Anticipation for the 2024 Grammys has been at a high ever since the nominations were revealed on November 10. As always, the Best New Artist category is a major award that has fans buzzing. This time, it’s no different, as a lot of impressive acts are up for the prestigious award. From Ice Spice, who dominated 2023, to Victoria Monét, who has been long overdue for recognition.
The title of Best New Artist is also a highly coveted one. Many legendary acts have been the recipient of the award, from the enigmatic Sade to the Songbird Supreme Mariah Carey, the vocal titan Toni Braxton, and the legendary Lauryn Hill. Additionally, more recent champions include Chance The Rapper, and Megan Thee Stallion. The current recipient of the award is jazz extraordinaire, Samara Joy, and it’s anyone’s guess who the new winner will be. Nonetheless, these are the eight stars vying for the honor of Best New Artist.
Victoria Monét
A true Cinderella story, Victoria Monét is finally receiving her flowers for her impeccable artistry. After years of penning lyrics for A-list stars, and releasing lauded EPs, her moment for recognition is finally here. She received widespread acclaim for her glittery debut album, Jaguar II, garnering a whopping seven nominations at the 2024 Grammys. This, of course, includes a Best New Artist nod, much to the excitement of her fans, and fellow artists.
Gracie Abrams
Gracie Abrams has slowly been gaining attention since 2020. Following her two EPs, Minor and This Is What It Feels Like, her debut album, Good Riddance, helped boost her profile significantly. Evidently, the daughter of renowned director, J.J. Abrams has carved out a nice lane for herself. Abrams has also supported her music by performing as the opening act for both Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift. Furthermore, her music is hard to fit into a box, as she experiments with a wide variety of genres.
Fred again...
Fred again... has been widely active since the 2010s. However, he recently came into the spotlight as a lead act in the 2020s. Before then, the English record producer and DJ was heavily behind the scenes. Despite his work on the decks, Fred again... is also an impressive singer and songwriter, as well as a talented multi instrumentalist. He has also covered a plethora of genres besides EDM, including R&B, pop, and indie. In 2022, he earned critical and commercial acclaim for his third studio album, Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9, 2022).
Ice Spice
It’s no surprise that Ice Spice received a Best New Artist nod for the 2024 Grammys. She has been an inescapable act all through 2023, achieving monumental feats early on in her career. The 23-year-old rap star has already collaborated with major names like Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift. Besides this, her solo work has also received a ton of praise.
Her relaxed Bronx drill style of rap has been widely received, especially by Generation Z. Ice Spice’s music has also become a huge favorite on social media, particularly TikTok. Additionally, she is the first artist in 2023 to have four songs chart within the top 10 of the Hot 100. In summary, it’s been Ice Spice’s breakout year for more reasons than one, and she definitely deserved the nod.
Jelly Roll
Country music superstar Jason DeFord is popularly known by his stage name, Jelly Roll. He is another act that has been active for a long time, despite his nomination in this category. However, before his successful venture into country music, he was primarily a rap artist. Nonetheless, with an unmistakable Southern Hip Hop sound, he has merged the two genres rather seamlessly. Jelly Roll has been receiving a lot more recognition after a renewed breakthrough in 2022. At the 2024 Grammys, he is also nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
Coco Jones
Coco Jones’ journey to mainstream fame has been a long, but reassuring one. After breaking out as a child star on Disney Channel, she fell largely under the radar. During this time, she was releasing music independently. After a long-awaited comeback, the return of Coco Jones was widely received. At the 2024 Grammys, she is up for an impressive five awards. These nominations are undoubtedly boosted by her stellar fifth EP, What I Didn’t Tell You, and the delicious R&B ballad, “ICU.”
Noah Kahan
Noah Kahan rose to fame with his breakthrough single, “Hurt Somebody” in 2017. The folk singer, however, wasn’t nominated for Best New Artist at the time. Fast-forward to his third album, Stick Season, which brought about a renewed popularity surge. The title track of the album also became a viral success, thanks to social media, particularly TikTok.
The War And Treaty
As aforementioned, a Best New Artist nomination can come years after an act’s debut. For the husband and wife duo, Michael and Tanya Trotter, the recognition is long overdue. The pair, who perform under the moniker, The War And Treaty, have been making brilliant soul and folk music for a decade now. At the 2024 Grammys, they are the only non-solo act to be nominated in this category.
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