeches from the 2024 GRAMMYs. And rewatch all of the performances and key highlights from the 2024 GRAMMYs all year long on Live.GRAMMY.com.

Learn more about the upcoming 2025 GRAMMY Awards season and the annual GRAMMY Awards process.

GRAMMY News, Performances & Highlights

2025 GRAMMYs To Take Place Sunday, Feb. 2, Live In Los Angeles; GRAMMY Awards Nominations To Be Announced Friday, Nov. 8, 20242024 GRAMMYs: Miley Cyrus Celebrates "Flowers" GRAMMY Win With Jubilant Performance2024 GRAMMYs: Taylor Swift Makes GRAMMY History With Fourth Album Of The Year Win For 'Midnights'2024 GRAMMYs: Billie Eilish Performs An Ethereal Rendition Of "What Was I Made For?"2024 GRAMMYs: Watch Olivia Rodrigo Bleed Her Soul Dry With Dramatic "Vampire" Performance2024 GRAMMYs: Burna Boy's Fantastic Afro-Fusion Lights Up The Stage2024 GRAMMYs: Travis Scott Turns Music's Biggest Night Into A Heated Utopia2024 GRAMMYs: Watch Joni Mitchell Deliver Heartwarming Performance Of "Both Sides Now" In Her GRAMMY Stage Debut2024 GRAMMYs: Billie Eilish Wins GRAMMY For Song Of The Year For "What Was I Made For?" From The 'Barbie' Soundtrack2024 GRAMMYs: Miley Cyrus Wins The GRAMMY For Record Of The Year for "Flowers"2024 GRAMMYs: Victoria Monét Wins The GRAMMY For Best New Artist2024 GRAMMYs: Jack Antonoff Wins GRAMMY For Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical For The Third Year In A RowTheron Thomas Wins Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical | 2024 GRAMMYs Acceptance SpeechWatch Taylor Swift Walk The 2024 GRAMMYs Red Carpet2024 GRAMMYs: Jay-Z Receives Dr. Dre Global Impact Award13 Moments From The 2024 GRAMMYs You Might Have Missed9 Ways Women Dominated The 2024 GRAMMYsTaylor Swift Announces New Album After 13th GRAMMY Win At The 2024 GRAMMYs2024 GRAMMYs: Miley Cyrus Wins First-Ever GRAMMY For "Flowers"Billie Eilish Wins Best Song Written For Visual Media For "What Was I Made For?" (From 'Barbie The Album') | 2024 GRAMMYs Acceptance Speech2024 GRAMMYs: Karol G Wins The First GRAMMY Award Of Her Career For Best Música Urbana AlbumWatch Ice Spice’s 2024 GRAMMYs Red Carpet Interviewboygenius Celebrate Their Three GRAMMY Wins At The CNB "First Look" Cam At The 2024 GRAMMYs Premiere CeremonyIn Memoriam (2023): The Recording Academy Remembers The Music People We LostKiller Mike Wins Best Rap Album For 'MICHAEL' | 2024 GRAMMYs Acceptance Speech2024 GRAMMYs: Tyla Wins First-Ever GRAMMY Award For Best African Music PerformanceBoygenius Wins Best Rock Song For ​​"Not Strong Enough" | 2024 GRAMMYs Acceptance SpeechBurna Boy, Tyla And Africa's Moment At The 2024 GRAMMYs

2025 GRAMMYs To Take Place Sunday, Feb. 2, Live In Los Angeles; GRAMMY Awards Nominations To Be Announced Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 | GRAMMY.com (45)

Music Educator Award

Photo Courtesy ofthe Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum

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Nina Frazier

|GRAMMYs/May 8, 2024 - 01:10 pm

Today, the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum announced a total of 215 music teachers as quarterfinalists for the 2025 Music Educator Award. This prestigious award is given to current educators—from kindergarten through college in both public and private schools—who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who advocate for the ongoing inclusion of music education in schools. This year’s quarterfinalists hail from 202 cities and were chosen from more than 2,400 initial nominations. Additionally, 159 legacy applicants from 2024 are also eligible for this year’s award.

Semi-finalists for the 2025 Music Educator Award will be announced later this year. The ultimate recipient will be celebrated during GRAMMY Week 2025.

A collaborative effort between the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, the Music Educator Award invites nominations from students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers may also nominate themselves, and those nominated are invited to complete a more detailed application.

Each year, one recipient is selected from among 10 finalists and recognized for their profound impact on students' lives. The 11th annual honoree will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 67th GRAMMY Awards and participate in various GRAMMY Week events. The nine other finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. Additionally, fifteen semi-finalists will be awarded a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.

Read More:

The Music Educator Award program, including the honorariums and matching school grants, is supported by the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation this year. Additional backing comes from the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association, which support the program through outreach to their members.

Learn more about the Music Educator Award and see the full list of the 2025 Music Educator Award quarterfinalists and legacy applicants below:

