WOMEN look set to reign supreme at next year’s Grammys – after they dominated last night’s nominations.
American R&B star SZA tops the board with nine nods for second album SOS, which spent 30 weeks in the Top 20 and spawned hit singles Kill Bill, Shirt and Snooze.
She gets a shout in the three major categories of Album, Song and Record of the Year but faces tough competition from a number of other leading ladies.
Out of ten names up for those key awards, US singer Jon Batiste is the only man — recognised for his album World Music Radio and songs Butterfly and Worship.
For Best New Artist, four hopefuls are women and three men while one, The War And Treaty, is a husband-and-wife duo.
The fairer sex also leads the way for total numbers of nominations. Victoria Monet, previously best known for writing with Ariana Grande, has seven, as does fellow American Phoebe Bridgers — six with her girl group Boygenius.
Americans Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus and Brandy Clark fly the flag for the girls with six nods apiece.
The highest-scoring blokes are Canadian audio engineer Serban Ghenea with seven, then Batiste and US singer Jack Antonoff on six each.
Taylor — who dazzled in a glittery pink leotard and matching boots as she performed a sold-out show in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Thursday night — has won 12 Grammys in the past and features in the big three categories for her album Midnights and lead single Anti-Hero.
If she manages to land Album of the Year, she will be the first artist in history to win it four times, having previously claimed the spoils in 2010 for Fearless, in 2016 for 1989, and again in 2021 with Folklore. Olivia Rodrigo is in the mix after second album Guts, and hit song Vampire, and Billie Eilish for Barbie movie track What Was I Made For.
But the big surprise is Miley Cyrus, who is celebrating the joy of six despite having long been snubbed by the Recording Academy.
Her first album was 16 years ago but she has never won a Grammy. She was nominated in 2015 for album Bangerz and last year for her contribution to Lil Nas X’s album Montero, on which she dueted with him — but both times lost out.
She said of this year’s nominations: “Watching women rule makes me proud. It’s fun to be nominated but having my music loved around the world is my real trophy.”
This year’s nominations are not great for British artists, with snubs for both Lewis Capaldi and Raye, who have been hugely successful on home turf. Even Ed Sheeran gets only the one nod — which is in the Best Vocal Album category, for Subtract.
But DJ/producer Fred Again, from South London, is among hopefuls for the coveted Best New Artist honour.
There are three nods for Arctic Monkeys — including for Best Alternative Music Album, as they do battle with fellow Brits PJ Harvey and Gorillaz.
Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding are up for Best Pop Dance Recording for their No1 hit Miracle, as is Anne-Marie for her song Baby Don’t Hurt Me with David Guetta.
Honorary Brit — and Bizarre’s favourite Aussie — Kylie Minogue is also in the running for this, thanks to her viral tune Padam Padam. It comes 20 years after her only ever Grammy, in the Best Dance Recording class for Come Into My World.
In news that I am sure even she didn’t expect, Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne could be a surprise winner of Album of the Year — despite not releasing one. She has a duet called Running Away on Jon Batiste album World Music Radio, meaning technically she is nominated.
The 2024 awards are on February 4 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
My only issue is with the absurd number of categories there are. This year, they come to a grand total of 94.
Awards include — and I’m being totally serious — Best Historical Album, Best Album Notes and even Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album.
I mean, whatever next? Are they next going to be adding into the mix Best Church Altar Boy (Contemporary)? Or Best Drunk Karaoke Performance?
Then again, the latter could be my path to finally win-ning a nomination.
