In an era when nobody wants to be pigeonholed, diversity is an important facet when it comes to the musical cultural zeitgeist. Case in point: the 2024 GRAMMY Nominees for Best New Artist.
At the 66th GRAMMY Awards, the General Field Category was a zig-zagging array of budding superstars who are the epitome of their respective genres. From the bopping club tracks of Ice Spice, the smooth R&B of Victoria Monét — who ultimately won the golden gramophone on Feb. 4 — or the unflinching discography of Jelly Roll, this year’s Best New Artist class represents every taste.
As part of the Recording Academy’s GRAMMY House, that variety was on full display as seven of this year’s nominees descended onto the stage with moderator and Rolling Stone writer Brittany Spanos to muse about creativity, their respective journeys, and what the honor means to them.
Read on for some of the most exciting insights from the Best New Artist Spotlight at GRAMMY House.
Noah Kahan Almost Deleted His Star-Making Song
For the singer/songwriter known for his ripped-from-the-heart “Stick Season,” Noah Kahan said he was blown away when he found out about his Best New Artist nomination. “It’s the realization of a childhood dream,” he said. “I’ve practiced my GRAMMY speech as a kid, and didn’t believe it was going to happen until the day it happened. It’s so special and beautiful, because no matter what I’ll be able to tell my grandkids I was nominated for a GRAMMY.”
However, Kahan’s dream nearly didn’t come to fruition due to an initial fear of rejection. “I put a verse on TikTok and thought I was going to delete it that nobody liked it,” Kahan of “Stick Season.” Planning to delete it, Kahan said he ate an edible and forgot; the song subsequently went viral.
“I wrote the first verse and chorus in 20 minutes, while the second verse took me three months,” he told the audience at GRAMMY House. “There were a lot of rewrites, stepping away from TikTok. But one night at a show in Syracuse, everybody was suddenly singing and I knew it was going to be special.”
Gracie Abrams Was Initially “Horrified At The Idea Of Performing”
While she may have had a stint opening for Taylor Swift’s blockbuster Era’s tour, it wasn’t too long ago that singer/songwriter Gracie Abrams found the idea of playing shows a terrifying prospect.
“I was horrified at the idea of performing,” Abrams said. “Up until a few years ago, I had never sung in a room that wasn’t my bedroom. I originally turned to music to be alone, and not to experience community.”
Abrams’ successes have changed her. “Everyone needs that kind of space, and it’s been really magical to connect in a room full of people that way. Now I have such gratitude for live music in a way that I didn’t before,” she told GRAMMY House attendees.
Of course she’s taken pointers from her aforementioned Eras headliner along the way. “When I see Taylor fill the stadiums she does with such force, power and joy, there’s something about it that feels lighter in the studio, I’ve been really lucky to learn from the best in the past year.”
Coco Jones Rebuilt Her Career From The Ground Up
A showbusiness veteran who got her start as a young Disney star, first-time nominee Coco Jones noted that despite her initial acting success, she made a conscious effort to become a more authentic artist.
“I went through years of uncertainty,” she admitted to Spanos. “When you’re a child star, it was fine but I had no dignity. You can’t really control much. I had to find out who I was: have fun, meet people, fall in love, fall out of love, and that’s what gave me the stories to share [in my music].”
As a result, Jones snagged five GRAMMY nominations, and took home the golden gramophone for Best R&B Performance for “ICU.”
Every new level of success inspires me to dream bigger,” she said. “At one point, my dreams got so tiny and believable. But I want to dream things that are unbelievable.”
The War And Treaty Learned To Be Vulnerable
For many years, the country-folk outfit The War and Treaty (composed of couple Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter) drove around in a van playing tiny gigs. “Just eight years ago we’d be performing for three people in a coffee shop,” said Tanya. “So when we started, we always were very closed in our writing process.”
However, as they became more successful, they began to become a bit more vulnerable when it comes to their artistry. “When we decided to open ourselves up to working with other songwriters,” she continued.
“It’s scary, because I’m sensitive about my art,” said Michael. “I had one song I was banking on, it’s the greatest song ever and I’m giving them the best that I got. And I go to the bathroom, come back, and they changed my entire song.” However, he soon realized that was part of the process. “You have to realize it’s for the better.”
Victoria Monét’s Creative Evolution Took Patience
When the R&B star Monét was growing up, she was initially inspired by the music her parents listened to. “I’d listen to artists like Earth, Wind and Fire (with their) arrangements, live musicianship, lyrics and feeling,” she told the Best New Artist Spotlight audience. “And then I became really obsessed with Destiny’s Child, Aaliyah, TLC, Janet Jackson and Sade.”
It’s those artists who lit a musical fire and led Monét to seven GRAMMY nominations and a range of hit singles, including “Hollywood” and “How Does It Make You Feel.”
“I want to make sure I’m living life to have experiences to write about,” she said. “Life is a writing session, one long writing session, and you get to record it when you get in the studio.”
Ice Spice Took Taylor Swift’s Advice To Heart
Perhaps the biggest cheers of the panel went to breakout artist Ice Spice who, along with her Best New Artist nod, snagged a total of four GRAMMY nominations including Best Rap Song with Nicki Minaj for “Barbie World.”
“As an artist overall, I’m always working on my craft,” she said. “I’ve been surprising myself a little bit, especially working on my new album. I have some interesting sounds I haven’t really done before.”
But it was a bit of inspiration from Taylor Swift that helped her look at her career in a new way. “One of the best pieces of advice Taylor gave me was to keep making music. She said, ‘As long as you keep making music, everything’s going to work out.’”
Jelly Roll Uses Genre-Defying Music As Therapy
When it comes to splicing together disparate genres into a cohesive sound, there’s no better example than Jelly Roll, the dynamic country artist currently riding high with his powerful and unflinching anthem, “Need a Favor.”
“I learned every trick I had from hip-hop,” he said. “It taught me so much when it comes to storytelling and not being afraid to tell your truth.”
Jelly Roll also noted he uses the marketing savvy of hip-hop artists when it comes to his own career. “When it comes to volume, I want to release music as a rapper, I want to write music like a country writer, and I want to tour like a rock and roll star.”
2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Winners & Nominees List