QUARTERFINALISTS

NameSchoolCityState
Bryant AdlerAlcoa Elementary SchoolAlcoaTennessee
Patrick AguayoRolling Hills Middle SchoolLos GatosCalifornia
Chrsitopher AlbertsSchool Without WallsWashingtonWashington, D.C.
Bobi-Jean AlexanderSeneca Valley Senior High SchoolHarmonyPennsylvania
Erin AlthenWesthill High SchoolSyracuseNew York
Kathleen AmabileElk Lake Junior-Senior High SchoolSpringvillePennsylvania
Michael AntmannFreedom High SchoolOrlandoFlorida
Amanda Babco*ckMerrimack Valley Middle SchoolPenacookNew Hampshire
Eric BableCrestview High SchoolColumbianaOhio
Natalie BakerMissoula International SchoolMissoulaMontana
Jean-Paul BalmatMission Bay High SchoolSan DiegoCalifornia
Russell BalusekEdna High SchoolEdnaTexas
Lee Anne BarnesThomas Street Elementary SchoolTupeloMississippi
Makynzie BartonElkton High SchoolElktonMaryland
Andrew BeasleyPearl High SchoolPearlMississippi
Daniel BeilmanOak Park SchoolSarasotaFlorida
Andrew BennettFredonia High SchoolFredoniaNew York
David BillingsleyDeLaSalle High SchoolMinneapolisMinnesota
Stephen BlancoLas Vegas High SchoolLas VegasNevada
Mike BogleDallas College Cedar Valley CampusDallasTexas
Sarah BolineJohns Hill Magnet SchoolDecaturIllinois
Cherie BowePascagoula High SchoolPascagoulaMississippi
Nathan BowmanSoutheast Middle SchoolSalisburyNorth Carolina
Tamiko BridgesLaurel High SchoolLaurelMississippi
Justin BrittKingston Public SchoolsKingstonOklahoma
Korey BrunoWestfield High SchoolWestfieldMassachusetts
Richard ButlerJack Britt High SchoolFayettevilleNorth Carolina
Jason CanfieldPrescott High SchoolPrescottWisconsin
Clayton CapelloPettus ISDPettusTexas
Dr. John CarlisleHannan JSHSAshtonWest Virginia
Taylor CashAlbertville High SchoolAlbertvilleAlabama
Barry CheskyDulaney High SchoolTimoniumMaryland
Ethan ChessinCamas High SchoolCamasWashington
Ernesta ChicklowskiRoosevelt Elementary SchoolTampaFlorida
Donna ClarkMiguel Juarez Middle SchoolWaukeganIllinois
Jeremy ColeSouthern Middle SchoolSomersetKentucky
James CooneyMayville High SchoolMayville, WIWisconsin
Paul CornSusan E. Wagner High SchoolStaten IslandNew York
Kevin CroxtonOliver Springs Elementary SchoolVan BurenArkansas
Brandon CzubachowskiSpring Valley Hall High SchoolSpring ValleyIllinois
Mike D'ErricoAlbright CollegeReadingPennsylvania
Nicole DavidsonSusan E. Wiley Elementary SchoolCopiagueNew York
Andy DavisReavis High SchoolBurbankIllinois
Kelly DeHaanMountain Ridge High SchoolHerrimanUtah
David DehnetOral Roberts UniversityTulsaOklahoma
Joe DeLisiChisago Lakes High SchoolLindstromMinnesota
Jesse DooleyMillbury Jr./Sr. High SchoolMillburyMassachusetts
Lawrence DubillHamburg High SchoolHamburgNew York
Bridget Duffy-UlrichOshkosh North High SchoolOshkoshWisconsin
Jared DuncanDeKalb School of the ArtsAvondale EstatesGeorgia
Nicole DurkinArgo Community High SchoolSummitIllinois
Kaley EatonCornish College of the ArtsSeattleWashington
Cindy EllisMiami Arts Studio 6-12 at Zelda GlazerMiamiFlorida
Clerida EltimeWHIN Music Community Charter SchoolNew YorkNew York
Grady EmmertLake Buena Vista High SchoolOrlandoFlorida
Gerardo EscobarRiverside Middle SchoolEl PasoTexas
Regan EudyCentral Elementary SchoolAlbemarleNorth Carolina
Kevin FallonC.W. Worthington Middle SchoolHasletTexas
Jason FalvoWaynesburg Central ElementaryWaynesburgPennsylvania
Mike FedyszynRiverview Middle SchoolPlymouthWisconsin
Daniel FerreiraKlein Intermediate SchoolHoustonTexas
Jill FettyClear Falls High SchoolLeague CityTexas
Joe FinneganDC Everest Senior High SchoolWestonWisconsin
Joseph FloresMesa Middle SchoolRoswellNew Mexico
Jasmine FrippKIPP Nashville Collegiate High SchoolNashvilleTennessee
Sarah FultonKings Mountain High SchoolKings MountainNorth Carolina
Stefanie GardnerGlendale Community CollegeGlendaleArizona
Ryan GearySanford High SchoolSanfordMaine
Emily GoldenEast Burke High SchoolConnelly SpringsNorth Carolina
Rob GoldmanWestwood High SchoolWestwoodMassachusetts
Alex GrimmF.J. Reitz High SchoolEvansvilleIndiana
Melanie GunnWhitman Middle SchoolSeattleWashington
Daniel GutierrezNixa High SchoolNixaMissouri
Holly HaffnerGrissom Middle SchoolSterling HeightsMichigan
Michael HamannWest Ottawa High SchoolHollandMichigan
Tony Aaron HambrickJessye Norman School of the ArtsAugustaGeorgia
Cordara HarperGrambling State UniversityGramblingLouisiana
Vernon HarrisPulaski Heights Middle SchoolLittle RockArkansas
Sarah HartIslander Middle SchoolMercer IslandWashington
Kellie HarveyFruitland Primary SchoolFruitlandMaryland
Toby HarwellWiseburn Middle SchoolHawthorneCalifornia
Rachael HeffnerBrookhaven Innovation AcademyNorcrossGeorgia
Bobby HelmsCopiah-Lincoln Community CollegeWessonMississippi
Bernie Hendricks, Jr.Ocoee High SchoolOcoeeFlorida
Christopher HenkeKittatinny Regional High SchoolNewtonNew Jersey
Brian HensonWalnut Grove High SchoolProsperTexas
Samuel HjortMission High SchoolMissionTexas
Matt HoweCathedral City High SchoolCathedral CityCalifornia
Cole HuntBurchfield Elementary SchoolOneidaTennessee
Andria HydenBedichek Middle SchoolAustinTexas
Brandi JasonLiberty High SchoolEldersburgMaryland
Sonja JewellLoudoun Country Day SchoolLeesburgVirginia
Jennifer JimenezSouth Miami Sr. High SchoolMiamiFlorida
John JohnsonBoyd County High SchoolAshlandKentucky
Amir JonesThomas W. Harvey High SchoolPainesvilleOhio
Brian JoyceSouth Jones High SchoolEllisvilleMississippi
Wimberly KennedyRed Bank High SchoolChattanoogaTennessee
Larry KennonTroy Christian Junior High/High SchoolTroyOhio
Joshua KrohnBrent Elementary SchoolWashingtonWashington, D.C.
Erin KronzekUnity SchoolDelray BeachFlorida
Sarah LabrieLexington High SchoolLexingtonMassachusetts
J Alan LandersLakenheath High SchoolApoArmed Forces
Eric LapradeThe College of New JerseyEwingNew Jersey
Samantha LealiShenango Junior/Senior High SchoolNew CastlePennsylvania
Richelle LenoirGlobal Leadership Academy High SchoolJacksonvilleFlorida
Lindsay LindermanMurray LaSaine Montessori SchoolCharlestonSouth Carolina
Katanna LinnHighlands Ranch High SchoolHighlands RanchColorado
Candace LoveAugust Boeger Middle SchoolSan JoseCalifornia
Christopher LubkenRobert Service High SchoolAnchorageAlaska
Ryan MackP.S. 10 Magnet School of Math, Science, and Design TechnologyBrooklynNew York
Rebecca MacLeodUniversity of Illinois Urbana ChampaignChampaignIllinois
