Truthfully, I have absolutely no idea who is going to win because these things are so political and rarely have much to do with the music itself. I mean, for reals, how can it be the best if my album and my last single wasn’t even nominated?? Yeah, you heard me! Kanye West isn’t the only one who gets mad when he’s not nominated!
That’s not to say there isn’t a lot of great music here, so I am giving my predictions as well as my personal picks. I’m only picking categories in which I know most of the nominated artists. We’ll check back in after the awards to see if I’m any good at this prediction thing.
Album of the Year
Coldplay, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III
Ne-Yo, Year of the Gentleman
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Raising Sand
Radiohead, In Rainbows
Who I think Will Win: Radiohead. They are critical darlings and big sellers. Although the award may go to Robert Plant and Alison Krauss cause she’s a Grammy favorite and Grammy’s like music they think is “adult.”
My Personal Fave: Ne-Yo, Year Of The Gentleman—what can I say? I’m an R&B junkie and
Ne-Yo is the best male singer-songwriter to come out of the scene since Usher.
Best New Artist
Adele
Duffy
Jonas Brothers
Lady Antebellum
Jazmine Sullivan
Who I Think Will Win: Jonas Brothers. Grammy’s need that young audience to
keep them relevant and the Jonas Brothers are hugely popular but also
surprisingly have the praise of many rock critics
My Personal Fave: Adele. She feels like a real artist who isn’t jumping on a
bandwagon but just writing and singing from the heart.
Record of the Year
Adele, "Chasing Pavements"
Coldplay, "Viva la Vida"
Leona Lewis, "Bleeding Love"
M.I.A., "Paper Planes"
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, "Please Read the Letter"
Who Will Win: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. I haven’t even heard this record yet
but it seems like one of those things that are gonna sweep the Grammy’s this
year.
Personal Fave: While I
love the fact that an underground and political artist like M.I.A. is blowing up, I have to pick Adele’s “Chasing Pavements” cause I cry
when I hear that song.
Song of the Year
Estelle (featuring Kanye West), "American Boy"
Adele, "Chasing Pavements"
Jason Mraz, "I'm Yours"
Sara Bareilles, "Love Song"
Coldplay, "Viva la Vida"
Who Will Win: Jason Mraz, “I’m Yours.” Great song,
great vocal and great artist.
My personal Fave: Adele ‘Chasing Pavements” What a mind
blowing song.
Best Pop Performance
by a Duo or Group With Vocals
Coldplay, "Viva la Vida"
The Eagles, "Waiting in the Weeds"
Gnarls Barkley, "Going On"
Maroon 5, "Won't Go Home Without You"
OneRepublic, "Apologize"
Who Will Win: Maroon 5, “Won’t Go Home Without You”
Was a huge catchy hit and the band seems here to stay.
Personal Fave: One Republic “Apologize” Knowing that
the song was produced by Timbo makes it a no duh for being such a big hit, but
when you hear it, it sounds like nothing else on the radio and a song that
deserves to be a hit unlike much of the other dribble that gets forced down our
throats by major record labels.
Best Rap Album
Jay-Z, American Gangster
Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III
Lupe Fiasco, The Cool
Nas, Nas
T.I. Paper Trail
Who Will Win and My
Personal Fave: Lil Wayne. He’s being
hailed as the new prince of hip-hop and he’s got King Jay-Z on his record.
Producer of the Year,
Non-Classical
Danger Mouse
Nigel Godrich
Johnny Karkazis
Rick Rubin
Will.I.Am
Who Will Win: Rick Rubin is a legend and has such a
diverse catalogue
My Personal Fave: Will.I.Am—he made some great records
this year
Best Female Pop Vocal
Performance
Adele, "Chasing Pavements"
Sara Bareilles, "Love Song"
Duffy, "Mercy"
Leona Lewis, "Bleeding Love"
Katy Perry, "I Kissed a Girl"
Pink, "So What"
Who Will Win: Either Katy Perry or Leona Lewis cause they
have the most hype and record label promotion an artist could ever hope—and
pay--for.
My Personal Fave: Adele, “Chasing Pavements”-we’ve been
down this road before.
