meta-scriptBBC Russian
Svoboda | Graniru | BBC Russia | Golosameriki | Facebook
The 2025 GRAMMYs take place Sunday, Feb. 2, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Nominations for the 2025 GRAMMYs will be announced Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.

Graphic Courtesy of the Recording Academy

news

2025 GRAMMYs To Take Place Sunday, Feb. 2, Live In Los Angeles; GRAMMY Awards Nominations To Be Announced Friday, Nov. 8, 2024

The 2025 GRAMMYs return to Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 2. Nominations for the 2025 GRAMMYs will be announced Friday, Nov. 8. Learn more about the key dates and deadlines ahead of Music's Biggest Night.

GRAMMYs/May 21, 2024 - 12:59 pm

Music's Biggest Night is back! The 2025 GRAMMYs will take place Sunday, Feb. 2, live at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the Recording Academy announced today. The 2025 GRAMMYs will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on demand on Paramount+. As well, nominations for the 2025 GRAMMYs will be announced Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. See the full list of key dates and deadlines for the 2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards, below.

Key dates for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards season are as follows:

Sept. 16, 2023 – Aug. 30, 2024
Product Eligibility Period
The period by which recordings are submitted for GRAMMY consideration. All releases must be available for sale, via general distribution, to the public by this date and through at least the date of the current year’s voting deadline (final ballot) to be eligible for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards.

July 8, 2024 – Aug. 23, 2024
Media Company Registration Period
Media companies must apply for registration with the Recording Academy to submit recordings.

July 17, 2024 – Aug. 30, 2024
Online Entry Period
All eligible recordings must be entered prior to the close of the Online Entry Period, regardless of the public release date.

Oct. 4, 2024 – Oct. 15, 2024
First Round Voting
First Round Voting determines all the GRAMMY nominees for each GRAMMY Awards year.

Nov. 8, 2024
Nominees Announced for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards
Announcing the official nominees list for the 2025 GRAMMYs.

Dec. 12, 2024 – Jan. 3, 2025
Final Round Voting
Determines the GRAMMY winners across all categories revealed on GRAMMY night.

Feb. 2, 2025
2025 GRAMMY Awards
Music's Biggest Night, recognizing excellence in the recording arts and sciences.

This February, the 2024 GRAMMYs proved to be an epic, history-making night. Women dominated the 2024 GRAMMYs: For the second time in four years, women won in the majority of the General Field Categories, winning Album Of The Year (Taylor Swift), Song Of The Year (Billie Eilish), Record Of The Year (Miley Cyrus), and Best New Artist (Victoria Monét). Elsewhere, Taylor Swift broke the all-time record for most GRAMMY wins in the Album Of The Year Category after winning for Midnights. Tyla won the first-ever GRAMMY Award for Best African Music Performance, one of three new GRAMMY Categories that debuted this year.

The 2024 GRAMMYs also celebrated the return of music legends, including Tracy Chapman, Joni Mitchell and Celine Dion, and ushered in new music icons-in-the-making like Victoria Monét, Samara Joy and Tyla. Relive some of the must-see moments and memorable, heartwarming acceptance speeches from the 2024 GRAMMYs. And rewatch all of the performances and key highlights from the 2024 GRAMMYs all year long on Live.GRAMMY.com.

Learn more about the upcoming 2025 GRAMMY Awards season and the annual GRAMMY Awards process.

GRAMMY News, Performances & Highlights

Photo of a gold GRAMMY trophy against a black background with white lights.
GRAMMY Award statue

Photo: Jathan Campbell

news

GRAMMY Awards Updates For The 2025 GRAMMYs: Here's Everything You Need To Know About GRAMMY Awards Categories Changes & Eligibility Guidelines

Key updates to the 2025 GRAMMY Awards season include adjustments to eligibility criteria, Category renaming, and submission guidelines updates for some Categories, including the Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical Category.

GRAMMYs/Jun 14, 2024 - 01:53 pm

The Recording Academy, the organization behind the annual GRAMMY Awards, is sharing a series of updates to the annual GRAMMY Awards process for the 2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 67th GRAMMY Awards, which take place Sunday, Feb. 2, live at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Key updates to the 2025 GRAMMY Awards season include adjustments to eligibility criteria, Category renaming, and submission guidelines updates for some Categories, including the Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical Category. All updates go into effect immediately at the 2025 GRAMMYs.

The 2024 amendments were voted on and passed at the Recording Academy's semiannual Board of Trustees meeting. These changes, designed to enhance the integrity and inclusivity of the awards, reflect the Academy's commitment to staying current with the evolving music industry.

Read more: 2025 GRAMMYs To Take Place Sunday, Feb. 2, Live In Los Angeles; GRAMMY Awards Nominations To Be Announced Friday, Nov. 8, 2024

The Recording Academy accepts proposals for changes to the GRAMMY Awards process from members of the music community year-round. The Awards & Nominations Committee, composed of Recording Academy Voting Members from diverse genres and backgrounds, meets annually to review proposals to update Awards Categories, procedures and eligibility guidelines.

For more information about the 2025 GRAMMY Awards season, learn more about the annual GRAMMY Awards process, read our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section, view the official GRAMMY Awards Rules and Guidelines, and visit the GRAMMY Award Update Center for a list of real-time changes to the GRAMMY Awards process.

Read the updates and amendments for the 2025 GRAMMYs in full below:

Eligibility, Criteria & Submission Guidelines Amendments:

  • All eligibly-credited Featured Artists with under 50% playtime will now be awarded a Winners' Certificate for all genre album Categories. (Note: Does not apply to Best Musical Theater Album, the General Field or Craft Categories.)

  • In the Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical Category, the following submission guidelines were amended, allowing for wider representation of the songwriter community:

    • The minimum submission threshold in which a songwriter is credited as a songwriter or co-writer (not a primary or featured artist or producer) was reduced from five to four songs.

    • The additional number of songs a songwriter may enter in which they are also credited as a primary or featured artist, or any other supporting role, increased from four to five.

