Grammy Award for Best New Artist
Gilded gramophone trophy presented to Grammy Award winners
Presented by	National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
Country	United States
First awarded	1959
Last awarded	2012
Official website	grammy.com

The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959.^[1] Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as follows: "For a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist." Note that this is not necessarily the first album released by an artist.

It is sometimes asserted, with varying degrees of sincerity, that winning the award is a curse, as several award winners (particularly from the late 70s and early 80s) were never able to duplicate the success they experienced in their debut year.^[2][3] This viewpoint was expressed by former Starland Vocal Band member Taffy Danoff in a 2002 interview for VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders: "We got two of the five Grammys - one was Best New Artist. So that was basically the kiss of death and I feel sorry for everyone who's gotten it since."^[4]

The category is also notable for being the only category in which a Grammy Award was revoked. This occurred in 1990 after it was revealed winners Milli Vanilli did not do their own vocals on their debut album. The award was revoked, but was not handed out to another artist.

Of the 48 awards presented in the category since its inception, the honor has been presented to 24 solo female artists, 15 duos or groups, and 11 solo male artists. Between 1997 and 2003, all the winners were solo female artists. Also, for 14 years, no winner was a solo male artist. In 2006, John Legend broke this trend, which started with Marc Cohn in 1992. Only four artists have won both Best New Artist and Album of the Year in the same year: Bob Newhart in 1961, Christopher Cross in 1981, Lauryn Hill in 1999 and Norah Jones in 2003.

1984 marked the first time that all of the nominees were from outside of the United States (Culture Club, Eurythmics, and Musical Youth were from England, Big Country was from Scotland, and Men Without Hats were from Canada).^[5]

In 2009, Lady Gaga's exclusion from the Best New Artist category has caused the Recording Academy to change eligibility requirements for the next ceremony. She was ineligible for the nomination because her hit "Just Dance" had been nominated in 2008. The new rule states that an artist can be nominated as long as the artist hasn't released an entire album and doesn't win.^[6][7][8] Jennifer Hudson faced the same situation as she was ineligible because she had been nominated with Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media for Dreamgirls in 2008.^[8]

Recipients[link]

The Beatles members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison (clockwise from top left)

