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Meet The 2022 GRAMMY Awards’ Best New Artist Nominees

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The Recording Academy® has revealed the nominees for the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards®, and raised the number of nominees to 10 for many categories, including Best New Artist! 

For the first time ever this year, each of the General Field Categories: Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist saw their number of nominees expand from 8 to 10.

A really diverse group spanning musical genres around the globe, the ten nominees for this year’s Best New Artist GRAMMY Award have spent the past couple of years mastering their craft and growing into versatile artists with solid fanbases.

Best New Artist GRAMMY Award Nominees:

  • Arlo Parks – 2,305,321 monthly Spotify listeners

Rather new to the music scene, 21-year-old independent British artist Arlo Parks scores her first two GRAMMY nominations this year. Signed to London-based indie label Transgressive Records since 2019, Parks released her debut album, Collapsed in Sunbeams, in January. The project earned the annual Mercury Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in the U.K. music industry.

Also nominated for: Best Alternative Music Album (Collapsed in Sunbeams)

  • Arooj Aftab – 105,131 monthly Spotify listeners

Pakistan’s first female nominee Arooj Aftab has been releasing music since the early 2000s. Now three albums in, the Brooklyn-based experimental classical artist’s music continues to captivate fans. “Mohabbat,” from her April 2021 album Vulture Prince, landed a spot on Barack Obama’s 2021 Summer Playlist.

Also nominated for: Best Global Music Performance (“Mohabbat”)

  • Baby Keem – 13,114,456 monthly Spotify listeners

Kendrick Lamar’s protégé and cousin Baby Keem first gained recognition two years ago with his debut “Orange Soda.” Since then, the 21-year-old has released his debut album The Melodic Blue, which hit No. 5 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart and worked with the likes of Travis Scott and Kanye West.

Also nominated for: Best Rap Performance (“Family Ties”)

  • Finneas – 8,826,959 monthly Spotify listeners

Finneas no longer needs an introduction to the GRAMMY world, having already won 8 awards for his work on his sister Billie Eilish’s music. However, it is on his own that the 24-year-old gained recognition this year, thanks to his cinematic 13-track debut album, Optimist. Having never been nominated as a performer before, he was eligible to be nominated this year, and thus became the only 2022 Best New Artist candidate with previous nominations and wins.

Also nominated for: Song of the Year (“Happier Than Ever”; producer), Record of the Year (Happier Than Ever – Billie Eilish; producer), Album of the Year (Happier Than Ever – Billie Eilish; producer), Album of the Year (Justice – Justin Bieber; producer)

  • Glass Animals – 33,957,778 monthly Spotify listeners

British indie-rock band Glass Animals have released three albums since forming in 2010, but it was their 2020 single “Heat Waves” that took the group from indie-rock stardom to mainstream success. Their third studio album, 2020’s Dreamland, became their first top-5 album in the UK, and first top-10 LP in the U.S. earning the band their Best New Artist nomination nearly a decade after releasing their first EP.

  • Japanese Breakfast – 1,330,885 monthly Spotify listeners

Korean-American musician Michelle Zauner has been performing under the moniker Japanese Breakfast since 2013 with three permanent band members. Japanese Breakfast saw their breakout in 2021 with “Be Sweet,” off of their third album, Jubilee. Additionally, Zauner released a memoir, Crying in H Mart, which is set to be adapted into a movie, for which the act will provide the soundtrack.

Also nominated for: Best Alternative Music Album (Jubilee)

  • Jimmie Allen – 3,327,610 monthly Spotify listeners

Jimmie Allen stands out in the list of this year’s Best New Artist nominees, for he’s the only country artist running in the category this year. Allen instantly made an impact in country music with his 2018 debut “Best Shot.” Since then, the Delaware native has continued to make strides with his 2020 EP, Bettie James. Allen recently became the first Black artist to win New Male Artist of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards.

  • Olivia Rodrigo – 44,346,586 monthly Spotify listeners

Olivia Rodrigo is the teen sensation whose name was on every lips this year. The Disney pop star went viral thanks to her smash debut “drivers license,” off of her debut album Sour. Rodrigo is one of the artists who dominate this year’s GRAMMY nominations, with a total of 7 nods, including one in each of the four main categories.

Also nominated for: Record of the Year (“drivers license”), Song of the Year (“drivers license”), Album of the Year (Sour), Best Pop Vocal Album (Sour), Best Music Video (“Good 4 U”), Best Pop Solo Performance (“drivers license”)

  • Saweetie – 16,760,602 monthly Spotify listeners

California rapper Saweetie marks this year Best New Artist nominees list as the only artist who doesn’t have a full body of work out to the world yet. After establishing herself as a viral sensation on social media in 2017, the singer released her debut single, “Icy Grl” followed by “My Type” and “Tap In.” She also collaborated with a handful of big names, including Doja Cat and Demi Lovato. The rising artist’s highly anticipated debut album, Pretty B**** Music is set for release in 2022.

Also nominated for: Best Rap Song (“best friend” ft. Doja Cat)

  • The Kid Laroi – 53,404,956 monthly Spotify listeners

Most commonly known as The Kid LAROI, Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard first caught attention through his collaboration with the late Juice WRLD in 2020. But it is his breakout breakup hit, “Without You,” and his collaboration with Justin Bieber on “Stay” that really propelled the Australian singer-rapper to worldwide stardom. The two tracks are featured on the 18-year-old’s debut mixtape, F*ck Love.

To celebrate the nominees, Spotify has created a special playlist, providing fans with a sampler to immerse themselves in these artists’ music ahead of the 2022 Grammy Awards on January 31, 2022.

>> SEE ALSO: Check out the Full Lineup For The 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards <<

 

30-year-old writer, photographer and design editor located in Bordeaux, France. I bring queer content everywhere I go :) Inquiries at lex@stagerightsecrets.com