The Grammy Awards, the most important in the music industry in the United States, return tomorrow to New York to celebrate a 60th edition marked by the diversity of its nominees and awareness against sexual harassment.
Favorite rappers Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar, candidates in eight and seven categories, respectively, including those of best album and best recording, which also opt Bruno Mars (6 nominations) and Childish Gambino (5).
The R & B-pop style of Bruno Mars in his album “24K Magic” leads the bets, although he arouses expectation the new incursion of hip-hop in the “mainstream” field, with “4:44″, by Jay-Z, and ” Damn. “, By Kendrick Lamar, rivaling to try to give that prize to his musical genre for the first time in 14 years.
The New Zealand singer Lorde completes the cast of aspiring album of the year with “Melodrama”, while the Puerto Rican performers Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi do it in the recording category for their collaboration with Justin Bieber in the Latin hit “Despacito”.
It is the first time since 1999 that there are no white men nominated for the best album, and that year, the competition for recognition was eminently female, between Sheryl Crow, Lauryn Hill, Madonna, Shania Twain and the band Garbage, led by Shirley Manson
Criticized in the past for their lack of diversity, the Grammys seem to have heard the phrase “Stay woke!” (Wake up!) That Childish Gambino has popularized in recent months with his recording “Redbone”, included in the album “Awaken, my love!”, Both candidates to two gramophones.
In this sense, along with black artists, Latinos gain this year visibility in the first line of the awards thanks to Yankee and Fonsi, nominated also for the best pop performance in group and the best song, which recognizes the composers.
The interpreters of “Despacito” can make history in the Grammy if it stands as song and recording of the year: the last non-English speaking theme in doing so was “Nel Blu Di Pinto Di Blu (Volare)” (1958), by Domenico Modugno , in Italian.
In addition, it would be the first triumph for a subject predominantly in Spanish.
The presence of women in the main categories is low, although it stands out among the new artists -Alessia Cara, Julia Michaels and SZA, along with Khalid and Lil Uzi Vert- and gains strength in the best individual pop performance, with Kelly Clarkson, Kesha, Lady Gaga and Pink, in front of Ed Sheeran.
Nonetheless, many Grammy artists will show their awareness of gender equality and sexual harassment by wearing a white rose in support of the “Time’s Up” movement, which arose in response to the scandals that have shaken Hollywood.
While in the outfits of the last Golden Globes dominated the color black in solidarity with the cause, this time will be expected to take those flowers, as they have said as they will Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, Camila Cabello or Cyndi Lauper.
The gala, presented by comedian James Corden, will feature entertainment stars for the delivery of each award, including singers Tony Bennett, Alicia Keys, John Legend and Nick Jonas or actresses Katie Holmes and Anna Kendrick.
On stage will also be around thirty luxury artists, many of them nominated, such as Childish Gambino, Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi, Kendrick Lamar, SZA, DJ Khaled, Sting, U2 and Emmylou Harris, who will receive a tribute to his career together to Queen, Tina Turner and Neil Diamond.
The Grammys will take place at the Madison Square Garden in New York, a brief return to the Big Apple after spending the last 15 years in Los Angeles, where they will be held again in 2019. (Efeusa)