Adrian MaclinCordova High SchoolMemphisTennessee
Cyndi ManciniMontour High SchoolMcKees RocksPennsylvania
Kate MargravePine Creek High SchoolColorado SpringsColorado
Matt MartindaleShelby County High SchoolColumbianaAlabama
Abigail MartinezErie Middle SchoolErieColorado
Kathleen McCarthyAttleboro High SchoolAttleboroMassachusetts
Leigh Ann McClainGriffin Middle SchoolThe ColonyTexas
Erin McConnellCamillus Middle SchoolCamillusNew York
Lawrence McCrobieValley High SchoolLouisvilleKentucky
Jay McCulleySunset Middle SchoolBrentwoodTennessee
Angela McKennaClassen School of Advanced Studies at Northeast High SchoolOklahoma CityOklahoma
Jonathan R.P. McTier IIIAlief Hastings High SchoolHoustonTexas
Kimberly MeaderGreen Bay Preble High SchoolGreen BayWisconsin
Jessie MersingerNew Brunswick High SchoolNew BrunswickNew Jersey
Adam MewhorterSouthmoore High SchoolMooreOklahoma
James MinnixCentral Connecticut State UniversityNew BritianConnecticut
Jake MitchellHebron Middle SchoolShepherdsvilleKentucky
William J. MolineauxThe Osceola County School for the ArtsKissimmeeFlorida
Darren MotamedyWalter Johnson International AcademyLas VegasNevada
Jonathan MrackoPostlethwait Middle SchoolCamden WyomingDelaware
Curtis MulvenonShawnee Mission West High SchoolOverland ParkKansas
Elizabeth NardoneEM Stanton SchoolPhiladelphiaPennsylvania
Michelle NielsenDiamond Canyon SchoolAnthemArizona
Kelly NiemanAlden Intermediate SchoolAldenNew York
Mallory NortonWeddington High SchoolMatthewsNorth Carolina
Heather OrrMontgomery High SchoolMontgomeryTexas
Augustine OrtizEdgar Allen Poe Middle SchoolSan AntonioTexas
Jeremy OverbeckCentury High SchoolBismarckNorth Dakota
Andrew PahosJohn Sevier Middle SchoolKingsportTennessee
Lindsey ParkerLaguna Beach High SchoolLaguna BeachCalifornia
Andrew PeaseHartwick CollegeOneontaNew York
TJ PelanekUnderwood Public SchoolUnderwoodMinnesota
Justin PetersonMiddle School 67Q Louis PasteurLittle NeckNew York
Anthony PickardDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. High SchoolLithoniaGeorgia
Preston PiercePlano West Senior High SchoolPlanoTexas
Thomas PierreRosa L. Parks ESHyattsvilleMaryland
Chris PiersonChaparral High SchoolLas VegasNevada
Jonathan PowellWest End High SchoolWalnut GroveAlabama
Courtney PowersHoboken Charter SchoolHobokenNew Jersey
Briony PriceGramercy Arts High SchoolNew York CityNew York
Neal RaskinBig Foot Union High SchoolWalworthWisconsin
Marc RatnerMineola High SchoolGarden City ParkNew York
Tess Remy-SchumacherUniversity of Central OklahomaEdmondOklahoma
Stephen RewRaymore-Peculiar High SchoolPeculiarMissouri
Cindy ReynoldsSacred Heart of Jesus Catholic SchoolShawneeKansas
Lou RibarLenape ElementaryFord CityPennsylvania
Dianna RichardsonCleveland School of the ArtsClevelandOhio
Michael RichardsonPerry Meridian High SchoolIndianapolisIndiana
Leslie RiedelCapital High SchoolCharlestonWest Virginia
Adam RobinsonNorwood High SchoolNorwoodOhio
James RobinsonElkin High SchoolElkinNorth Carolina
Nathan RodahlPort Angeles High SchoolPort AngelesWashington
Darren RodgersSt. Augustine High SchoolNew OrleansLouisiana
Lenae RoseMorgan County High SchoolMadisonGeorgia
Stewart RosenWalter Reed Middle SchoolNorth HollywoodCalifornia
David RothLakeside High SchoolAshtabulaOhio
Seth RowoldtAnnunciation Orthodox SchoolHoustonTexas
Stefanie SagaroAcademy for Innovative Education Charter SchoolMiami SpringsFlorida
Maura SaintBlackhawk High SchoolBeaver FallsPennsylvania
Mike ScottColumbia Basin CollegePascoWashington
Kelly SeymourBallston Spa Middle/High SchoolBallston SpaNew York
Natalie SheelerSturgis Charter Public SchoolHyannisMassachusetts
Matthew ShephardMeridian Early College High SchoolSanfordMichigan
Aleshia ShouseChristian Academy of IndianaNew AlbanyIndiana
Alex SieiraHarrison High SchoolHarrisonNew Jersey
Adria SmithMarblehead Community Charter Public SchoolMarbleheadMassachusetts
Anthony SpanoCulver City High SchoolCulver CityCalifornia
William SteadmanGeneral McLane High SchoolEdinboroPennsylvania
Mike SteepParkway Northeast Middle SchoolCreve CoeurMissouri
Katie StephensCharles D. Owen High SchoolBlack MountainNorth Carolina
Evelyn StohlmanBishop Shanahan High SchoolDowningtownPennsylvania
Kokoe Tanaka-SuwanParsons Memorial & Purchase Elementary SchoolsHarrisonNew York
Jameelah TaylorTrevor Day SchoolNew York CityNew York
Brian TeedWakeland High SchoolFriscoTexas
Josh TharpWest Fairmont Middle School and Rivesville Elementary/Middle SchoolFairmontWest Virginia
Jennifer Theisen-GrayWilliam M. Colmer Middle SchoolPascagoulaMississippi
Mark ThomasUpper PerkiomenPennsburgPennsylvania
Zachary ThomasLedyard High SchoolLedyardConnecticut
Alex UnderwoodHays High SchoolHaysKansas
Craig UppercueVolusia County SchoolsDaytona BeachFlorida
Lindsay VaskoWalnut Grove High SchoolProsperTexas
Allen VenezioEast River High SchoolOrlandoFlorida
Felicia VillaPoint Pleasant Borough High SchoolPoint PleasantNew Jersey
James VillegasGrossmont High SchoolEl CajonCalifornia
Rachel WaddellColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColorado
Meghan WagnerAuburn Riverside High SchoolAuburnWashington
Bryan WaitesClements High SchoolSugar LandTexas
Donald WalterNorthwest Guilford High School and Northwest Guilford Middle SchoolGreensboroNorth Carolina
Victoria WarnetColumbus State UniversityColumbusGeorgia
Christopher WeddelFremont High SchoolFremontNebraska
Elliot WeeksSeattle Preparatory SchoolSeattleWashington
Kayla WerlinLongmeadow High SchoolLongmeadowMassachusetts
Bryce WerntzOak Hill High SchoolOak HillOhio
Robert WestClark High SchoolLas VegasNevada
Aria WestbrookHawfields Middle SchoolMebaneNorth Carolina
Kimberly WhiteheadSikeston High SchoolSikestonMissouri
Jeremy WilliamsMarrero Middle SchoolMarreroLouisiana
Doretha WilliamsGEO Next Generation High SchoolBaton RougeLouisiana
Kelly WinovichNorthgate Middle/Senior High SchoolPittsburghPennsylvania
Kate WisbeyCharlottesville Catholic SchoolCharlottesvilleVirginia
Elise WittGlobal Village ProjectDecaturGeorgia
Scott WoodardWest Virginia State UniversityInstituteWest Virginia
Amber YatesThompson Middle SchoolAlabasterAlabama
Christopher-Rey YraolaRamón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing ArtsLos AngelesCalifornia

