More women on list as Grammys find new groove
STREISAND BACK ON ALBUM SHORTLIST
AFTER A year in which women were barely represented at all, despite the “me too” movement circling around it, the recording industry had been at pains not to give anyone the needle.
The shortlist for its annual Grammy Awards, to be presented in Los Angeles in February, was the most inclusive for some time, and took in a veritable juke box of evergreen names, as well as currently fashionable artists.
Barbra Streisand, who won her first two Grammys in 1963 and went on to collect six more, is shortlisted for her current album, The Music...The Mem’ries...
The Magic. Others on the list include Tony Bennett and Diana Krall, who perform duets on Love Is Here to Stay.
The same category, traditional pop vocal album, also sees the country veteran Willie Nelson nominated, as well as singer Gregory Porter for an album of Nat “King” Cole standards.
The late Elvis Presley is another performer nominated by proxy, for the film The King, in which his transformation from country boy is used as a metaphor for the 2016 presidential election.
Life In 12 Bars, a documentary about the rock guitarist Eric Clapton, is also shortlisted as best music film, along with works about the singer Whitney Houston, producer Quincy Jones and violinist Itzhak Perlman. The soundtrack for the film
A Star Is Born was released too late to be eligible, but the signature song, Shallow, which was released in advance, earned nominations for its stars, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.
The British singer Dua Lipa tweeted that she “can’t stop crying” over her two nominations, for best new artist and best dance recording.
In the first of those, she will compete with Jorja Smith, who is from Walsall in the West Midlands, and six other acts.
A third British singer, Ella Mai, also received two nominations, PICTURES; PA WIRE. for song of the year and best rhythm and blues song.
The most nominations went to the rap artist Kendrick Lamar, who produced the compilation soundtrack for the fantasy movie, Black Panther, which stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan and Briton Martin Freeman.
Lamar was shortlisted eight times – seven of them for the film.
The most coveted award, for album of the year, sees women making up five of the eight nominees.
Alongside Lamar, they are Cardi B, Kacey Musgraves, Janelle Monae, H.E.R. and Brandi Carlile, along with Drake and Post Malone.
Another milestone for women came in the nonclassical producer category, with recognition for the songwriter Linda Perry. She is first female nominee since 2004.