The Carpenters members Karen Carpenter and Richard Carpenter

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Cyndi Lauper

Sade

Mariah Carey

Toni Braxton

Sheryl Crow

Lauryn Hill

Christina Aguilera

Alicia Keys

Norah Jones

Evanescence

Maroon 5

John Legend

Carrie Underwood

Amy Winehouse

Zac Brown Band

Esperanza Spalding

Bon Iver

Year[I]	Recipient	Nationality	Nominees	Ref.
1959 (2)	Darin, BobbyBobby Darin	United States	Edd Byrnes Mark Murphy Johnny Restivo Mavis Rivers
1961	Newhart, BobBob Newhart	United States	The Brothers Four Miriam Makeba Leontyne Price Joanie Sommers
1962	Nero, PeterPeter Nero	United States	Ann-Margret Dick Gregory The Lettermen Timi Yuro
1963	Goulet, RobertRobert Goulet	United States	The Four Seasons Vaughn Meader The New Christy Minstrels Peter, Paul and Mary Allan Sherman
1964	The Swingle Singers	France	Vikki Carr John Gary The J's with Jamie Trini Lopez
1965	The Beatles	United Kingdom	Petula Clark Astrud Gilberto Antonio Carlos Jobim Morgana King
1966	Jones, TomTom Jones	United Kingdom	The Byrds Herman's Hermits Horst Jankowski Marilyn Maye Sonny & Cher Glenn Yarbrough
1967[II]	—	—	—
1968	Gentry, BobbieBobbie Gentry	United States	Lana Cantrell The 5th Dimension Harpers Bizarre Jefferson Airplane
1969	Feliciano, JoséJosé Feliciano	Puerto Rico	Cream Gary Puckett & The Union Gap Jeannie C. Riley O. C. Smith	[9]
1970	Crosby, Stills & Nash	United Kingdom  United States	Chicago Led Zeppelin The Neon Philharmonic Oliver
1971	The Carpenters	United States	Elton John Melba Moore Anne Murray The Partridge Family	[10]
1972	Simon, CarlyCarly Simon	United States	Chase Emerson, Lake & Palmer Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds Bill Withers	[11]
1973	America	United Kingdom  United States	Harry Chapin Eagles Loggins and Messina John Prine	[12]
1974	Midler, BetteBette Midler	United States	Eumir Deodato Maureen McGovern Marie Osmond Barry White	[13]
1975	Hamlisch, MarvinMarvin Hamlisch	United States	Bad Company Johnny Bristol David Essex Graham Central Station Phoebe Snow
1976	Cole, NatalieNatalie Cole	United States	Morris Albert Amazing Rhythm Aces Brecker Brothers KC and the Sunshine Band	[14]
1977	Starland Vocal Band	United States	Boston Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band The Brothers Johnson Wild Cherry	[15]
1978	Boone, DebbyDebby Boone	United States	Stephen Bishop Shaun Cassidy Foreigner Andy Gibb
1979	A Taste of Honey	United States	The Cars Elvis Costello Chris Rea Toto	[16]
1980	Jones, Rickie LeeRickie Lee Jones	United States	The Blues Brothers Dire Straits The Knack Robin Williams	[17]
1981	Cross, ChristopherChristopher Cross	United States	Irene Cara Robbie Dupree Amy Holland The Pretenders	[18]
1982	Easton, SheenaSheena Easton	United Kingdom	Adam and the Ants The Go-Go's James Ingram Luther Vandross	[19]
1983	Men at Work	Australia	Asia Jennifer Holliday The Human League Stray Cats	[20]
1984	Culture Club	United Kingdom	Big Country Eurythmics Men Without Hats Musical Youth	[5]
1985	Lauper, CyndiCyndi Lauper	United States	Sheila E. Frankie Goes to Hollywood Corey Hart The Judds	[21]
1986	Sade	United Kingdom	a-ha Freddie Jackson Katrina and the Waves Julian Lennon	[22]
1987	Hornsby, BruceBruce Hornsby and the Range	United States	Glass Tiger Nu Shooz Simply Red Timbuk3	[23]
1988	Watley, JodyJody Watley	United States	Breakfast Club Cutting Crew Terence Trent D'Arby Swing Out Sister	[24]
1989	Chapman, TracyTracy Chapman	United States	Rick Astley Toni Childs Take 6 Vanessa L. Williams	[25]
1990	Milli Vanilli[III]	Germany	Neneh Cherry Indigo Girls Soul II Soul Tone Lōc	[26]
1991	Carey, MariahMariah Carey	United States	The Black Crowes The Kentucky Headhunters Wilson Phillips Lisa Stansfield	[27]
1992	Cohn, MarcMarc Cohn	United States	Boyz II Men C+C Music Factory Color Me Badd Seal	[28]
1993	Arrested Development	United States	Billy Ray Cyrus Sophie B. Hawkins Kris Kross Jon Secada	[29]
1994	Braxton, ToniToni Braxton	United States	Belly Blind Melon Digable Planets SWV	[30]
1995	Crow, SherylSheryl Crow	United States	Ace of Base Counting Crows Crash Test Dummies Green Day	[31]
1996	Hootie & the Blowfish	United States	Brandy Alanis Morissette Joan Osborne Shania Twain	[32]
1997	Rimes, LeAnnLeAnn Rimes	United States	Garbage Jewel No Doubt The Tony Rich Project	[33]
1998	Cole, PaulaPaula Cole	United States	Fiona Apple Erykah Badu Puff Daddy Hanson	[34]
1999	Hill, LaurynLauryn Hill	United States	Backstreet Boys Andrea Bocelli Dixie Chicks Natalie Imbruglia	[35]
2000	Aguilera, ChristinaChristina Aguilera	United States	Macy Gray Kid Rock Britney Spears Susan Tedeschi	[36]
2001	Lynne, ShelbyShelby Lynne	United States	Brad Paisley Papa Roach Jill Scott Sisqó	[37]
2002	Keys, AliciaAlicia Keys	United States	India.Arie Nelly Furtado David Gray Linkin Park	[38]
2003	Jones, NorahNorah Jones	United States	Ashanti Michelle Branch Avril Lavigne John Mayer	[39]
2004	Evanescence	United States	50 Cent Fountains of Wayne Heather Headley Sean Paul	[40]
2005	Maroon 5	United States	Los Lonely Boys Joss Stone Kanye West Gretchen Wilson	[41]
2006	Legend, JohnJohn Legend	United States	Ciara Fall Out Boy Keane Sugarland	[42]
2007	Underwood, CarrieCarrie Underwood	United States	James Blunt Chris Brown Imogen Heap Corinne Bailey Rae	[43]
2008	Winehouse, AmyAmy Winehouse	United Kingdom	Feist Ledisi Paramore Taylor Swift	[44]
2009	Adele	United Kingdom	Duffy Jonas Brothers Lady Antebellum Jazmine Sullivan	[45]
2010	Zac Brown Band	United States	Keri Hilson MGMT Silversun Pickups The Ting Tings	[46]
2011	Esperanza Spalding	United States	Drake Florence + The Machine Justin Bieber Mumford & Sons	[47]
2012	Bon Iver	United States	The Band Perry J. Cole Nicki Minaj Skrillex	[48]