LEGACY APPLICANTS

NameSchoolCityState
Bruce AdamsSam Houston High SchoolSan AntonioTexas
Casie AdamsMartinsburg High SchoolMartinsburgWest Virginia
Miguel AguiarSouthwest High SchoolSan AntonioTexas
Dawn AmthorWallkill Senior High SchoolWallkillNew York
Christopher AndrewsHephzibah High SchoolHephzibahGeorgia
Jeanne AndrewsPetway Elementary SchoolVinelandNew Jersey
Justin AntosDwight D. Eisenhower High SchoolBlue IslandIllinois
Javier ArauNew York Jazz AcademyNew YorkNew York
Timothy ArnoldOrono High SchoolLong LakeMinnesota
Elizabeth BakerMary Martin ElementaryWeatherfordTexas
Andre BarnesScience Park High SchoolNewarkNew Jersey
Jeremy BartunekGreenbriar SchoolNorthbrookIllinois
Adem BirsonNew York UniversityNew YorkNew York
Benjamin BlaskoLipscomb UniversityNashvilleTennessee
Amanda BlevinsTri-Valley High SchoolDresdenOhio
Susan BoddieValdosta State UniversityValdostaGeorgia
Adrian BonnerLancaster High SchoolLancasterTexas
Steve BrowneNashville Community High SchoolNashvilleIllinois
Ryan BulgarelliWilliamsport Area High SchoolWilliamsportPennsylvania
Cathryn BurtEast Newton High SchoolGranbyMissouri
James Byrn, Jr.Maconaquah High SchoolBunker HillIndiana
Mary Catherine CampbellSeven Pines Elementary SchoolSandstonVirginia
Helen CapehartBridgeport High SchoolBridgeportTexas
Marcos CarrerasConservatory of the ArtsSpringfieldMassachusetts
Roger ChagnonWestfield Academy and Central SchoolWestfieldNew York
Kristopher ChandlerGautier High SchoolGautierMississippi
Jeff ChangDecatur High SchoolFederal WayWashington
Travis CoakleyWilliam Carey UniversityHattiesburgMississippi
Vanessa CobbMontgomery Central High SchoolCunninghamTennessee
Trish ConoverCommunity Middle SchoolPlainsboroNew Jersey
John ContrerasPueblo High SchoolTucsonArizona
Daniel CookIthaca CollegeIthacaNew York
Kyle CookWestern Branch Middle SchoolChesapeakeVirginia
Travis CookPlymouth Christian AcademyCantonMichigan
Andrew CoteMerrimack CollegeNorth AndoverMassachusetts
Drew CowellBelleville East High SchoolBellevilleIllinois
Cory Joy CraigBenton Intermediate SchoolBentonLouisiana
Matthew CunninghamBrockton High SchoolBrocktonMassachusetts
Isaac Daniel IIIStax Music AcademyMemphisTennessee
Jackie DeenPottsboro High SchoolPottsboroTexas
Matthew DenmanClassen School of Advanced StudiesOklahoma CityOklahoma
Ryan DiefenderferParadise Valley High SchoolPhoenixArizona
Jennifer DiVastoPennridge School DistrictPerkasiePennsylvania
Antoine DolberryP.S. 103 Hector Fontanez SchoolBronxNew York
George DragooStevens High SchoolRapid CitySouth Dakota
Marisa DrakePatuxent High SchoolLusbyMaryland
Kathleen DudleyAndrew Cooke Magnet SchoolWaikeganIllinois
Jonathan EisingJames Hubert Blake High SchoolSilver SpringMaryland
Jonathan EldridgeWeston Public SchoolsWestonMassachusetts
Carol EvansGwynedd Mercy UniversityGwynedd ValleyPennsylvania
Anthony FerreiraSuffield High SchoolWest SuffieldConnecticut
Tamara FrazierNorth Valleys High SchoolRenoNevada
J.D. FrizzellBriarcrest Christian SchoolEadsTennessee
Chesteron FryeSt. Helena College & Career AcademyDenham SpringsLouisiana
Matt GerrySalina South Middle SchoolSalinaKansas
Anna GirlingSebastopol Attendance CenterSebastopolMississippi
Serena GorhamWeare Middle SchoolWeareNew Hampshire
Kylie GriffinDozier ElementaryErathLouisiana
Jessica GronbergHawkes Bluff ElementaryDavieFlorida
Nathaniel GunterGreer High SchoolGreerSouth Carolina
Amy HannequinBethel Middle SchoolBethelConnecticut
Crystal HardingYpsilanti Community High SchoolYpsilantiMichigan
Diane HarriganBloom High SchoolChicago HeightsIllinois
Toye HarrisMiami High SchoolMiamiOklahoma
Chris HaysletteBridgeport Middle SchoolBridgeportWest Virginia
Colette HebertYonkers Public SchoolsYonkersNew York
Martha HeiseSeventh Street SchoolOil CityPennsylvania
Jonathan HelmickSlippery Rock UniversitySlippery RockPennsylvania
Joel HillVelma Jackson High School & ShirleyCamdenMississippi
Elaine HolmesComsewogue High SchoolPort Jefferson StationNew York
Victor IapalucciPhillip Barbour High SchoolPhilippiWest Virginia
Devin JamesSalem High SchoolConyersGeorgia
Heidi JayeDaniel Webster Elementary SchoolNew RochelleNew York
Jamie JonesManzano Day SchoolAlbuquerqueNew Mexico
Daniel JoostenEdgerton High SchoolEdgertonWisconsin
Brett KeithNorthern Bedford County Middle/HighLoysburgPennsylvania
Deonte KennedyCraigmont High SchoolMemphisTennessee
Lou KitchnerBedford Middle SchoolWestportConnecticut
Michael KiyoiSan Marcos High SchoolSanta BarbaraCalifornia
Kate KlotzMonarch High SchoolLouisvilleColorado
Heidi KohlerYpsilanti Community High SchoolEast AmherstNew York