  • The Best Traditional R&B Performance Category criteria was amended to more accurately represent recordings that embody the classic elements of R&B/soul music, distinguishing them from contemporary interpretations of the genre.

  • The Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Category criteria was amended to expand the Category by broadening its scope and welcoming more entries from the Musical Theater community. Additionally, album eligibility criteria was updated to require that albums in this Category must contain more than 75% of newly recorded (previously unreleased) performances.

  • The Best Children's Music Album Category criteria was amended to include a requirement that lyrics and English-language translations must be included with entry submissions. Additionally, an intended audience age range for this Category was defined as infant to 12 years old.

GRAMMY Award Category Adjustments:

  • The Best Remixed Recording Category has moved from the Production, Engineering, Composition & Arrangement Field into the Pop & Dance/Electronic Field.

  • The Category formerly known as Best Pop Dance Recording has been renamed Best Dance Pop Recording.

  • The Best Dance/Electronic Music Album Category was renamed to Best Dance/Electronic Album, and the Category criteria was amended to establish that albums must be made up of at least 50% Dance/Electronic recordings to qualify.

  • Conjunto music will now be recognized in the Best Regional Roots Music Album Category, rather than the Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano) Category.

  • The Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media Category was amended to include a qualification for released material, specifically new DLC (downloaded content in-game) and Seasonal Expansions. The updated qualification establishes that greater than 50% of the music on an otherwise eligible Video Game Soundtrack or Interactive Media Soundtrack must be derived from new episodes or new programming released during the GRAMMY eligibility year for which it is entered.

GRAMMY News, Performances & Highlights

Photo of the Music Educator Award trophy
Music Educator Award

Photo Courtesy of the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum

news

215 Quarterfinalists Announced For The 2025 Music Educator Award

GRAMMYs/May 8, 2024 - 01:10 pm

Today, the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum announced a total of 215 music teachers as quarterfinalists for the 2025 Music Educator Award. This prestigious award is given to current educators—from kindergarten through college in both public and private schools—who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who advocate for the ongoing inclusion of music education in schools. This year’s quarterfinalists hail from 202 cities and were chosen from more than 2,400 initial nominations. Additionally, 159 legacy applicants from 2024 are also eligible for this year’s award.

Semi-finalists for the 2025 Music Educator Award will be announced later this year. The ultimate recipient will be celebrated during GRAMMY Week 2025.

A collaborative effort between the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum, the Music Educator Award invites nominations from students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers may also nominate themselves, and those nominated are invited to complete a more detailed application.

Each year, one recipient is selected from among 10 finalists and recognized for their profound impact on students' lives. The 11th annual honoree will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 67th GRAMMY Awards and participate in various GRAMMY Week events. The nine other finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. Additionally, fifteen semi-finalists will be awarded a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.

Read More: 8 Artists Who Were Inspired By Their Teachers: Rihanna, Adele, Jay-Z & More

The Music Educator Award program, including the honorariums and matching school grants, is supported by the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation this year. Additional backing comes from the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association, which support the program through outreach to their members.

Learn more about the Music Educator Award and see the full list of the 2025 Music Educator Award quarterfinalists and legacy applicants below:

QUARTERFINALISTS

Name School City State
Bryant Adler   Alcoa Elementary School Alcoa Tennessee
Patrick Aguayo   Rolling Hills Middle School Los Gatos California
Chrsitopher Alberts   School Without Walls Washington  Washington, D.C.
Bobi-Jean Alexander   Seneca Valley Senior High School Harmony  Pennsylvania
Erin Althen   Westhill High School Syracuse New York
Kathleen Amabile   Elk Lake Junior-Senior High School Springville Pennsylvania
Michael Antmann   Freedom High School Orlando Florida
Amanda Babcock   Merrimack Valley Middle School Penacook New Hampshire
Eric Bable   Crestview High School Columbiana Ohio
Natalie Baker   Missoula International School Missoula Montana
Jean-Paul Balmat   Mission Bay High School San Diego California
Russell Balusek   Edna High School Edna Texas
Lee Anne Barnes   Thomas Street Elementary School Tupelo Mississippi
Makynzie Barton   Elkton High School Elkton Maryland
Andrew Beasley   Pearl High School Pearl Mississippi
Daniel Beilman   Oak Park School Sarasota Florida
Andrew Bennett   Fredonia High School Fredonia New York
David Billingsley   DeLaSalle High School Minneapolis Minnesota
Stephen Blanco   Las Vegas High School Las Vegas Nevada
Mike Bogle   Dallas College Cedar Valley Campus Dallas Texas
Sarah Boline   Johns Hill Magnet School Decatur Illinois
Cherie Bowe   Pascagoula High School Pascagoula Mississippi
Nathan Bowman   Southeast Middle School Salisbury North Carolina
Tamiko Bridges   Laurel High School Laurel Mississippi
Justin Britt   Kingston Public Schools Kingston Oklahoma
Korey Bruno   Westfield High School Westfield Massachusetts
Richard Butler   Jack Britt High School Fayetteville North Carolina
Jason Canfield   Prescott High School  Prescott  Wisconsin
Clayton Capello   Pettus ISD  Pettus Texas
Dr. John Carlisle   Hannan JSHS Ashton West Virginia
Taylor Cash   Albertville High School Albertville Alabama
Barry Chesky   Dulaney High School Timonium Maryland
Ethan Chessin   Camas High School Camas Washington
Ernesta Chicklowski   Roosevelt Elementary School Tampa Florida
Donna Clark   Miguel Juarez Middle School Waukegan Illinois
Jeremy Cole   Southern Middle School Somerset Kentucky
James Cooney   Mayville High School Mayville, WI Wisconsin
Paul Corn   Susan E. Wagner High School Staten Island New York
Kevin Croxton   Oliver Springs Elementary School Van Buren Arkansas
Brandon Czubachowski   Spring Valley Hall High School Spring Valley Illinois
Mike D'Errico   Albright College Reading Pennsylvania
Nicole Davidson   Susan E. Wiley Elementary School Copiague New York
Andy Davis   Reavis High School Burbank Illinois
Kelly DeHaan   Mountain Ridge High School Herriman Utah
David Dehnet   Oral Roberts University Tulsa Oklahoma
Joe DeLisi   Chisago Lakes High School  Lindstrom  Minnesota
Jesse Dooley   Millbury Jr./Sr. High School Millbury Massachusetts
Lawrence Dubill   Hamburg High School Hamburg New York
Bridget Duffy-Ulrich   Oshkosh North High School Oshkosh Wisconsin
Jared Duncan   DeKalb School of the Arts Avondale Estates Georgia
Nicole Durkin   Argo Community High School Summit  Illinois
Kaley Eaton   Cornish College of the Arts Seattle Washington
Cindy Ellis   Miami Arts Studio 6-12 at Zelda Glazer Miami Florida
Clerida Eltime   WHIN Music Community Charter School New York New York
Grady Emmert   Lake Buena Vista High School Orlando Florida
Gerardo Escobar   Riverside Middle School El Paso Texas
Regan Eudy   Central Elementary School Albemarle North Carolina
Kevin Fallon   C.W. Worthington Middle School Haslet Texas
Jason Falvo   Waynesburg Central Elementary Waynesburg Pennsylvania
Mike Fedyszyn   Riverview Middle School Plymouth Wisconsin
Daniel Ferreira   Klein Intermediate School Houston Texas
Jill Fetty   Clear Falls High School League City Texas
Joe Finnegan   DC Everest Senior High School Weston Wisconsin
Joseph Flores   Mesa Middle School Roswell New Mexico
Jasmine Fripp   KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School Nashville  Tennessee
Sarah Fulton   Kings Mountain High School Kings Mountain  North Carolina
Stefanie Gardner   Glendale Community College Glendale Arizona
Ryan Geary   Sanford High School Sanford Maine
Emily Golden   East Burke High School Connelly Springs North Carolina
Rob Goldman   Westwood High School Westwood Massachusetts
Alex Grimm   F.J. Reitz High School Evansville Indiana
Melanie Gunn   Whitman Middle School Seattle Washington
Daniel Gutierrez   Nixa High School Nixa  Missouri
Holly Haffner   Grissom Middle School Sterling Heights Michigan
Michael Hamann   West Ottawa High School Holland Michigan
Tony Aaron Hambrick   Jessye Norman School of the Arts Augusta Georgia
Cordara Harper   Grambling State University  Grambling Louisiana
Vernon Harris   Pulaski Heights Middle School Little Rock Arkansas
Sarah Hart   Islander Middle School Mercer Island Washington
Kellie Harvey   Fruitland Primary School Fruitland Maryland
Toby Harwell   Wiseburn Middle School Hawthorne California
Rachael Heffner   Brookhaven Innovation Academy Norcross Georgia
Bobby Helms   Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wesson Mississippi
Bernie Hendricks, Jr.   Ocoee High School  Ocoee  Florida
Christopher Henke   Kittatinny Regional High School Newton New Jersey
Brian Henson   Walnut Grove High School Prosper Texas
Samuel Hjort   Mission High School Mission Texas
Matt Howe   Cathedral City High School Cathedral City California
Cole Hunt   Burchfield Elementary School  Oneida Tennessee
Andria Hyden   Bedichek Middle School Austin Texas
Brandi Jason Liberty High School Eldersburg Maryland
Sonja Jewell Loudoun Country Day School Leesburg Virginia
Jennifer Jimenez South Miami Sr. High School Miami Florida
John Johnson Boyd County High School  Ashland Kentucky
Amir Jones Thomas W. Harvey High School Painesville Ohio
Brian Joyce South Jones High School Ellisville Mississippi
Wimberly Kennedy Red Bank High School  Chattanooga Tennessee
Larry Kennon Troy Christian Junior High/High School Troy Ohio
Joshua Krohn Brent Elementary School Washington Washington, D.C.
Erin Kronzek Unity School Delray Beach Florida
Sarah Labrie Lexington High School Lexington Massachusetts
J Alan Landers Lakenheath High School Apo Armed Forces
Eric Laprade The College of New Jersey Ewing New Jersey
Samantha Leali Shenango Junior/Senior High School New Castle Pennsylvania
Richelle Lenoir Global Leadership Academy High School Jacksonville Florida
Lindsay Linderman Murray LaSaine Montessori School Charleston South Carolina
Katanna Linn Highlands Ranch High School  Highlands Ranch  Colorado
Candace Love August Boeger Middle School San Jose California
Christopher Lubken Robert Service High School Anchorage Alaska
Ryan Mack P.S. 10 Magnet School of Math, Science, and Design Technology Brooklyn New York