^{^[I]} Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.
^{^[II]} Award not given.
^{^[III]} Milli Vanilli were originally presented with the award, but were later stripped of it. Originally, the runner-up was to be awarded, but since no one wanted it, a new winner was not announced.

See also[link]

• List of Grammy Award categories

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official site of the Grammy Awards

Esperanza Spalding
Spalding performing at the Newport Jazz Festival on August 10, 2008
Background information
Born	(1984-10-18) October 18, 1984 (age 27) Portland, Oregon, US
Genres	Jazz, jazz fusion, bossa nova, neo soul
Occupations	Musician, composer, educator, bandleader
Instruments	Upright bass, bass guitar, and vocals
Years active	2000–present[1]
Labels	Heads Up International, Hush, Merge
Associated acts	Stanley Clarke, Patti Austin, and Joe Lovano
Website	www.esperanzaspalding.com

Esperanza Spalding (born October 18, 1984)^[2] is an American multi-instrumentalist best known as a jazz bassist and singer, who draws upon many genres in her own compositions. In 2011, she won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 53rd Grammy Awards,^[3] making her the first jazz artist to win the award.^[4][5]

Biography[link]

Early life and early education[link]

Spalding grew up in the King neighborhood of Portland, Oregon,^[6] a neighborhood she describes as "ghetto" and "pretty scary".^[7] Her mother raised her and her brother as a single parent.^[8] Spalding has a diverse ethnic background.^[7][9] Her father is African-American and her mother is of Welsh, Native American, and Hispanic descent.^[10] She also has an interest in the music of other cultures, including that of Brazil,^[11] commenting, "With Portuguese songs, the phrasing of the melody is intrinsically linked with the language, and it's beautiful."^[12]

Her mother shares Spalding's interest in music, having nearly become a touring singer herself.^[8][13] But while Spalding cites her mother as a powerful influence who encouraged her musical expansion, she attributes her inspiration for pursuing a life in music to watching classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma perform on an episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood when she was four.^[8]

By the time Spalding was five, she had taught herself to play the violin and was playing with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon.^[8] Spalding stayed with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon until she was fifteen and left as concertmaster.^[8] Due to a lengthy illness when she was child, Spalding spent much of her elementary school years being homeschooled,^[8] but also attended King Elementary School in northeast Portland.^[6] During this time, she also found the opportunity to pick up instruction in music by listening to her mother's college teacher instruct her mother in guitar.^[12] According to Spalding, when she was about eight, her mother briefly studied jazz guitar in college; Spalding says, "Going with her to her class, I would sit under the piano. Then I would come home and I would be playing her stuff that her teacher had been playing."^[12] Spalding also played oboe and clarinet before discovering the bass in high school.^[8][14] She is able to sing in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.^[15]