Michael LapomardoShrewsbury High SchoolShrewsburyMassachusetts
Morgan LentinoOtter Creek ElementaryElginIllinois
Lisa LindeNewton South High SchoolNewtonMassachusetts
Cole LundquistGloucester High SchoolGloucesterMassachusetts
Marci Malone DeAmbroseLincoln Southwest High SchoolLincolnNebraska
Bob MammingaSt. Francis High SchoolWheatonIllinois
Jayson MartinezArts High SchoolNewarkNew Jersey
Kevin McDonaldWellesley High SchoolWellesleyMassachusetts
Larrian MenifeeBall High SchoolGalvestonTexas
Kim MettertEast Noble Middle SchoolKendallvilleIndiana
Natalie MooreSullivan High SchoolSullivanMissouri
Coty Raven MorrisPortland State UniversityPortlandOregon
Brian NaborsShelby High SchoolShelbyOhio
Jenny NeffUniversity of the ArtsPhiladelphiaPennsylvania
Cassandra NelsonMountaineer Middle SchoolMorgantownWest Virginia
Trevor NicholasNicholas Senn High SchoolChicagoIllinois
Sam NoyceThomas Jefferson Jr. High SchoolKearnsUtah
Tim O’DonnellEphrata High SchoolEphrataWashington
Shakia PaylorCity Neighbors High SchoolBaltimoreMaryland
Kathy PercontiWayne Central High SchoolOntario CenterNew York
Catherine PlichtaTheatre Arts Production Company SchoolBronxNew York
Felix PonceBack of the Yards College Preparatory High SchoolChicagoIllinois
David PopeBaldwin Wallace UniversityBereaOhio
Brian QuerryCharles A. Huston Middle SchoolLower BurrellPennsylvania
Lance RauhPatriot Oaks AcademySt. JohnsFlorida
Hoza ReddittMSA East AcademySaint GabrielLouisiana
Heather RentzSt. Mark School (Westpark)ClevelandOhio
Sarah RiechersThurgood Marshall Elementary SchoolManassasVirginia
Stephanie RobertsonPonchatoula High SchoolPonchatoulaLouisiana
Bethany RobinsonNoblesville High SchoolNoblesvilleIndiana
Keith RobinsonJefferson Avenue ElementarySeguinTexas
Alberto RodriguezMount Vernon High SchoolAlexandriaVirginia
Shawn RoyerMarian UniversityIndianapolisIndiana
Dayshawn RussellNorth Iberville Elementary and High SchoolRosedaleLouisiana
Hannah RyanUniversity of Virginia’s College at WiseWiseVirginia
Kyle RyanTurkey Hill SchoolOrangeConnecticut
Ashley SandsKennedy Secondary SchoolFergus FallsMinnesota
Mark SantosSanta Ana High SchoolSanta AnaCalifornia
Danni SchmittRoland Park Elementary/Middle SchoolBaltimoreMaryland
Kevin SchoenbachOswego High SchoolOswegoIllinois
Eric SchultzCoastal Carolina UniversityConwaySouth Carolina
Josh SettlemyreR.J. Reynolds High SchoolWinston-SalemNorth Carolina
Jason ShiuanSaratoga High SchoolSaratogaCalifornia
Katie SilcottOlentangy Shanahan Middle SchoolLewis CenterOhio
Thomas SlaterSumter School DistrictSumterSouth Carolina
Joani SlawsonHoly Trinity Episcopal AcademyMelbourneFlorida
Timothy SloanAlbright Middle SchoolHoustonTexas
Andrew SmithCharlotte Central SchoolCharlotteVermont
Cathryn SmithColeman High SchoolColemanTexas
Jessie SmithYes Prep Public SchoolsHoustonTexas
Patrick SmithCooperative Arts High SchoolNew HavenConnecticut
Tony SpanoCulver City High SchoolCulver CityCalifornia
Wes SparkesEagleview Middle SchoolColorado SpringsColorado
Julian SpiresMeade Middle SchoolFort MeadeMaryland
Shannon StemUniversity AcademyPanama CityFlorida
Harold StephanStuyvesant High SchoolNew YorkNew York
Cassandra SulbaránBraintree High SchoolBraintreeMassachusetts
Lynn SweetMount Anthony Union High SchoolBenningtonVermont
Jessica TorresElmont Memorial Jr/Sr High SchoolElmontNew York
Michelle TrinidadSacred Heart SchoolBronxNew York
Alice TsuiNew Bridges ElementaryBrooklynNew York
Martin UrbachHarvest Collegiate High SchoolNew YorkNew York
Johny VargasPueblo High SchoolTucsonArizona
Amy VillanovaCanyon Crest AcademySan DiegoCalifornia
Valerie VinnardWebster ElementaryLong BeachCalifornia
Kenneth WalkerRalls ISDRallsTexas
Jennifer WalterUniversity of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboroNorth Carolina
John WareStovall Middle SchoolHoustonTexas
Brandon WeeksNorth Polk High SchoolAllemanIowa
Lisa WernerSt. Bruno Parish SchoolDousmanWisconsin
Elizabeth WhiteHolcomb RIIIHolcombMissouri
Tyler WigglesworthWest Covina High SchoolWest CovinaCalifornia
Paula WilliamsThe Ron Clark AcademyAtlantaGeorgia
Sandi WilsonFranklin School of InnovationAshevilleNorth Carolina
Damion WomackThe Montgomery AcademyMontgomeryAlabama
Tammy YiChapman University and LA Phil YOLA ProgramOrange CountyCalifornia
Jason YountsSamuel V. Champion High SchoolBoerneTexas
DeAnna ZecchinIndian River High SchoolDagsboroDelaware

2025 GRAMMYs To Take Place Sunday, Feb. 2, Live In Los Angeles; GRAMMY Awards Nominations To Be Announced Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 | GRAMMY.com (46)

Twenty One Pilots perform at GPWeek Festival in 2022.

