Taylor Swift Announces New Album After 13th GRAMMY Win At The 2024 GRAMMYs | GRAMMY.com (2024)

Get ready, Swifties. It's time to enter your "tortured poet" era.

After taking home her lucky 13th golden gramophone (for Best Pop Vocal Album for 2022's Midnights), Taylor Swift perhaps made the announcement of the year. Her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, drops on April 19.

"I know the way the Recording Academy voted is a direct reflection of the fans, so, I want to say thank you by telling you a secret that I've been keeping from you for the past two years," she explained.

"All's fair in love and poetry. Sincerely, The Chairman of the Tortured Poets Department," Swift already teased on her social media, along with the sultry cover art.

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2024 GRAMMYs: See The Full Nominees And Winners List

Dua Lipa has evaded expectations like "Houdini"; now, she's declaring that it's "Training Season."

The three-time GRAMMY winner and 10-time nominee has revealed a percolating, questioning new single, "Training Season," the second track from her yet-to-be-announced third album, due out this year.

"Are you someone that I can give my heart to?” Lipa sings over an effervescent beat. "Or just the poison that I'm drawn to?" Because, in the end, "Need someone to hold me close/ Deeper than I’ve ever known/ Whose love feels like a rodeo/ Knows just how to take control/ When I’m vulnerable."

The release follows her stunning performance at the 2024 GRAMMYs, where she opened the show with a mesmerizing medley of both “Training Season” and “Houdini.”

Lipa was nominated for Best Song Written For Visual Media and Song Of The Year for her Barbie the Album hit, "Dance the Night," at this year’s awards. Though Billie Eilish took home the golden gramophones in both categories — for another Barbie song, “What Was I Made For?” — Dua Lipa has three GRAMMYs to her name, including 2019’s Best New Artist honor.

Listen to “Training Season” above, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more information about Dua Lipa's upcoming album.

9 Ways Women Dominated The 2024 GRAMMYs

Despite the rainy Los Angeles weather, the 5th annual GRAMMY Advocacy Brunch dazzled at the Sun Rose during this year's GRAMMY Week. Hosted by the Recording Academy’s Advocacy Department and GRAMMY-winning duo, Brothers Osborne, the Brunch serves as a fundraiser for the GRAMMY Fund for Music Creators, ensuring that the Recording Academy continues to champion the most pressing issues facing music creators on Capitol Hill and beyond.

The significance of the GRAMMY Advocacy Brunch transcends a one-time gathering; it embodies a commitment to addressing crucial matters such as copyright protection, fair compensation, and freedom of expression throughout the year. This annual fundraiser showcases the Recording Academy's unwavering dedication to effecting lasting change on the policies that impact music and music makers.

This year, T.J. and John Osborne of Brothers Osborne co-hosted the event and joined Recording Academy’s Chief Advocacy and Public Policy Officer, Todd Dupler, in a conversation about their advocacy efforts and anticipation for the 66th GRAMMY Awards taking place the following day. The country duo has garnered significant acclaim in the music industry, including a total of twelve GRAMMY nominations. They won their first GRAMMY for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for their single "Younger Me" at the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2022. At the 66th GRAMMY Awards, Brothers Osborne received two nominations for Best Country Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance.

Brothers Osborne’s presence at the GRAMMY Advocacy Brunch highlights their commitment to using their platform to advocate for meaningful change for musicians and artists alike. Their participation served as a testament to the power of artists to effect positive change and accentuated the importance of advocacy within the music community.

Other notable guests included Taylor Hanson, President of the Recording Academy’s Texas Chapter and member of the three-time GRAMMY nominated band HANSON. Adding to the prestigious lineup was GRAMMY winner Tony Succar, a Florida Chapter Governor and multifaceted musician and producer excelling in salsa, jazz, and pop genres. Succar is also a two-time Latin GRAMMY winner and a five-time Latin GRAMMY nominee, and was nominated at the 66th GRAMMY Awards for Best Tropical Latin Album.

During his conversation with Brothers Osborne, Dupler highlighted pivotal legislation like the Save Our Stages Act — a landmark federal investment in the arts that totaled approximately sixteen billion dollars and which the Brothers were major advocates for.