Spalding had begun performing live in clubs in Portland, Oregon as a teenager,^[11] securing her first gig at 15 in a blues club, when she could play only one line on bass.^[16] One of the seasoned musicians with which she played that first night invited her to join the band's rehearsals "so she could actually learn something", and her rehearsals soon grew into regular performances spanning almost a year.^[16] According to Spalding, it was a chance for her to stretch as a musician, reaching and growing beyond her experience.^[12] Her early contact with these "phenomenal resources", as she calls the musicians who played with her,^[12] fostered her sense of rhythm and helped nurture her interest in her instrument.^[16] She does not consider herself a musical prodigy.^[17] "I am surrounded by prodigies everywhere I go, but because they are a little older than me, or not a female, or not on a major label, they are not acknowledged as such", says Spalding.^[17]

Spalding had intended to play cello,^[12] but discovered the bass during a one-year stint at age 14 at the prestigious performing arts high school, The Northwest Academy, to which she had won a scholarship.^[16][18] The school was not a good fit, but the bass was.^[16] Spalding found high school "easy—and boring" and dropped out. When she was 15 or 16 years old, Spalding started writing lyrics for music for the local indie rock/pop group Noise for Pretend, touching on any topic that came to mind.^[17] Although she had taken a few private voice lessons, which taught her how to protect her voice, her primary singing experience had come from "singing in the shower", she said,^[17] before she started performing vocals for Noise for Pretend.^[12] Her desire to perform live evolved naturally out of the compositional process, when she would sing and play simultaneously to see how melody and voice fit together, but she acknowledges that performing both roles can be challenging.^[12][19] In a 2008 interview, she said, "[W]hat can be difficult is being a singer, in the sense that you are engaged with the audience, and really responsible for emoting, and getting into the lyrics, melody, etc., and being an effective bassist/band leader".^[19]

Spalding left high school at 16 and, after completing her GED, enrolled on a music scholarship in the music program at Portland State University, where she remembers being "the youngest bass player in the program".^[8] Although she lacked the training of her fellow students, she feels that her teachers nevertheless recognized her talent.^[8] She decided to instead apply to Berklee College of Music on the encouragement of her bass teacher, and did well enough in her audition to receive a full scholarship.^[13][16] In spite of the scholarship, Spalding found it a challenge meeting living expenses, so her friends arranged a benefit concert that paid her airfare and a little extra.^[12][16] Spalding's savings did not last long. Broke and exhausted,^[20] she considered leaving music and entering political science,^[13] a move jazz guitarist and composer Pat Metheny discouraged, telling Spalding she had "the 'X Factor'" and could make it if she applied herself.^[13] During her time at Berklee, her primary bass instructor was John Lockwood.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 2004–07: Musical beginnings, teaching and Junjo

Spalding performing at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy on July 12, 2007

Gary Burton, Executive Vice President at Berklee, said in 2004 that Spalding had "a great time feel, she can confidently read the most complicated compositions, and she communicates her upbeat personality in everything she plays".^[16] Ben Ratliff wrote in The New York Times on July 9, 2006, that Spalding's voice is "light and high, up in Blossom Dearie's pitch range, and [that] she can sing quietly, almost in a daydream" and that Spalding "invents her own feminine space, a different sound from top to bottom."^[21] Spalding was the 2005 recipient of the Boston Jazz Society scholarship for outstanding musicianship.^[8] Almost immediately after graduation from college later the same year, Spalding was hired by Berklee College of Music, becoming one of the youngest instructors in the institution's history,^[12] at age 20.^[22] As a teacher, Spalding tries to help her students focus their practice through a practice journal, which can help them recognize their strengths and what they need to pursue.^[12]