Photo: Mauricio Santana/Getty Images

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Three years after 'Scaled and Icy,' Twenty One Pilots' seventh studio album is here. Dig into the rock duo's journey to 'Clancy,' and how it further showcases their knack for vivid world-building.

Ilana Kaplan

|GRAMMYs/May 24, 2024 - 07:28 pm

Long before Twenty One Pilots developed a cult following, the Columbus, Ohio natives were determined to not be put into a box. From their first EP, 2009's Johnny Boy, they've blended elements of emo, rap, alt-pop, electronica, incorporating hardcore and hip-hop into their shows. "No one knew where to put us," drummer Josh Dun told USA Today in 2014. "But we've approached live shows as a way to build something from nothing."

In the decade since, the band's sheer determination and eclectic onstage personality have made them one of the biggest rock groups of their generation. They're equally as spontaneous and intriguing in their music, building an entire world through dynamic soundscapes and visuals — and their new album, Clancy, ties all of it together.

As the band revealed in a press release upon announcing the album in March, Clancy "marks the final chapter in an ambitious multi-album narrative" that began with Blurryface in 2015. But it certainly doesn't feel like an ending; Clancy further expands on the theatrical style and eclectic sound they've showcased from the start, offering both a resolution and an evolution.

While the makings of the signature Twenty One Pilots aesthetic began with its original formation as a trio — lead singer Tyler Joseph and his friends Nick Thomas and Chris Salih — it truly took shape when Dun replaced Thomas and Salih in 2011. Dun and Joseph had a common goal to re-formulate the way songs and shows were crafted; the drummer utilized samples and backing tapes at their gigs, helping the band dive deeper into their alternative style by fusing everything from reggae to pop together.

As a newly formed duo, Twenty One Pilots issued their album Regional at Best in 2011 — their last release before they signed to a major label (though, as they told Huffpost in 2013, they since consider the record a "glorified mixtape"). After significant social media buzz and selling out a show at Newport Music Hall in Columbus, the duo was courted by a dozen record labels, which set the stage for their big break.

"We went from no one in the industry caring to all of the sudden it was the hot thing for every label, independent and major, to be interested in some way," Joseph told Columbus Monthly in 2012 upon signing to Fueled by Ramen, which the singer said they were drawn to because they were able to retain "creative control" — a factor that would become increasingly more important with each release.

Their 2013 album Vessel — which featured a combination of new and re-recorded songs from Regional At Best —spawned the band's first charting single, "Holding On to You," a rap-meets-pop track that oscillates from sensitive indie ballad to energetic anthem. Not only had they begun making a mark commercially, but it seemed to be the album that Twenty One Pilots felt they were hitting their stride creatively, too: "I know some people might not like this, but I kind of view Vessel as our first record," Joseph told Kerrang!at the time.

Though the character "Clancy" first came about with 2018's Trench, Twenty One Pilots actually introduced the world that Clancy would eventually live in with 2015's Blurryface, which focused on a titular character who embodies depression and anxiety. "It's a guy who kind of represents all the things that I as an individual, but also everyone around me, are insecure about," Joseph said of his alter-ego in a 2015 interview with MTV.

To convey the "feeling of suffocation" caused by insecurities from what he creates, Joseph began wearing black paint on his neck and hands in music videos and on stage to represent the "Blurryface" character. As Joseph told the Recording Academy in 2015, the "common thread" of all of the songs on Blurryface was that Joseph's alter-ego would be defeated, and each song wrestled with the dichotomy between darkness and optimism.

While Vessel kickstarted the band's commercial success, Blurryface saw their popularity explode and resulted in the band's best-selling single, the eerie rap-rock anthem "Stressed Out." The commercial success of Blurryface helped their hot streak continue into 2016 with the release of "Heathens." While the song served as the first single from the Suicide Squad soundtrack, its haunting production fits right into the world the pair had begun building with Blurryface. Their acclaim continued to grow, with Twenty One Pilots earning their first GRAMMY in 2017 for "Stressed Out" in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Category — and, in line with their affinity for stunts, dropping their pants as they accepted their award.

Ahead of the release of their 2018 concept album Trench, the lore surrounding "Clancy" really began. Twenty One Pilots began leaving clues for fans on a website known as DMAORG, which featured black-and-white images and letters from "Clancy," who ultimately became the protagonist of the album. Twenty One Pilots fans (often referred to as the"Skeleton Clique") began clamoring to deduce puzzling clues and posting their theories about the narrative's endgame online.

With Trench, they found more characters and a deeper narrative. The overall album depicts "a world where nine dictatorial bishops keep the inhabitants (Tyler included) of a fictional place named Dema from escaping its controlling clutches, with the help of the Banditos — a rebel organization (featuring Josh)." On a larger scale, the album grapples with mental illness, suicide and an expansion on Joseph's insecurities from Blurryface.

But Trench isn't one cohesive story; rather, it's a series of songs with clues embedded within. For instance, in "Morph," the character Nico is introduced, who is also the subject of "Nico and The Niners." From there, fans gleaned that Nico was one of nine bishops controlling the citizens of Dema, and those nine bishops were represented by each of the songs on Blurryface. The bombastic "Pet Cheetah" references that the house has vultures on the roof which alludes to it — and Joseph's home — being Dema.

As with Blurryface, visuals became an integral part of the album cycle. This time, they used them to illustrate life in the dystopian Dema, which personifies depression through the trilogy of music videos for "Levitate," "Nico and The Niners" and "Jumpsuit." While Joseph's black-painted neck and hands signaled the Blurryface era, dark green clothing marked with yellow tape signaled the Trench era. During this time, the "Clancy" character remained shrouded in mystery — though through videos and letters shared by the band, fans theorized that it is an opposing force to "Blurryface."

