Last year’s Grammy Awards was, by and large, a male-dominated affair, with Album Of The Year nominee Lorde being left off the performance slate and all women aside from Alessia Cara being shut out of the major award categories. Discussions of gender bias in the music industry quickly spread, leading Recording Academy president Neil Portnow to say that women need to “step up” creatively if they’d like to win awards and, by extension, admit that he didn’t listen to Lorde’s Melodrama or St. Vincent’s MASSEDUCTION.
Suffice it to say, Portnow’s comments were received poorly and he subsequently formed an independent task force to combat anti-woman bias in the industry. He also recently announced that he’ll be stepping down in July. As he descends, however, another presence ascends, “stepping up,” if you will, as this year’s host. That would be Alicia Keys, a 15-time Grammy winner herself.
“I know what it feels like to be on that stage, and I’m going to bring that vibe and energy,” Keys said in a statement. “I’m so excited to be the master of ceremonies on the biggest night in music and celebrate the creativity, power and, magic. I’m especially excited for all the incredible women nominated this year!” She capped it off with a nod to Portnow: “It’s going “UP” on February 10!”
Cardi B, Boi-1da, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and Brandi Carlile lead this year’s nominations, with the latter three scoring nods for record, song, and album of the year. The ceremony will unfold on February 10 at Los Angeles’ Staples Center.
13 Comments
I don’t care what anyone says, a hooded dicky paired with a comically-oversized hat is never out of style.
“hooded dicky”That’s what your mom calls it.(Alicia Keys’ outfit, of course).
I like that baggy foreskin/Zorro look.Eh, she looks good in anything, to be honest.
That’s what she said. Wait.
Honestly, I wasn’t expecting the Spanish Inquisition.
That last Lourde album was pretty weak, though. Just saying.
As if that’s stopped the Grammys from nominating something before (disagree about it being weak tho).
Hey, that’s how I felt about Masseduction!
Good.
I still won’t watch because I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed complaining about how out-of-touch and irrelevant the Grammys are without having to tune in.
But yer gonna miss Jethro Tull win best Metal Album (again).
Wait, has anyone checked her Twitter history!?!? I REPEAT, HAS ANYONE CHECKED HER PAST TWEETS??
here ya gohttps://www.complex.com/music/2019/01/alicia-keys-deletes-xxxtentacion-twitter-post-amid-backlash