Her debut album Junjo was released on April 18, 2006, on the Ayva Music label.^[23][24] It was created to display the dynamic that she felt among her trio.^[17] Though Junjo was released solely under her name, Spalding considers it "a collaborative effort".^[12]

[edit] 2008–10: Esperanza

Spalding performing on December 10, 2009 at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert of 2009

When asked in 2008 why she plays the bass instead of some other instrument, Spalding said that it wasn't a choice, but the bass "had its own arc" and resonated with her.^[17] Spalding says that for her discovering the bass was like "waking up one day and realizing you're in love with a co-worker."^[12] By the time she randomly picked up the bass in music class and began experimenting with it, she had grown bored with her other instruments.^[16][25] Her band teacher showed her a blues line for the bass that she later used to secure her first gig.^[16] After that, she went in to play the bass daily and gradually fell in love.^[12]

Ratliff wrote in The New York Times again, two years later, on May 26, 2008 that one of Spalding's central gifts is "a light, fizzy, optimistic drive that's in her melodic bass playing and her elastic, small-voiced singing" but that "the music is missing a crucial measure of modesty."^[26] He added, "It's an attempt at bringing this crisscrossing [of Stevie Wonder and Wayne Shorter] to a new level of definition and power, but its vamps and grooves are a little obvious, and it pushes her first as a singer-songwriter, which isn't her primary strength."^[26] Pat Metheny said in 2008 it was immediately obvious "that she had a lot to say and was also unlike any musician I had ever run across before. Her unique quality is something that goes beyond her pretty amazing musical skills; She has that rare 'x' factor of being able to transmit a certain personal kind of vision and energy that is all her own."^[20] Andrés Quinteros wrote in the Argentinian periodical, 26Noticias on October 28, 2008 that Spalding is one of the greatest new talents on the jazz scene today.^[27] Patti Austin hired Spalding to tour with her internationally after Spalding's first semester at Berklee,^[16] where Spalding supported the singer on the Ella Fitzgerald tribute tour "For Ella".^[12] In 2008, Spalding recalled the tour as educational, helping her learn to accompany a vocalist and also how to sustain energy and interest playing the same material nightly.^[12] She continued to perform with Austin periodically for three years.^[12] During the same period, while at Berklee, Spalding studied under saxophonist Joe Lovano before eventually touring with him.^[12] They began as a trio, expanding into a quartet before joining quintet US5 and traveling across the United States from New York to California.^[12] As of 2008, she was also in the process of developing several courses for students at Berklee, including one that focuses "on transcribing as a tool for learning harmony and theory."^[12] Due to touring commitments, Spalding stopped giving classes at Berklee. She lives in New York and Austin, Texas.

Spalding performing at the Northsea Jazz Festival, 2009

Esperanza is Spalding's second studio album. Being exposed to many different cultural impressions while growing up, Spalding sings in three different languages, English, Spanish, and Portuguese.^[28] After Spalding's Grammy win in February 2011, the album entered the Billboard 200 at 138. With Esperanza, Spalding's material was meant to be more reflective of herself as an artist, with musicians selected to best present that material.^[17] Ed Morales wrote in PopMatters on June 23, 2008 that Esperanza is "a sprawling collage of jazz fusion, Brazilian and even a touch of hip-hop".^[29] Siddhartha Mitter wrote in The Boston Globe on May 23, 2008 that "the big change" in Esperanza "is the singing..... This makes it a much more accessible album, and in some ways more conventional".^[30]

On December 10, at the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize ceremonies, Spalding performed at Oslo City Hall in honor of the 2009 Laureate President Barack Obama and again at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert the following day. She was personally selected by Obama, as per the tradition of one laureate-invited-artist to perform.^[31] Spalding also was the featured final act for the opening night of the 2009 Park City Jazz Festival in Park City, Utah, one of the top jazz festivals in the country. She closed the show with a number along with bass artists Brian Bromberg and Sean O'Bryan Smith, who also performed earlier that day.^[32] As a tribute to Prince, Spalding was invited to sing along with Patti LaBelle, Alicia Keys, and Janelle Monáe. Spalding performed the 1987 hit single "If I Was Your Girlfriend".^[31][33] On February 7, 2010, Spalding became the most searched person and second most searched item on Google as a result of her appearance the previous evening on the PBS television program Austin City Limits.^[34][35]