By the time Twenty One Pilots' 2021 album, Scaled and Icy, came around, fans quickly noticed that it paid homage to "Clancy" as an anagram for "Clancy is dead," while also acknowledging the COVID-19 pandemic as a shortened phrase for "scaled back and isolated." While Twenty One Pilots could have leaned into the harrowing events of lockdown, they instead chose to focus on what has driven the band itself, the power of imagination — something that has been behind much of the band's work since Blurryface.

With the album came three singles — the propulsive "Shy Away," the heartwrenching banger "Choker" and the funk-pop-tinged "Saturday — which were recorded when the duo was working virtually during the pandemic. Unlike the past two projects which grappled with this doomed slant, Scaled and Icy pivoted toward a sunnier sound, signaling a shift in the narrative. But it didn't mean the dark world of Blurryface and Trench were completely in the past; upon Scaled and Icy's release, Joseph revealed to Apple Music that there would be "one more record" and "an explanation and book end" before moving onto another story.

Three years following the release of Scaled and Icy, fans began receiving letters from the "Sacred Municipality of Dema" — a reference to the fictional city featured on Trench, signaling what appeared to be a new era diving deeper into the band's lore. Since the previous record featured an anagram about "Clancy" in its title, it seemed natural that the next album would be named after the character.

"'Clancy' is our protagonist in this story we've been telling, stretched out over the last several records. 'Clancy' is the type of character who, for a long time, didn't know if he was a leader or not, didn't want to take that responsibility," Joseph told BBC Radio earlier this year.

As the singer had hinted in the Scaled and Icy era, Clancy brings fans back to the darker narrative that began with Blurryfacet. After Joseph's character escapes Dema a handful of times, joins a rebellion, then is captured again, he finally has the same abilities as the bishops and aims to free the people of Dema. The album attempts to answer a few conceptual questions along the way.

Clancy's blistering first single, "Overcompensate" is inherently hopeful, and answers the long-lingering question fans have been wondering: Who is "Clancy"? According to the psych-funk number, it's been Joseph all along ("If you can't see, I am Clancy/ Prodigal son, done running, come up with Josh Dun.") As Joseph further explained to BBC Radio, "[With] 'Overcompensate', there's a bit of a confidence and swagger in it that the character needed to embody in order to take on the new role in the story we've been telling, and Clancy is gonna rise up as that person."

But much of the album focuses less on the literal lore, instead tackling the overarching themes of its counterparts: Joseph's struggles with mental health. Despite the darker, anxious nature of the album's lyrics, the majority of Clancy has a self-assured breeziness to it, jumping off of the upbeat Scaled and Icy sound.

On the ballad-like closer, "Paladin Strait" — named after a fictional body of water off the coast of Dema —Twenty One Pilots really digs into the narrative of "Clancy" the character in a literal way again. What's revealed is the final battle between "Clancy" and "Blurryface" with no apparent winner — alluding to the idea that there is not necessarily a triumph over depression. In the final line, the band offers a callback to a lyric from Blurryface: "So few, so proud, so emotional/ Hello, Clancy."

While the ending may remain ambiguous, it may not be a coincidence that Twenty One Pilots postponed Clancy's release date by a week (from May 17 to May 24) in order to finish filming music videos for each of the tracks, all of which were unveiled upon the album's release. So, there's still hope that fans will find out definitively what happened to "Clancy" — or maybe it means his story isn't completely finished.

2025 GRAMMYs To Take Place Sunday, Feb. 2, Live In Los Angeles; GRAMMY Awards Nominations To Be Announced Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 | GRAMMY.com (47)

Nathy Peluso

Photo: Kito Muñoz

interview

Both honest and brash, Nathy Peluso's first album in four years is the culmination of therapy and deep musical work. "It’s important to bring that energy to the music, like, rude, strong, dangerous," she says.

Beverly Bryan

|GRAMMYs/May 24, 2024 - 04:45 pm

Those who follow underground Spanish music have known the name Nathy Peluso for a while, but in 2020 the Argentine-Spanish artist came to the attention of a broader audience. That year, the rapper and singer released her official debut album Calambre, which won a Latin GRAMMY for Best Alternative Album and received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album in 2021.

Four years later, Peluso is back with Grasa [Grease]. Out May 24, the 16 track follow-up is simultaneously bolder, more vulnerable and more revealing than its predecessor, crystalizing the artist's iconoclastic and often cinema-inspired vision.

At Legacy Records, a hotspot for haute Mediterranean fare in Manhattan's Hudson Yards neighborhood, Nathy is draped in an oversized blazer and pants. She looks like a relaxed, elegant CEO and the style becomes her, especially as she balances it with ultra-feminine touches. Today, its long nails tipped in fire-engine red.

Her fashion choices are as pointed as her manicure, on and off stage. In the recent video for "Aprender a Amar," she raps ferociously into a mirror, sharply dressed in a pin-stripe tie, a jacket with exaggerated shoulders, and delicate black lace gloves. These sartorial choices ask, Why settle for a mob-wife aesthetic when you can be a don yourself?

Both visually and aurally, Nathy Peluso is part cinematic diva and part underworld kingpin, with a fair amount of Missy Elliott swagger. Her tough, independent persona was on full display on her now-multimillion streamed 2020 Bizarrap session, which smoldered and crackled with her bombast. It was fully formed on "Business Woman," from Calambre, and returned with a roar on her 2021 single "Mafiosa," a high drama salsa track.

Her powerful energy is pure hip-hop in steel-toe Timbs, but she performs with the generous spirit of a burgeoning pop star ministering to a big house of fans. On Grasa, Nathy Peluso brings humanity to her braggadocio. This doesn’t stop her from picking up the mafia saga where she left off on Calambre. The opening track is titled "Corleone."

Ahead of the release of her first album in four years, Nathy Peluso spoke with GRAMMY.com about overcoming creative burnout, taking inspiration from mob movies, and the true meaning of "grasa."

This album is more personal than your previous releases. What led you to open up more lyrically?

I think it just happened because I am growing. I am learning and I need to tell my truth. The way for me to do that is music. It’s been four years, but, when the moment came, I was ready.

Speaking of four years ago, 2020 was a very big year for you. A lot happened. What are your most vivid memories from that time?

Calambre was the moment. It was really special for me. Winning the GRAMMY was the moment, and then touring with that album was an amazing learning experience for me. I grew up on the stage.

I grew up as a woman, as an artist, as a performer, maybe as a lover too. You are traveling around the world with so much pressure. Physically, it was a difficult show. I was alone on stage, with my musicians, but no dancers. It was a challenge.