Rebecca MacLeod University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Champaign Illinois
Adrian Maclin Cordova High School Memphis Tennessee
Cyndi Mancini Montour High School McKees Rocks Pennsylvania
Kate Margrave Pine Creek High School Colorado Springs Colorado
Matt Martindale Shelby County High School  Columbiana Alabama
Abigail Martinez Erie Middle School Erie Colorado
Kathleen McCarthy Attleboro High School Attleboro Massachusetts
Leigh Ann McClain Griffin Middle School The Colony Texas
Erin McConnell Camillus Middle School Camillus New York
Lawrence McCrobie Valley High School Louisville Kentucky
Jay McCulley Sunset Middle School Brentwood  Tennessee
Angela McKenna Classen School of Advanced Studies at Northeast High School Oklahoma City Oklahoma
Jonathan R.P. McTier III Alief Hastings High School  Houston  Texas
Kimberly Meader Green Bay Preble High School Green Bay Wisconsin
Jessie Mersinger New Brunswick High School New Brunswick  New Jersey
Adam Mewhorter Southmoore High School Moore Oklahoma
James Minnix Central Connecticut State University New Britian Connecticut
Jake Mitchell Hebron Middle School Shepherdsville Kentucky
William J. Molineaux The Osceola County School for the Arts Kissimmee Florida
Darren Motamedy Walter Johnson International Academy   Las Vegas Nevada
Jonathan Mracko Postlethwait Middle School Camden Wyoming Delaware
Curtis Mulvenon Shawnee Mission West High School Overland Park Kansas
Elizabeth Nardone EM Stanton School Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Michelle Nielsen Diamond Canyon School Anthem Arizona
Kelly Nieman Alden Intermediate School Alden New York
Mallory Norton Weddington High School Matthews North Carolina
Heather Orr Montgomery High School Montgomery Texas
Augustine Ortiz Edgar Allen Poe Middle School  San Antonio  Texas
Jeremy Overbeck Century High School Bismarck North Dakota
Andrew Pahos John Sevier Middle School Kingsport Tennessee
Lindsey Parker Laguna Beach High School Laguna Beach California
Andrew Pease Hartwick College Oneonta New York
TJ Pelanek Underwood Public School  Underwood Minnesota
Justin Peterson Middle School 67Q Louis Pasteur Little Neck New York
Anthony Pickard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. High School Lithonia Georgia
Preston Pierce Plano West Senior High School  Plano Texas
Thomas Pierre Rosa L. Parks ES Hyattsville Maryland
Chris Pierson Chaparral High School Las Vegas Nevada
Jonathan Powell West End High School  Walnut Grove  Alabama
Courtney Powers Hoboken Charter School Hoboken New Jersey
Briony Price Gramercy Arts High School New York City New York
Neal Raskin Big Foot Union High School Walworth Wisconsin
Marc Ratner Mineola High School Garden City Park New York
Tess Remy-Schumacher University of Central Oklahoma  Edmond Oklahoma
Stephen Rew Raymore-Peculiar High School Peculiar Missouri
Cindy Reynolds Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School  Shawnee  Kansas
Lou Ribar Lenape Elementary Ford City Pennsylvania
Dianna Richardson Cleveland School of the Arts Cleveland Ohio
Michael Richardson Perry Meridian High School Indianapolis Indiana
Leslie Riedel Capital High School Charleston  West Virginia
Adam Robinson Norwood High School Norwood  Ohio
James Robinson Elkin High School Elkin North Carolina
Nathan Rodahl Port Angeles High School Port Angeles Washington
Darren Rodgers St. Augustine High School New Orleans Louisiana
Lenae Rose Morgan County High School Madison Georgia
Stewart Rosen Walter Reed Middle School North Hollywood California
David Roth Lakeside High School Ashtabula Ohio
Seth Rowoldt Annunciation Orthodox School Houston Texas
Stefanie Sagaro Academy for Innovative Education Charter School Miami Springs Florida
Maura Saint Blackhawk High School Beaver Falls Pennsylvania
Mike Scott Columbia Basin College Pasco Washington
Kelly Seymour Ballston Spa Middle/High School Ballston Spa New York
Natalie Sheeler Sturgis Charter Public School Hyannis Massachusetts
Matthew Shephard Meridian Early College High School Sanford Michigan
Aleshia Shouse Christian Academy of Indiana New Albany Indiana
Alex Sieira Harrison High School Harrison  New Jersey
Adria Smith Marblehead Community Charter Public School Marblehead Massachusetts
Anthony Spano Culver City High School Culver City California
William Steadman General McLane High School Edinboro Pennsylvania
Mike Steep Parkway Northeast Middle School Creve Coeur Missouri
Katie Stephens Charles D. Owen High School Black Mountain North Carolina
Evelyn Stohlman Bishop Shanahan High School Downingtown Pennsylvania
Kokoe Tanaka-Suwan Parsons Memorial & Purchase Elementary Schools Harrison New York
Jameelah Taylor Trevor Day School New York City New York
Brian Teed Wakeland High School Frisco Texas
Josh Tharp West Fairmont Middle School and Rivesville Elementary/Middle School Fairmont West Virginia
Jennifer Theisen-Gray William M. Colmer Middle School Pascagoula Mississippi
Mark Thomas Upper Perkiomen Pennsburg Pennsylvania
Zachary Thomas Ledyard High School Ledyard Connecticut
Alex Underwood Hays High School Hays Kansas
Craig Uppercue Volusia County Schools Daytona Beach Florida
Lindsay Vasko Walnut Grove High School Prosper Texas
Allen Venezio East River High School Orlando Florida
Felicia Villa Point Pleasant Borough High School Point Pleasant New Jersey
James Villegas Grossmont High School El Cajon California
Rachel Waddell Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado
Meghan Wagner Auburn Riverside High School Auburn Washington
Bryan Waites Clements High School Sugar Land Texas
Donald Walter Northwest Guilford High School and Northwest Guilford Middle School Greensboro North Carolina
Victoria Warnet Columbus State University Columbus Georgia
Christopher Weddel Fremont High School Fremont Nebraska
Elliot Weeks Seattle Preparatory School Seattle Washington
Kayla Werlin Longmeadow High School Longmeadow Massachusetts
Bryce Werntz Oak Hill High School Oak Hill Ohio
Robert West Clark High School Las Vegas Nevada
Aria Westbrook Hawfields Middle School Mebane North Carolina
Kimberly Whitehead Sikeston High School Sikeston Missouri
Jeremy Williams Marrero Middle School Marrero Louisiana
Doretha Williams GEO Next Generation High School Baton Rouge Louisiana
Kelly Winovich Northgate Middle/Senior High School Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
Kate Wisbey Charlottesville Catholic School Charlottesville  Virginia
Elise Witt Global Village Project Decatur Georgia
Scott Woodard West Virginia State University Institute West Virginia
Amber Yates Thompson Middle School Alabaster Alabama
Christopher-Rey Yraola Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts Los Angeles California