[edit] 2011–present: Chamber Music Society and Radio Music Society

In February 2011, at the 53rd Grammy Awards, Spalding won the "Best New Artist" award.^[36] In November 2011, Spalding won "Jazz Artist of the Year" at the Boston Music Awards.^[37] Spalding collaborated with Tineke Postma on the track "Leave Me A Place Underground" from the album The Dawn Of Light in 2011.^[38] She also collaborated with Terri Lyne Carrington on the album The Mosaic Project where she features on the track "Crayola".^[39] Spalding sings a duet with Nicholas Payton on the track "Freesia" from the album Bitches in 2011.^{[40] [41]} Her next project was an album titled Radio Music Society, which she hoped would showcase jazz musicians in an accessible manner suitable for mainstream radio.^[36] With Radio Music Society, she hoped to incorporate her own musical compositions with covers of such artists as the Beach Boys and Wayne Shorter. She also plans to record an album with Milton Nascimento in the future.^[42]

Chamber Music Society was the third album by Spalding. After her surprise Grammy win, the album re-entered the Billboard 200 at number 34 with sales of 18,000.^[43] A video was made for the song "Little Fly".^[44] The song is a poem by William Blake set to music by Spalding. A vinyl version of the album was released in February 2011. This version of the album included a bonus track titled "Morning" that will be included in the tracklist of her upcoming Radio Music Society album.^[45] Chamber Music Society, inspiration from her earlier days as a concertmaster is apparent in her fusion of three-piece string ensemble with piano, keyboards, drums and percussion. As Patrick Jarenwattananon wrote for NPR Music, "the finished product certainly exudes a level of sophisticated intimacy, as if best experienced with a small gathering in a quiet, wood-paneled room."^[46] Spalding was the best-selling contemporary jazz artist, and her album Chamber Music Society was the best-selling contemporary jazz album, of 2011.^[47]

On February 26, 2012, Spalding performed at the 84th Academy Awards, singing the Louis Armstrong standard, "What a Wonderful World", alongside the Southern California Children's Chorus to accompany the video montage that celebrated the film industry greats who passed away in 2011 and early 2012.^[48] Radio Music Society is Spalding's fourth studio album, released by record label Heads Up International on March 20, 2012.^[49][50][51] Spalding appeared on Later... with Jools Holland.^[52]

Artistry[link]

Influences and attitude toward music and jazz[link]

Spalding alternates between upright bass...		and bass guitar in her performances

Spalding cites jazz bassists Ron Carter and Dave Holland as important influences on her music; Carter for the "orchestration" of his playing and Holland for the way his compositional method complements his personal style.^[53] She has described the saxophone player Wayne Shorter,^[13] and singer-songwriter Milton Nascimento, as heroes.^[54] She has also noted her preference for the music of Brazil.^[13]

Spalding says she loves fusion music and was influenced by a "wonderful arc that started 40 years ago where people kept incorporating modern sounds into their music."^[29] She has expressed concerns that jazz has wandered from its roots, suggesting that jazz has lost its street value and its relevance to "the Black experience to the Black Diaspora and beyond" now that has been co-opted by the "seasoned 'art' community".^[7] She notes that in its early days, jazz was "popular dance music" and "the music of young people who considered themselves awfully hip", and believes "hip-hop, or neo-soul [...] is our 'jazz' now as far as the role these genres play in the music genre lineage".^[7] Spalding, who has expressed a desire to be judged for her musicianship rather than her sex appeal, believes that female musicians must take responsibility to avoid oversexualizing themselves.^[29][13] and that in order to write original music, one must read and stay informed about the world.^[13] She has said she models her career on those of Madonna and Ornette Coleman.^[12]

Discography[link]

Solo albums[link]

Music videos[link]

Collaborative albums[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]