The A-lister of music has landed in Vegas so Grammy is anyone’s game

LAS VEGAS (AFP) – Top music names will gather at the Grammys on Sunday to pay their respects, now in its 64th edition, pop gamblers will join Jazman John Batiste as the leading nominee.

This year, the gala will be held in Las Vegas for the first time, after organizers postponed the original event on January 31 due to the escalation of the Covid-19 case and then moved it from Los Angeles to the U.S. gambling capital.

The field is wide open – especially after the recording academy expanded the top four departments again, to include 10 nominees this time around to improve diversity.

Just a week after Will Smith stunned the world by slapping Chris Rock on the Oscar stage, Grammys time adds an extra layer of unpredictability to one of the more bizarre nights on the Showbiz Awards circuit.

Justin Bieber will compete for eight trophies at the event hosted by late night host Trevor Noah, such as R&B favorite HER and singer-rapper Doza Kat.

Grammy-winning darling Billy Ilish is vying for seven prizes. The same is true of Olivia Rodrigo, a former Disney Channel actress who exploded into the pop scene last year with her breakout smash hit “Driver’s License”.

The 19-year-old Rodrigo received the expected approval for his much-talked-about debut album “Talk” and almost shoo-in for the best new artist – he was Hilsa’s brother Phineas, rapper Sweetie, experimental pop act Japanese breakfast and others.

Like Hilsa in 2020, Rodrigo has the opportunity to sweep the top four categories, making him the only third artist to do so.

But it’s John Battist – the jazz and R&B artist and band leader who won an Oscar last year for the soundtrack to the Pixar animated movie “Soul” – who won the most Grammy Gold titles, snatching 11 nominations, including two top categories.

In recent years, Batiste, the longtime music director of the popular “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”, has emerged as a voice for social justice and protest.

Born into a prominent New Orleans music dynasty, the black artist will compete primarily on the strength of his album “We Are” and his enthusiastic single “Freedom”.

The Slipper Nomination Leader is also ready for awards in the genre and medium fields, including R&B, Jazz, American Roots and Contemporary Classical, with approval for his composition work on the best music video and “Soul”.

Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, the beloved 95-year-old Kroner, have strong potential to add to their Grammy Hall – their album “Love for Sale” has won six nominations.

Kanye West has scored several nominations for his album “Donda” – and will face longtime Nemesis Taylor Swift on the best album of the year, where he has the only chance to win a Grammy Gold for “Eternity”.

After winning four awards for the original in 2010, Swift “Fearless (Taylor’s Edition)” for Grammy consideration – did not submit a re-recording of her 2008 album in 2021.

In the rap category, West was joined by Nas, J. Cole and Tyler, the Creator – but not Drake, who withdrew his two nominations in December without explanation.

In the past, the Canadian chart-topper has accused the recording academy, with which he has long been excluded, of making his music in the rap section because he is black.

Cardi B and Megan Thi Stallion will compete in the Best Wrap Performance category, the only field where the artists behind Smash “WAP” are running.

Korean pop gamblers BTS scored a nomination in the pop category for the huge commercial hit “Butter” – less than expected for the hugely popular boy band that struggled to enter the Grammys.

But BTS will perform at night as the actual prize for staging, as will Rodrigo, Eilish, Batiste and HER with Lil Nas X.

West, who has a total of five nominations, was removed from the performance lineup for his occasional annoying behavior, but some sources said he could still join the lineup at the last minute.

Mercury West has been promoting personal attacks on comedian Pete Davidson, who has been dating West’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian for weeks.

The 44-year-old megastar was banned from Instagram for 24 hours after insulting Grammy host Noah, who said the West was “becoming more militant to try to bring Kim back.”