Jon Batiste leads artists including Bieber and Eilish for 2022 Grammy Awards

Published

3 years ago

November 23, 2021

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After winning an Oscar earlier this year, Jon Batiste now leads the nominations for the 2022 Grammy Awards – with Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, H.E.R and Doja Cat also in the running for several prizes.

Batiste’s nominations span several genres, including R&B, jazz, American roots music, classical and music video-film, and he is up for 11 in total – including the big prizes of album of the year for We Are and record of the year for Freedom.

Bieber, Doja Cat and H.E.R follow with eight nods, while Eilish and Rodrigo have seven each.

Other big stars to be nominated included Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Kanye West and Lil Nas X – as well as The Weeknd, who previously called the Grammys “corrupt” after missing out on the shortlist for the 2021 ceremony, despite huge success the previous year.

Mercury Prize and Brit Awards winner Arlo Parks continues her stellar year, flying the flag for the UK with nominations for best new artist and best alternative album for her debut, Collapsed In Sunbeams.

After making their return earlier in 2021 with their first new music in almost 40 years, Swedish icons ABBA also received a nod, for record of the year with comeback single I Still Have Faith In You.

For the top prize of album of the year, Batiste – who won the Oscar for best original score for the Disney and Pixar film Soul – faces competition from Bieber, Eilish, Doja Cat, H.E.R, West, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Rodrigo and Swift.

The star, who was among the presenters announcing the nominees, tweeted a simple “11 !!!!!!!!!!!!” after the full list had been revealed.

“Oh my goodness! I’m still in a state of astonishment and shock,” he said moments after learning of the nominations.

“I’m just really happy that we were able to make something in complete artistic integrity and have it be recognised.”

In the record of the year category, this year’s nominees range from ages 18 to 95, with nonagenarian – and 18-time winner – Tony Bennett nominated alongside Lady Gaga for their version of I Get A Kick Out Of You, and Olivia Rodrigo, 18, in the running for her hit Drivers License.

Nominees for all the awards were chosen from nearly 22,000 eligible entries for music released between September 2020 and 2021.

Harvey Mason Jr, chief executive of the Recording Academy, which runs the awards, said: “This is an exciting day for music.

“These nominations beautifully reflect today’s broad and diverse musical landscape. I congratulate all of the nominees and everyone who submitted work. I’m also so proud of our voters. They voted in record numbers and brought their very best to evaluating the work of their peers, and I thank them on behalf of the entire music community.”

This year’s nominations come following the introduction of a new voting system, which allows the academy’s more than 11,000 members to vote for up to 10 categories in three genres; all voters can vote for the top four awards.

It replaces the anonymous nominations review committee – a group that determined the contenders for key awards.

Some had claimed committee members favoured projects based on personal relationships and promoted projects they favoured and worked on.

The Grammys, the biggest ceremony in the music industry calendar, will be awarded at a ceremony in Los Angeles on 31 January.

With 86 categories in total, there are a lot of awards to dish out. Here are the nominations in the some of the main categories.

Record Of The Year

I Still Have Faith In You – ABBA
Freedom – Jon Batiste
I Get A Kick Out Of You – Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
Peaches – Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon
Right On Time – Brandi Carlile
Kiss Me More – Doja Cat featuring SZA
Happier Than Ever – Billie Eilish
Montero (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X
Drivers License – Olivia Rodrigo
Leave The Door Open – Silk Sonic

Song Of The Year

Bad Habits – Ed Sheeran
A Beautiful Noise – Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile
Drivers License – Olivia Rodrigo
Fight For You – H.E.R.
Happier Than Ever – Billie Eilish
Kiss Me More – Doja Cat featuring SZA
Leave The Door Open – Silk Sonic
Montero (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X
Peaches – Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon
Right On Time – Brandi Carlile

Album Of The Year

We Are – Jon Batiste
Love For Sale – Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe) – Justin Bieber
Planet Her (Deluxe) – Doja Cat
Happier Than Ever – Billie Eilish
Back Of My Mind – H.E.R.
Montero – Lil Nas X
Sour – Olivia Rodrigo
Evermore – Taylor Swift
Donda – Kanye West

Best New Artist

Arooj Aftab
Jimmie Allen
Baby Keem
FINNEAS
Glass Animals
Japanese Breakfast
The Kid Laroi
Arlo Parks
Olivia Rodrigo
Saweetie

Best Alternative Music Album
Shore – Fleet Foxes
If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power – Halsey
Jubilee – Japanese Breakfast
Collapsed In Sunbeams – Arlo Parks
Daddy’s Home – St Vincent

Best Pop Vocal Album

Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe) – Justin Bieber
Planet Her (Deluxe) – Doja Cat
Happier Than Ever – Billie Eilish
Positions – Ariana Grande
Sour – Olivia Rodrigo

Best Progressive R&B Album
New Light – Eric Bellinger
Something To Say – Cory Henry
Mood Valiant – Hiatus Kaiyote
Table For Two – Lucky Daye
Dinner Party: Dessert – Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder & Kamasi Washington
Studying Abroad: Extended Stay – Masego

