On Feb. 2, “CBS” will host the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, as this year’s music industry stars cross their fingers in the hopes of winning one of the most esteemed awards of their career, possibly even multiple. On the other side of the screen, their fans wait with just as much anticipation, hoping that their favorite artist gets the recognition they deserve.
I can’t say that I’m a huge fan of awards ceremonies, with hours of celebrities trying to showcase their best selves and being sent home with a gift bag that’s worth the salary of a well-paid sales associate. I can’t even say that I’ve sat through one in its entirety. But lavishness aside, I would never argue that the Grammys should come to an end. “Making it” in the arts industry is hard; no matter how much talent one may have, making it also takes time, dedication and, unfortunately, a little bit of luck. Where recognition is due, artists deserve the opportunity to receive that recognition, especially new and emerging ones.
The most coveted awards of the Grammys’ 94 categories, often referred to as the “Big Four,” include Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist. I’ve chosen to look at these categories with two different lenses: who I think deserves these awards and who I think will actually win. Sometimes they are one and the same!
Record of the Year
For this category, my hope and my prediction are thankfully synonymous: “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter. Is it my favorite song out of the nominations? No, but it’s definitely an earworm. If I based everything on my favorite songs and artists, then Chappell Roan would have a clean sweep. But realistically, I see “Espresso” having a solid chance based on its popularity and general likeability, and I’d also be perfectly fine with it winning.
Album of the Year
This category feels really up in the air because many of the nominees didn’t put out one-hit-wonders. I personally believe that “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT,” “BRAT” and “Short n’ Sweet” are not only deserving of the award but also have a real chance of winning. Each album has more than one song that, whether you liked it or not, probably found their way to you through TikTok sounds and other social media. I’m leaning towards rooting for “BRAT” because the album in its entirety feels like a complete experience, but for this category, I’m afeared that “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT” may be serious competition. This is not as a slight towards Taylor or the album at all, but with “Midnights” winning in this category last year, I’d rather see a new artist represented.
Song of the Year
Having heard all of these songs several times, it’s really hard to say which one will win. I’m not even sure that I can venture to say that one has a way higher chance than any of the others. As much as I love “Not Like Us” and I would be perfectly happy with it winning, Kendrick Lamar does already have a substantial amount of Grammys. Ideally, I’d love for “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan or “Please Please Please” by Sabrina Carpenter to take the prize, with neither artist having won a Grammy before. I also feel that “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey may have a chance as well, which would be a win for a new artist as well. But with a similar vibe, I do have a sneaking suspicion that “TEXAS HOLD ’EM” by Beyonce could pull ahead. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Best New Artist
My hopes for this category are nonnegotiable: Chappell Roan. She rose to stardom in an incredibly short amount of time and has arguably taken up more space in the pop music world than any queer woman has been able to before. Luckily, I do believe that she has a substantial chance. I think that she’ll be facing serious competition against Sabrina Carpenter, but with Sabrina having a preexisting presence in the acting and musical industry, I’d rather Chappell prevail in this category. Fingers crossed, I suppose.
This Sunday, I’ll surely be refreshing the Grammys webpage for updates. No matter how much I care about the results, unfortunately I still cannot be bothered to watch the ceremony.