LEGACY APPLICANTS

Name School City State  
Bruce Adams Sam Houston High School San Antonio Texas  
Casie Adams Martinsburg High School Martinsburg West Virginia
Miguel Aguiar Southwest High School San Antonio Texas
Dawn Amthor Wallkill Senior High School Wallkill New York
Christopher Andrews Hephzibah High School Hephzibah Georgia
Jeanne Andrews Petway Elementary School  Vineland  New Jersey
Justin Antos Dwight D. Eisenhower High School Blue Island Illinois
Javier Arau New York Jazz Academy New York New York
Timothy Arnold Orono High School Long Lake Minnesota
Elizabeth Baker Mary Martin Elementary Weatherford  Texas
Andre Barnes Science Park High School Newark New Jersey
Jeremy Bartunek Greenbriar School Northbrook Illinois
Adem Birson New York University  New York  New York
Benjamin Blasko Lipscomb University Nashville Tennessee
Amanda Blevins Tri-Valley High School Dresden Ohio
Susan Boddie Valdosta State University Valdosta Georgia
Adrian Bonner Lancaster High School Lancaster Texas
Steve Browne Nashville Community High School Nashville Illinois
Ryan Bulgarelli Williamsport Area High School Williamsport Pennsylvania
Cathryn Burt East Newton High School Granby Missouri
James Byrn, Jr. Maconaquah High School Bunker Hill Indiana
Mary Catherine Campbell Seven Pines Elementary School Sandston Virginia
Helen Capehart Bridgeport High School Bridgeport Texas
Marcos Carreras Conservatory of the Arts Springfield Massachusetts
Roger Chagnon Westfield Academy and Central School Westfield New York
Kristopher Chandler Gautier High School Gautier Mississippi
Jeff Chang Decatur High School Federal Way Washington
Travis Coakley William Carey University  Hattiesburg Mississippi
Vanessa Cobb Montgomery Central High School Cunningham  Tennessee
Trish Conover  Community Middle School  Plainsboro New Jersey
John Contreras Pueblo High School Tucson Arizona
Daniel Cook Ithaca College Ithaca New York
Kyle Cook Western Branch Middle School Chesapeake Virginia
Travis Cook Plymouth Christian Academy  Canton Michigan
Andrew Cote Merrimack College North Andover Massachusetts
Drew Cowell Belleville East High School Belleville Illinois
Cory Joy Craig Benton Intermediate School Benton Louisiana
Matthew Cunningham Brockton High School Brockton Massachusetts
Isaac Daniel III Stax Music Academy Memphis Tennessee
Jackie Deen Pottsboro High School Pottsboro Texas
Matthew Denman  Classen School of Advanced Studies Oklahoma City Oklahoma
Ryan Diefenderfer Paradise Valley High School Phoenix Arizona
Jennifer DiVasto Pennridge School District Perkasie Pennsylvania
Antoine Dolberry P.S. 103 Hector Fontanez School Bronx New York
George Dragoo Stevens High School Rapid City South Dakota
Marisa Drake Patuxent High School Lusby Maryland
Kathleen Dudley Andrew Cooke Magnet School Waikegan Illinois
Jonathan Eising James Hubert Blake High School Silver Spring Maryland
Jonathan Eldridge Weston Public Schools Weston Massachusetts
Carol Evans Gwynedd Mercy University Gwynedd Valley Pennsylvania
Anthony Ferreira Suffield High School West Suffield Connecticut
Tamara Frazier North Valleys High School Reno Nevada
J.D. Frizzell Briarcrest Christian School Eads Tennessee
Chesteron Frye St. Helena College & Career Academy Denham Springs Louisiana
Matt Gerry Salina South Middle School Salina Kansas
Anna Girling Sebastopol Attendance Center Sebastopol Mississippi
Serena Gorham Weare Middle School Weare New Hampshire
Kylie Griffin Dozier Elementary Erath Louisiana
Jessica Gronberg Hawkes Bluff Elementary   Davie Florida
Nathaniel Gunter Greer High School Greer South Carolina
Amy Hannequin Bethel Middle School Bethel Connecticut
Crystal Harding Ypsilanti Community High School Ypsilanti Michigan
Diane Harrigan Bloom High School Chicago Heights Illinois
Toye Harris Miami High School Miami Oklahoma
Chris Hayslette Bridgeport Middle School  Bridgeport West Virginia
Colette Hebert  Yonkers Public Schools  Yonkers New York
Martha Heise Seventh Street School Oil City Pennsylvania
Jonathan Helmick Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock Pennsylvania
Joel Hill Velma Jackson High School & Shirley Camden Mississippi
Elaine Holmes Comsewogue High School Port Jefferson Station New York
Victor Iapalucci Phillip Barbour High School Philippi West Virginia
Devin James Salem High School Conyers Georgia
Heidi Jaye Daniel Webster Elementary School New Rochelle New York
Jamie Jones Manzano Day School Albuquerque New Mexico
Daniel Joosten Edgerton High School Edgerton Wisconsin
Brett Keith Northern Bedford County Middle/High  Loysburg Pennsylvania
Deonte Kennedy Craigmont High School Memphis Tennessee
Lou Kitchner Bedford Middle School Westport Connecticut
Michael Kiyoi San Marcos High School Santa Barbara California
Kate Klotz Monarch High School Louisville Colorado
Heidi Kohler Ypsilanti Community High School East Amherst New York
Michael Lapomardo Shrewsbury High School  Shrewsbury Massachusetts
Morgan Lentino Otter Creek Elementary Elgin Illinois
Lisa Linde Newton South High School Newton Massachusetts
Cole Lundquist  Gloucester High School Gloucester Massachusetts
Marci Malone DeAmbrose Lincoln Southwest High School Lincoln Nebraska
Bob Mamminga St. Francis High School Wheaton Illinois
Jayson Martinez Arts High School Newark New Jersey
Kevin McDonald Wellesley High School  Wellesley Massachusetts
Larrian Menifee Ball High School Galveston Texas
Kim Mettert East Noble Middle School Kendallville Indiana
Natalie Moore Sullivan High School Sullivan Missouri
Coty Raven Morris Portland State University  Portland Oregon
Brian Nabors Shelby High School Shelby Ohio
Jenny Neff University of the Arts Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Cassandra Nelson Mountaineer Middle School  Morgantown West Virginia
Trevor Nicholas Nicholas Senn High School Chicago Illinois
Sam Noyce Thomas Jefferson Jr. High School Kearns Utah
Tim O’Donnell Ephrata High School Ephrata Washington
Shakia Paylor City Neighbors High School Baltimore Maryland
Kathy Perconti  Wayne Central High School  Ontario Center New York
Catherine Plichta Theatre Arts Production Company School Bronx New York
Felix Ponce Back of the Yards College Preparatory High School Chicago Illinois
David Pope Baldwin Wallace University  Berea Ohio
Brian Querry Charles A. Huston Middle School Lower Burrell Pennsylvania
Lance Rauh Patriot Oaks Academy St. Johns Florida
Hoza Redditt MSA East Academy Saint Gabriel Louisiana
Heather Rentz St. Mark School (Westpark) Cleveland Ohio
Sarah Riechers Thurgood Marshall Elementary School Manassas Virginia
Stephanie Robertson Ponchatoula High School Ponchatoula Louisiana
Bethany Robinson Noblesville High School Noblesville Indiana
Keith Robinson Jefferson Avenue Elementary Seguin Texas
Alberto Rodriguez Mount Vernon High School Alexandria Virginia
Shawn Royer Marian University Indianapolis Indiana
Dayshawn Russell North Iberville Elementary and High School Rosedale Louisiana
Hannah Ryan University of Virginia’s College at Wise Wise Virginia
Kyle Ryan Turkey Hill School Orange Connecticut
Ashley Sands Kennedy Secondary School Fergus Falls Minnesota
Mark Santos Santa Ana High School Santa Ana California
Danni Schmitt Roland Park Elementary/Middle School Baltimore Maryland
Kevin Schoenbach Oswego High School Oswego Illinois
Eric Schultz Coastal Carolina University Conway South Carolina
Josh Settlemyre R.J. Reynolds High School Winston-Salem North Carolina
Jason Shiuan Saratoga High School Saratoga California
Katie Silcott Olentangy Shanahan Middle School Lewis Center Ohio
Thomas Slater Sumter School District Sumter South Carolina
Joani Slawson Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy Melbourne Florida
Timothy Sloan Albright Middle School Houston Texas
Andrew Smith Charlotte Central School Charlotte Vermont
Cathryn Smith Coleman High School Coleman Texas
Jessie Smith Yes Prep Public Schools Houston Texas
Patrick Smith Cooperative Arts High School New Haven Connecticut
Tony Spano Culver City High School Culver City  California
Wes Sparkes Eagleview Middle School Colorado Springs Colorado
Julian Spires  Meade Middle School  Fort Meade Maryland
Shannon Stem University Academy Panama City Florida
Harold Stephan Stuyvesant High School  New York New York
Cassandra Sulbarán Braintree High School Braintree Massachusetts
Lynn Sweet Mount Anthony Union High School Bennington Vermont
Jessica Torres Elmont Memorial Jr/Sr High School  Elmont New York
Michelle Trinidad Sacred Heart School Bronx New York
Alice Tsui  New Bridges Elementary Brooklyn New York
Martin Urbach Harvest Collegiate High School New York New York
Johny Vargas Pueblo High School Tucson Arizona
Amy Villanova Canyon Crest Academy San Diego California
Valerie Vinnard Webster Elementary Long Beach California
Kenneth Walker Ralls ISD Ralls Texas
Jennifer Walter University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro North Carolina
John Ware Stovall Middle School Houston Texas
Brandon Weeks North Polk High School Alleman Iowa
Lisa Werner St. Bruno Parish School  Dousman Wisconsin
Elizabeth White Holcomb RIII Holcomb Missouri
Tyler Wigglesworth West Covina High School West Covina California
Paula Williams The Ron Clark Academy Atlanta Georgia
Sandi Wilson  Franklin School of Innovation  Asheville North Carolina
Damion Womack The Montgomery Academy Montgomery Alabama
Tammy Yi Chapman University and LA Phil YOLA Program Orange County California
Jason Younts Samuel V. Champion High School Boerne Texas
DeAnna Zecchin Indian River High School Dagsboro Delaware
Marco Rentería and Saul Hernandez of Caifanes perform
Marco Rentería and Saul Hernandez of the Caifanes