I grew up in so many ways, but when I finished that tour I was broken. My soul was broken. I was empty. I started looking for myself. It was very tough.

It sounds like you were experiencing creative burnout.

Yes, my brain was broken, but it was necessary in order to start again. I did an album then, but I decided not to go with that album and to start again. So, it was a very long path.

You wrote a whole album and then discarded it? What wasn’t working about it?

It was working, but it wasn’t the feelings I wanted to share and the music I wanted to share. Sometimes there are projects whose purpose is just to learn from. It was a process of learning for me. That was a very special moment.

You start feeling like a failure, but no. It was necessary to go through that to get to Grasa. The things I learned were exactly the things I needed to know to then make this music.

So, how did you overcome this period of burnout and get to the point where you were feeling creative again?

A lot of therapy. A lot of working on my s— and confronting it.

Is there one song on Grasa that is more intense to perform, or more emotional for you than the others?

"Envidia" is talking real s—. Things happen around you and you need to know who you are and what your intention is. You have to be focused on what you want to bring to the world and not care about anything besides your craft. People are going to talk. Things are going to be crazy. You’ve got to know your choice, your path.

Can you tell me about the song "Corleone"? How do gangster movies inspire you?

I have a song called "Mafiosa." It’s a character I love to perform and I see myself in that character. It’s relatable. The mafia have codes that represent me — not everything [laughs] — but, you know, the family, the legacy, working hard, respect. That kind of feeling in music, in cinema, is what I was looking for. I love the aesthetic. I love Tarantino. I love Tony Montana, the character. On stage, I feel like him sometimes.

I love for a woman to be that type of character. I think it’s interesting. Usually, those kinds of feelings in music or cinema are represented by men. It’s always that way in salsa. If you look at Celia or Gloria, they were always more romantic. Maybe La Lupe was dangerous. For me, it’s important to bring that energy to the music, like, rude, strong, dangerous. Be careful, bitch!

What were some of your specific musical influences while working on this album?

Always folklore and roots, salsa and bolero, but then I was paying attention to Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West. They are a big inspiration for me.

How do you bridge the gap, or find the connections among your different influences?

I don’t even know. I just do music, really. I go to the studio and I start singing. I just feel it. I go to the studio, and suddenly I want to sing, and I want to cry. And then another day, I feel powerful and I want drama and aggressive stuff. It’s very honest. The starting point is always the way I feel.

Is it important to you to make music that empowers other women?

Yes. For sure. But it wasn’t ever a strategy, like, "I want to do music for empowering women." I just did my music without direction. Then I discovered people were feeling the power and using it. I feel inspired by that, but it wasn’t the point.

What does the word "grasa" mean to you?

I chose that word because it’s the strongest word. It’s dirty. It’s funky. But it’s a word that, at least in Spanish, has a lot of meanings. So, I want people to choose the meaning. After listening to the album, you can choose the meaning and maybe redefine it with the album.

How Danna Paola Created 'CHILDSTAR' By Deconstructing Herself

2025 GRAMMYs To Take Place Sunday, Feb. 2, Live In Los Angeles; GRAMMY Awards Nominations To Be Announced Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 | GRAMMY.com (48)

RM attends W Korea‘s ‘Love Your W' breast cancer awareness event in Seoul, South Korea in November 2023.

Photo: The Chosunilbo JNS/Imazins via Getty Images

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The second solo album from BTS' RM further displays his knack for genre-bending experimentation, while also delving deeper into his vulnerable side. Listen to the new album here, and get to know the project's featured artists, tracklist and more.

Chloe Sarmiento

|GRAMMYs/May 24, 2024 - 04:08 pm

As the world patiently awaits the return of BTS in full force, each member continues to deliver solo projects to show off their individual talents. And 18 months after his last album, RM is back.

With a discography that hops between pop, R&B, and hip-hop, RM returns to the spotlight with his second solo album, Right Place, Wrong Person. The project tells the relatable story of an individual who is a creature of habit, but slowly comes to find solace in foreign spaces.

Below, listen to RM's latest album, and discover more about how he's revealing a new side of his artistry with Right Place, Wrong Person.

The Tracklist

After RM's debut solo album, 2022's Indigo, had 10 tracks (including features from the likes of Erykah Badu, Anderson .Paak), he ups the tally with an 11-song tracklist this time around.

Here is the complete tracklist for Right Place, Wrong Person:

1. Right People, Wrong Place
2. Nuts
3. out of love
4. Domodachi (feat. Little Simz)
5. ? (Interlude)
6. Groin
7. Heaven
8. LOST!
9. Around the world in a day (feat. Moses Sumney)
10. ㅠㅠ (Credit Roll)
11. Come back to me

The Creative Visuals

Two weeks before the album dropped, he unveiled the music video for "Come Back to Me," the lead single from Right Place, Wrong Person. Directed by the critically acclaimed actor Lee Sung Jin, the music video narrates the tale of feeling like an outsider and yearning for a sense of belonging in unfamiliar surroundings.

Then, on the day Right Place, Wrong Person arrived, RM added to release-day excitement with another intriguing visual, this time for "LOST!" The five-minute clip sees RM as the star of "The Lost! Show," where he and a group endure an eerie whirlwind of scenarios they can't seem to get out of. It's equal parts dramatic and slapstick, and another clever display of RM's creative versatility.

Noteworthy Guests

The featured artists on Right Place, Wrong Person — British rapper Little Simz on "Domodachi" and art-pop artist Moses Sumney on "Around the world in a day" — underscore RM's ability to interlace his own musical style with artists from various genres.

The album also has some notable behind-the-scenes collaborators as well. Production credits include Kim Han-joo, keyboardist and vocalist from the South Korean rock band Silica Gel, on "LOST!" and GRAMMY-nominated jazz duo on "? (Interlude)."

On "Come back to me" — which RM initially debuted last August during a surprise performance at BTS bandmate Suga's encore concert in Seoul — he delves into the album's central theme of wanting to venture into unknown areas, but feeling the intense urge to stay with what's already known. The track was composed and arranged by OHHYUK from the South Korean indie-rock band Hyukoh, but also features credits from artists Kuo, JNKYRD, and San Yawn.

But no matter who RM is working with, his own talent and prowess as a creator always shines. Right Place, Wrong Person presents a diverse array of tracks marked by sheer vulnerability, honesty, and sensitivity — a masterful continuation of a remarkable solo journey.

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