Music’s biggest night of 2022 occurred April 4th and left us with mixed feelings, as it always does. Viewers either celebrate the artist’s wins or leave feeling as though the nominees have been scammed. I personally tuned in to root for Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat, BTS, and Taylor Swift, as I can guess many of you did as well!
I believe no one can protest against Olivia Rodrigo’s three wins: Best New Artist, Best Pop Solo Performance, and Best Pop Vocal Album. They were truly well-deserved, given the success of Sour. Olivia Rodrigo’s talent and hard-work truly awarded her some of the most honorable music awards.
For Best Pop Vocal Album, Olivia Rodrigo’s fellow nominees included Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, and Justin Bieber. This year, the category was dominated by female artists, all very deserving of the award as well! Female artists truly showed out this year with incredible music, including Happier than Ever, Planet Her, Positions, Heaux Tales, and so many others!
I was eager to see BTS secure a Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. However, I was not disappointed to hear that Doja and SZA won the award for their hit single “Kiss Me More”. There was much debate as to whether BTS was scammed by the Grammys again this year. Many believe, including myself, that this award show has used the group’s clout for more views. But it is difficult to say BTS was scammed as I believe “Kiss Me More” was also deserving of the award.
I am not alone in the shock of Album of the Year. Jon Batiste’s “We are” secured the award. Even the artist himself displayed visible shock at the announcement. As a Swiftie and Doja Cat fan, I was disappointed by the results. This is simply due to my unfamiliarity with Jon Batiste’s music.
Jon Batiste is the first Black artist to win Album of the Year since 2008, when Herbie Hancock won the award for “River: The Joni Letters”. This is a celebration for Black artists but also a revealing moment at the Grammys’ seeming favoritism toward white artists. After further research, I discovered that out of 64 Grammy award ceremonies only 11 Black musicians have been awarded Album of the Year. The bias present in the Grammy award and nominee decision making needs to be addressed on a deeper level. While it may be virtually impossible to award without bias, we can agree that Black artists are not being equally acknowledged for their art. This is something to reflect on over the next year, until the 2023 award show.