Photo": Ismael Rosas/Eyepix Group/LightRocket via Getty Images

feature

Revisiting 'El Nervio Del Volcán' At 30: How Caifanes' Final Album Became A Classic In Latin American Rock

Released in June 1994, 'El Nervio Del Volcán' was a high point of the rock en español explosion and a serious evolution in the Mexican band's sound. Decades after its release, GRAMMY.com explores the story behind and impact of Caifanes' legendary LP.

GRAMMYs/Jun 28, 2024 - 04:04 pm

As its title suggests, the final album from iconic Mexican rock band Caifanes heralded an explosive new evolution in hybrid rock. El Nervio Del Volcán ("nerve of the volcano" in English), was the culmination of a years-long quest by the band to alchemize modern rock and Latin American music. 

Released June 29, 1994, El Nervio Del Volcán represents a high point of Mexico’s rock en español explosion. The 11-track album — the band's fourth release — saw Califanes continuing to explore the sounds of Mexico and Latin America, while broadening their sonic palette with jazz and country. 

Since their formation in 1987, Caifanes had been working to refine a sound that was both commercially successful, highly original, and beloved by critics and fans alike. For their efforts, El Nervio became the second Spanish-language rock album to chart on the Billboard Latin 50. Rolling Stone, which rarely gave Spanish-language music column inches, gave the album a glowing review. Caifanes became the first Mexican band to play on MTV’s "Unplugged" in October 1994. The next year, they opened for the Rolling Stones in Mexico City. 