As part of their advocacy efforts and in response to the challenges posed by COVID-19 and shutdowns, Brothers Osborne participated in a virtual concert to lend their support to this legislation and to live music venues affected by the pandemic. Dupler also asked the Brothers Osborne about their recent experiences talking about the importance of mental health, and their nominated song, “Nobody’s Nobody,” which speaks to themes of inclusivity and belonging.

The program also included Michael Lewan, Managing Director of Advocacy & Public Policy, discussing the Advocacy team's extensive efforts over the past year, spanning diverse areas such as AI, ticketing, and federal and state issues. "As a result of these partnerships, the Recording Academy and our members serve as trusted authorities, offering crucial perspectives on policy discussions that impact the arts and the arts community," Lewan declared, highlighting significant advocacy collaborations from 2023. These included commemorating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop at Vice President Harris' residence in Washington, D.C., and partnering with the U.S. Department of State to launch the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative.

Transitioning to State Advocacy, Lewan emphasized the progress made across thirteen states nationwide in advancing positive pro-music legislation and stopping harmful legislation for the music community. The efforts encompassed ten chapter activations, ranging from board letters to virtual grassroots actions and in-person meetings. Additionally, in 2023, five bills advanced across the nation, notably the passage of the RAP Act into law in Louisiana. Lewan concluded his remarks highlighting that 2,500 Academy members actively engaged in advocacy work throughout 2023.

The GRAMMY Advocacy Brunch not only brings together music makers, advocates and creatives but also serves as a catalyst for raising funds to support the Recording Academy's critical advocacy efforts year-round. Through engaging discussions, networking opportunities, and a shared commitment to advancing the interests of music creators, the brunch exemplifies the collaborative spirit at the heart of the Recording Academy's advocacy endeavors.

How The Recording Academy Tackled The Evolving Landscape Of Music & AI During GRAMMY Week 2024

As the first recipient of the inaugural Best African Music Performance GRAMMY Award, South African songstress Tyla has officially etched her name into history. At the 2024 GRAMMYs, the 22-year-old's amapiano-infused Afro pop hit "Water" beat out several long-established names in African music.

While Tyla's success on Music's Biggest Night stresses the Recording Academy's continued efforts to showcase diverse African music, her victory is more of a one-armed hug rather than a full, legs-off-the-ground embrace of African music.

This is chiefly because "Water" was successful and marketable for its use of Western pop influences. While Afrobeats and amapiano are certainly crossing over in America, bestowing a golden gramophone upon an artist whose work reflects familiar sounds is a curious step forward for African music. Still, Tyla's win may foster a greater embrace of the African sound, and the virality and pervasiveness of "Water" propelled the Johannesburg-born singer/songwriter to unheard of heights.

"Water" hit No. 1 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs and Hip-Hop/R&B charts, and became the first African song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 since 1968. The track peaked at No. 7, making Tyla the highest-charting African female solo musician in Billboard history. The "Water" dance challenge on TikTok further pushed the track into the global sphere, and the song has been featured in over 1.5 million videos.

The widespread appeal of "Water" is a culmination of elements, notably a fusion of Western pop with subtler amapiano influences. The song melds sleek American R&B and pop compositions with the log drums and piano trails synonymous with the South African amapiano genre.

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Indeed, most musical genres (regardless of continent of origin) draw inspiration from and contribute back to each other. The resulting music transcends regional boundaries and appeals globally — and Tyla's "Water" is proof of this resonance. Yet it also reflects how a major Western influence is often necessary for African music to transcend the continent.

The Recording Academy's new Category was designed to highlight "strong elements of African cultural significance," said Shawn Thwaites, Recording Academy Awards Project Manager and author of the Category. In describing eligibility for the Best African Music Performance Category, Thwaites noted that songs must feature "a stylistic intention, song structure, lyrical content and/or musical representation found in Africa and the African diaspora."

Still, when it comes to recognizing lesser known genres — from South Africa's gqom to Tanzania’s singeli and Ghana’s asakaa — the global audience still has a long way to go.