Best Male Pop Vocal
Performance
Kid Rock, "All Summer Long"
John Mayer, "Say"
Paul McCartney, "That Was Me"
Jason Mraz, "I'm Yours"
Ne-Yo, "Closer"
James Taylor, "Wichita Lineman"
Who Will Win: Jason Mraz, “I’m Yours” He deserves to
win. It’s a great breezy
performance.
My Personal Fave: Ne-Yo” Closer. Definitely one of my favorite jams of
the year and a great performance and vocal production.
Best Dance Recording
Daft Punk, "Harder Better Faster Stronger"
Hot Chip, "Ready for The Floor"
Lady Gaga and Colby O'Donis, "Just Dance"
Madonna, "Give It 2 Me"
Rihanna, "Disturbia"
Sam Sparro,"Black & Gold"
This is the category I
got snubbed in so I vote for my own, “Where The Music Takes You” which actually
went higher on the Billboard Dance chart than Sam Sparro’s “Black and Gold”. And what’s he doing using my name in his song, anyway? Am I
bitter? Nah. Who has time for bitterness? It’s a cool song and gay artists
should support each other cause there aren’t many of us out there. Besides,
he’s got Universal Music Group on his side so its not his fault he got
nominated and I didn’t.
Who Will Win: Lady Gaga “Just Dance” It’s the #1 Song
in the country and it has the word dance in it.
My Personal Fave: Madonna “Give It 2 Me” It’s a silly
song and yet somehow Madonna makes me love it. How does she do that? Seeing this live as the finale to her
Sticky and Sweet Tour definitely helps.
Poor Madonna cause radio ignored it.
Best Electronic/Dance
Album
Brazilian Girls, New York City,
Daft Punk, Alive 2007,
Cyndi Lauper, Bring Ya to The Brink
Kylie Minogue, X
Moby, Last Night
Robyn, Robyn
I don’t know who will
win this (Moby?) but I think Robyn should win cause she made a fresh
sounding album and I do love Cyndi’s
album as well (and not just cause I have a cameo in her video for “Into The
Nightlife”)
Best Female R&B
Vocal Performance
Beyoncé, "Me, Myself and I"
Keyshia Cole, "Heaven Sent"
Jennifer Hudson, "Spotlight"
Alicia Keys, "Superwoman"
Jazmine Sullivan, "Need U Bad"
OK, now were in a
category I am truly qualified to speak about! Alicia Keys will win this for “Superwoman” The song was everywhere
and it became a new feminist anthem, plus, she’s a Grammy darling.
My Personal Fave:
While this isn’t my favorite Keyshia
Cole song, I absolutely love her recorded voice and vocal production and
would love to see her win.
I’d be happy if Jennifer won too cause I liked this
song and with everything she’s gone through this past year she could use all
the extra love she can get.
Best Male R&B
Vocal Performance
Eric Benét, "You're the Only One"
Chris Brown, "Take You Down"
Ne-Yo, "Miss Independent"
Trey Songz, "Can't Help But Wait"
Usher, "Here I Stand"
Who Will Win and My
Personal Fave: Ne-Yo. This is his year (…of the gentleman).
Best Rap/Sung
Collaboration
Estelle (featuring Kanye West), "American Boy"
Flo Rida (featuring T-Pain), "Low"
John Legend & Andre 3000, "Green Light"
Lil Wayne featuring T-Pain, "Got Money"
Lupe Fiasco (featuring Matthew Santos), "Superstar"
I’m gonna predict that
Estelles “American Boy” wins this
one just because I think it will and sometimes it’s fun being right.
Best Musical Show
Album
Gypsy
In The Heights
The Little Mermaid
South Pacific
I predict In the Heights to win but Patti Lapone was a revelation in Gypsy which was a seminal text in my life (long story) What should win and wasn’t even been nominated is the album for the best musical of the year and possibly ever: Passing Strange.
I think James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer
will win for best motion picture Score for the Dark Knight—or maybe it will be Wall-e since that has so much music in
it…who knows?
I will leave categories
like best Surround Sound Album out cause it hurts to try to guess.
OK, well there it
is. I don’t claim to be a fortune
teller. What do I know about the
Grammy’s anyway? I’m just a musician.
Ari’s new maxi-single, “Human” will be sold exclusively on iTunes
February 17th and worldwide on February 24th.
Very cool predictions. Love the fact you had Ari give some great commentary. Cheers to you!
Posted by: Scottie Gage | February 05, 2009 at 01:12 AM