While Caifanes might have been the leading band of Mexico’s rock en español movement, they were part of a cohort that included bands like Café Tacuba, Maldita Vecindad, and Fobia — which were experimenting with new fusions of traditional Latin American and rock sounds. Caifanes was at the vanguard of the Mexico City-centric movement, and El Nervio showcased the band's skill in developing "strong hits, and experimental things, which I think kind of worked," music journalist Ed Morales tells GRAMMY.com. 

In an interview, Mexican rock historian Federico Rubli calls the record  "a very important album, that maybe in its time wasn’t sufficiently appreciated. Even today, 30 years later, it’s difficult to recognize how great a work it was." If the crossover success weren't appreciation enough, El Nervio is notable for the way in which it set a high standard in songwriting and production for other bands that followed. 

Caifanes was daring beyond their sonic experimentation. Like most Mexican rock bands at the time, their music was prohibited from being played on the radio and they  risked arrest for performing. By the time of their first concert at the legendary Rockotitlan festival in Mexico City in 1987, though, there was no stopping what would soon become a new rock movement. The following year, they broke through the government’s music blockade when their first single, "Mátenme Porque Me Muero" ("Kill me because I am dying"), hit the airwaves. 

The follow-up single, "La Negra Tomasa," a post-punk inflected cumbia rocker that became a smash hit across the country, selling a record 500,000 copies. Their self-titled debut album was released shortly thereafter, with the band members looking like extras from a movie about goth subculture on the cover. Their third album, 1992’s El Silencio, found the band more musically confident than ever before. Producer Adrian Below — the former guitarist and frontman of King Crimson who had also played with David Bowie and Talking Heads — helped the band expand their musical palette with "cotton-candy high notes, rumbling ocean rhythms with upsurges that bellows like sea elephants," music critic Chuck Eddy wrote

Everything changed for the rock en español movement in 1993, when the pop-rock outfit Maná, which played a syrupy mix of tropical-influenced music, sold a million copies of its second album, ¿Dónde Jugarán Los Niños? Record labels were suddenly pursuing the next hit-making Latin band and BMG, which had signed most of the major rock en español bands, considered Caifanes its star rockers. 

The band had fractured as they prepared to go back to the studio, with original bassist Sabo Romo and keyboardist Diego Herrera leaving the group. With the increased backing by their label, the trio of lead singer/songwriter and guitarist Saúl Hernández, Argentine-born guitarist Alejandro Marcovich, and drummer Alfonso André traveled to Burbank, California, to record El Nervio Del Volcán GRAMMY-winning producer Greg Ladanyi (known for his work with Toto, Fleetwood Mac, and The Church) was brought into the O’Henry Sound Studios, along with a few special guests. Famed trumpeter Jerry Hey (known for his work on Michael Jackson’s "Thriller") and Graham Nash both appear on El Nervio. 

The songs that Hernández largely wrote and that the other band members would coalesce around were heavily influenced by Mexican folkloric sounds, though Marcovich in particular introduced a variety of Latin American sounds with his guitar. Throughout El Nervio, Caifanes flows effortlessly between genres:  a bit of rustic son huasteco ("La llorona"), jolts of metal ("El Animal"), and Caribbean rhythms  ("Aviéntame").

Rubli tells GRAMMY.com that the album was notably different from the band’s previous releases, largely due to Marcovich being given leeway with the guitar arrangements. "El Nervio Del Volcán is a much more rounded album, more integrated, with a sequence in each song that is, you might say, more logical," he says in Spanish. "And a lot of that is due to the liberty that Alejandro had to arrange them as he wanted."

Soul-stirring anthem "Afuera" was an unusual choice for a lead single — it features an instrumental guitar interlude that lasts for more than a minute —  but proved brilliant. Even Markovich, the guitarist who wrote the interlude, was dubious about its commercial potential. 

"I never could have imagined it would be a single," he said in 2022 on the podcast "Cuéntame Un Disco." "I even told the record company that they might want to do a more radio friendly version without it, but they left it and it worked." 

Today the song is popular among musicians on YouTube precisely because of its interlude. 

Second single "Aqui No Es Asi" was also a hit. Marcovich, again on the podcast, said he was writing melodies on the guitar when he found an unusual rhythm "between Caribbean and Andean." "It was a strange mix," he said. 

Hernández has been called the "poet laureate of Mexican rock," and has often weaved social themes and indigenous mysticism into the lyrics of his songs. In the propulsive "Aqui no es asi," Hernandez obliquely refers to two different places — one materialistic and out of touch with spirituality, and the other a land "where blood is sacrificed for love." The song has been interpreted as a criticism of Eurocentric values that have marginalized more indigenous ones. 

The album slows down considerably with the acoustic, melancholic hymn "Ayer me dijo un ave." Now one of the band’s signature songs, the song is about strength in the face of adversity. Its lyrics are heavy with surrealistic imagery: "Yesterday a bird told me while flying where there is no heat," Hernández sings. "That the long-suffering are not resurrected in dreams." 

Many of the other songs have become classics in Mexico and among Spanish-speakers in the U.S. Highlights include the full-throttle tropical-tinged "Aviéntame"; "Pero Nunca Me Caí," which features Nash on harmonica; and "Quisiera Ser Alcohol," a jazz-influenced lament with trumpet from Hey and a sumptuous fretless bass from guest Stuart Hamm.

More Sounds From Latin America & Beyond

Rafael Catana, an influential folk-rock musician in Mexico City who has hosted a music show on government-funded radio since 1997, says Caifanes' last album "arrived at a crucial moment in Mexican history" when the country was undergoing a massive social and economic transformation. Both sonically and in its production, El Nervio reflected the conflict between Mexico's interest in transnational capitalism and its underclass.  