"We need to go deeper and in more detail within different genres of music. We know there are multiple different types of music — hundreds of genres, in fact — coming from Africa and from all 54 countries on the continent," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. told GRAMMY.com after his three trips to the vibrant continent. "I'd love to see us be able to honor even more music from Africa and other areas of the world."

Thwaites hopes that celebrating the diversity of African music will also lead to greater cultural exchange. Eventually, this could lead to "more collaborations between artists of different genres and more artist relations between labels and executives in America," he said.

But for this progression to happen correctly, there has to be a cultural education about the music within the continent and it's something Ghazi Shami, CEO/Founder of Empire Records, Distribution and Publishing — who consulted with the Recording Academy on the new Category — is looking forward to watching develop.

"I think we'll see expanded categories in African music in the years to come, but this is a great start toward recognizing the merits and impact of African music," he told GRAMMY.com prior to the ceremony.

Tyla's GRAMMY win is an exceptional achievement — particularly so for a young African woman. Popular African music has often been skewed towards male artists. At the 2023 GRAMMYs, Tems became the only female solo artist currently living in Nigeria to win a GRAMMY. (Sade, who was born in Nigeria, has won four GRAMMYs but lives in the U.K.)

A similar trend is observed in South Africa, where Miriam Makeba was both Africa's first GRAMMY winner and the country's solo female vocalist to win prior to Tyla.

Tyla's win is a beacon to other young female performers in Africa — including fellow Category nominee Ayra Starr and singer/songwriter and producer Bloody Civilian — proving that female artists can and will be recognized, regardless of their country of origin. It also demonstrates how the distance between African artists and international prestige has been shortened, thus furthering the likelihood of artistic innovation.

Her win is also notable in a Category stacked with Nigerian artists. Of the five nominated works, "Water" is the only one not created by an artist of Nigerian descent or currently living in Nigeria. (Though South African producer Musa Keys is featured on Davido's nominated "UNAVAILABLE.") Although South Africa has a lengthy history at the GRAMMY Awards, Tyla is proof the world is listening to what her country has to offer.

While her fellow nominees — Starr, Burna Boy, Davido, ASAKE & Olamide — and artists such as Wizkid have also shouldered the responsibility for the globalization of popular African music, there is still a long road ahead.

Tyla’s win holds significant promise for African music as pop music. While "Water" certainly has noticeable South African elements, its Western appeal may partially lay in its use of familiar sounds. For Africa to truly win, the world has to embrace African music for what it is, and not for what it's trying to be.

The 2023 Latin GRAMMYs may have occurred months ago and thousands of miles away, but the leading lights in Latin music also shined at the 66th GRAMMY Awards. From historic wins and meaningful nominations, to electric performances and interesting installations, Latin music excellence was everywhere.

In anticipation of the 25th anniversary of the Latin GRAMMYs in 2024, the exclusive GRAMMY House — the site of multiple GRAMMY Week events — included a significant installation dedicated to the Biggest Night In Latin Music.

The cylindrical display showcased some of the biggest moments in Latin GRAMMY history, including images, facts, and even a real Latin GRAMMY award.

The celebration of Latin music continued throughout GRAMMY Week, with several Latin GRAMMY-winning artists also winning on the GRAMMY stage. Among the major moments at the 2024 GRAMMYs, Karol G won her first golden gramophone for her 2023 LP Mañana Será Bonito. "This is my first time at GRAMMYs, and this is my first time holding my own GRAMMY," the Colombian songstress exclaimed during her acceptance speech.

Música Mexicana star Peso Pluma also took home his first GRAMMY; his album GÉNESIS won in the Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano) Category.

Premiere Ceremony presenter Natalia Lafourcade — whose Todas Las Flores won big at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs — also took home the GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album. She tied in the Category with Juanes.

Premiere Ceremony performer Gabby Moreno also took home a GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Pop Album for her album X Mí (Vol. 1).

Beyond the stage, Latin artists graced the red carpet and the nominations list. For example, producer and songwriter Edgar Barrera was the only Latino nominated in the Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical Category.