Best Jazz Vocal Album

Generations – The Baylor Project
SuperBlue – Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter
Time Traveler – Nnenna Freelon
Flor – Gretchen Parlato
Songwrights Apothecary Lab – Esperanza Spalding

Best Rap Album

The Off-Season – J Cole
Certified Lover Boy – Drake
King’s Disease II – Nas
Call Me If You Get Lost – Tyler, The Creator
Donda – Kanye West

Best Gospel Album

Changing Your Story – Jekalyn Carr
Royalty: Live At The Ryman – Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition – Maverick City Music
Jonny x Mali: Live In LA – Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music
Believe For It – CeCe Winans

Best Latin Pop Album
Vértigo – Pablo Alborán
Mis Amores – Paula Arenas
Hecho A La Antigua – Ricardo Arjona
Mis Manos – Camilo
Mendó – Alex Cuba
Revelación – Selena Gomez

Best Música Urbana Album
Afrodisíaco – Rauw Alejandro
El Último Tour Del Mundo – Bad Bunny
Jose – J Balvin
KG0516 – KAROL G
Sin Miedo (Del Amor Y Otros Demonios) 8 – Kali Uchis

Entertainment

Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

Published

39 mins ago

April 4, 2025

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Russell Brand has been charged with rape and two counts of sexual assault between 1999 and 2005.

The Metropolitan Police say the 50-year-old comedian, actor and author has also been charged with one count of oral rape and one count of indecent assault.

The charges relate to four women.

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 May.

Police have said Brand is accused of raping a woman in the Bournemouth area in 1999 and indecently assaulting a woman in the Westminster area of London in 2001.

He is also accused of orally raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Westminster in 2004.

The fourth charge alleges that a woman was sexually assaulted in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.

Police began investigating Brand, from Oxfordshire, in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations.

The comedian has denied the accusations and said he has “never engaged in non-consensual activity”.

He added in a video on X: “Of course, I am now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”

Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.

“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”

Entertainment

Tom Cruise leads moment of silence in tribute to ‘dear friend’ Val Kilmer

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1 day ago

April 3, 2025

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Tom Cruise leads moment of silence in tribute to 'dear friend' Val Kilmer

Tom Cruise has paid tribute to Val Kilmer, wishing his Top Gun co-star “well on the next journey”.

Cruise, speaking at the CinemaCon film event in Las Vegas on Thursday, asked for a moment’s silence to reflect on the “wonderful” times shared with the star, whom he called a “dear friend”.

Kilmer, who died of pneumonia on Tuesday aged 65, rocketed to fame starring alongside Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, playing Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, a rival fighter pilot to Cruise’s character Maverick.

His last part was a cameo role in the 2022 blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick.

Cruise, on stage at Caesars Palace on Thursday, said: “I’d like to honour a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.

“I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.

“I wish you well on the next journey.”

The moment of silence followed a string of tributes from Hollywood figures including Cher, Francis Ford Coppola, Antonio Banderas and Michelle Monaghan.

Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes told the New York Times on Wednesday that the actor had died from pneumonia.

Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, Kilmer discussed his illness and recovery in his 2020 memoir Your Huckleberry and Amazon Prime documentary Val.

He underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments for the disease and also had a tracheostomy which damaged his vocal cords and permanently gave him a raspy speaking voice.

Kilmer played Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever and received critical acclaim for his portrayal of rock singer Jim Morrison in the 1991 movie The Doors.

He also starred in True Romance and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as well as playing criminal Chris Shiherlis in Michael Mann’s 1995 movie Heat and Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone.

In 1988 he married British actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met while working on fantasy adventure Willow.

The couple had two children before divorcing in 1996.

Entertainment

Bruce Springsteen: The Boss to release seven ‘lost’ albums

Published

1 day ago

April 3, 2025

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Bruce Springsteen: The Boss to release seven 'lost' albums

Bruce Springsteen is to release seven albums of mostly unheard material this summer.

The US singer said the songs, written and re-recorded between 1983 and 2018, were being made public after he began completing “everything I had in my vault” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a short video posted on Instagram, Springsteen said the albums were “records that were full records, some of them even to the point of being mixed and not released”.

The 83-song collection is being released in a box set called Tracks II: The Lost Albums and goes on sale on 27 June.

Some 74 of the tracks have never been heard before.

Springsteen first teased the release on Wednesday morning with a short social media video accompanied by text which said: “What was lost has been found”.

Tracks II is the follow-up to the star’s first Tracks volume, a four-CD collection of 66 unreleased songs, released in 1998.

The New Jersey-born rocker, nicknamed The Boss, last released a studio album in 2022.

Only the Strong Survive was a collection of covers, including songs by Motown and soul artists, such as the Four Tops, The Temptations, The Supremes, Frankie Wilson and Jimmy Ruffin.

The late soul legend Sam Moore, who died in January and was a frequent Springsteen collaborator, sang on two of the tracks.

Springsteen is coming to the UK in May to launch a two-month tour of Europe with his E Street Band.

The shows will include performances at the Co-op Live in Manchester and Liverpool’s Anfield stadium.

The singer-songwriter has sold more than 140 million records since his debut on the music scene in 1973, according to his website.