In the early 1990s, elites had opened the country to a flood of foreign corporate investment with the North American Free Trade Agreement. On Jan. 1, 1994, an armed indigenous uprising against those policies by the Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional challenged the government unlike any other group had attempted in decades. (Security forces had warned against political dissidence when they massacred student protesters in Mexico City in 1968 and launched a dirty war to round up "subversives" and marginalize the counterculture, including rock bands).

While El Nervio doesn’t explicitly mention any of these historical points, it is clearly a product of the era, filled with evocations of Indigenous musical traditions despite being produced by a major corporate label. During the tour in support of the album, the band made it clear that they were on the side of Mexico’s most oppressed class, with footage of Indigenous villages and archeological sites shown during their concerts. Hernández would sometimes call on audiences to support Mexico’s native people. 

Backstage, the relationship between Marcovich and Hernández became impossible and contributed to the breakup of the band. The rupture between them would become a subject of headlines in the media. Though the exact details of their conflict remain vague, the band played their final show on Aug. 18, 1995, in San Luis Potosí. A legal dispute over the name Caifanes endured for years. 

By the time Caifanes broke up, rock en español was entering a new phase led by the indie-folkloric experimentation of Café Tacuba. Other musical trends also started emerging: the rap-rock of Molotov, the electro of Plastilina Mosh, the commercial explosion of Juanes' tropical pop, the Caribbean alternative rock of Aterciopelados.  

In the interim, Hernandez formed a new band with André. Their Jaguares channeled a more aggressive sound, and their 2008 album 45, took home a golden gramophone for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album at the 2009 GRAMMYs. In 2011, the original members of Caifanes reunited to play Coachella.

But the truce between Hernández and Marcovich didn’t last, and the guitarist once again left the band. A reunited Caifanes, with original members Hernandez and André, are on tour in 2024 with fellow Mexico City rockers Café Tacuba. 

Mexican music journalist David Cortes, who has written several books on Latin American music, said the band was at their creative peak with El Nervio Del Volcán and had established a striking balance between traditional music and foreign sounds. Ultimately, though, the break-up of the band limited its influence over the years. 

"They wanted to go further," he says in Spanish. "And there are hints of where they might have gone."

Latest News & Exclusive Videos

Camila Cabello attends the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
Camila Cabello attends the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party

Photo: Karwai Tang/WireImage

feature

Camila Cabello's Sonic Evolution To 'C, XOXO': How She Went From Pop Princess To Club Star

With her fourth album, 'C, XOXO,' Camila Cabello introduces a new sound inspired by the sweaty dance floors of the Miami club scene. Here's a breakdown of the musical shape-shifting that's led the star to her hyperpop venture.

GRAMMYs/Jun 28, 2024 - 01:18 pm

When Camila Cabello unleashed the singles "I LUV IT" and "HE KNOWS" from her highly anticipated fourth album C, XOXO this past spring, it was obvious that the pop superstar had completely flipped her previous sound on its head. Decidedly hyper-pop, the album is tailor-made for the club, with Cabello saying it's all sonically dedicated to the late-night culture of her home city of Miami. 

While her new sonic direction might be a bit jarring for those who were fans of her previous bubblegum flavors or Latin-inspired tracks, it's not entirely surprising that she's trying something new with this album. Since her 2016 departure from the girl group Fifth Harmony, the singer has been known to take musical chances when it comes to her career. Now, she adds frenetic club tracks to the list. 

From the innocence of her breakthrough to a more grown-up sound and every detour in between, this is how Camila Cabello's artistic voice has evolved through the years. 

Reality Show Breakout: Classic Covers

It may seem hard to believe now, but there was a time when Cabello was just another singing talent vying for her big break when she attended a cattle call audition for "The X Factor."  Cabello's interest in performing actually came as a shock to her parents. "She was so shy, so shy," her mother Sinuhe told the New York Times in 2018. "We didn't even think music was a possibility for her."

Oddly enough, her successful audition with Aretha Franklin's soul classic "Chain of Fools" never even aired (the show reportedly couldn't get the rights to the song). Nevertheless, you know the rest: she was grouped together with Ally Brooke, Normani, Dinah Jane, and Lauren Jauregui, and Fifth Harmony was born. The group quickly became known for powerhouse vocals on covers ranging from Elie Goulding's "Anything Could Happen,"  to Cabello belting out solo while performing The Beatles classic "Let It Be" during their stint on the show; the quintet ultimately placed third. 

Girl Group Launching Pad: Party-Friendly Anthems

As part of Fifth Harmony, Cabello's initial sound was decidedly pop-dance songs, perfect for a high school prom — a fitting style for the then teenage star. Songs like their dynamic debut single "Miss Movin' On", the playfully sexy "Work From Home," and horn-tinged "Worth It" cemented them as bona fide pop breakouts. But eventually, Cabello realized that her and her group mates were drifting apart.  

"I started distancing myself from the group vision," she admitted to the Call Me Daddy podcast earlier this year. "It felt like you know they were still really passionate and into that and so, I was just like, 'I'm not happy here anymore, it doesn't feel aligned.'"


With that, Cabello shocked fans when she departed the group in December 2016. "Fifth Harmony wasn't the maximum expression of me individually," she told Seventeen a couple months after her surprise departure, alluding to her shift to more personal songs. "My fans are really going to know me from the music I'm writing. My goal is to be brave and open up my soul."

Solo Stardom: Personal Pop Confections

By the time Cabello's self-titled debut studio album was released in 2018, it was apparent that leaving the group that made her a star would pay off. Her initial forays into solo stardom came in the form of collaborations, first in 2015 with eventual on-and-off flame Shawn Mendes on "I Know What You Did Last Summer," and then with Machine Gun Kelly for 2016's Pop Airplay-topping (and Fastball sampling) "Bad Things." But her 2017 collab hinted that she was destined to be a superstar: "Havana."

Featuring Young Thug, the salsa-inspired song earned Cabello her first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It also marked a difference from her former bubblegum sound, and proved the Cuba-born star could successfully bridge the gap between mainstream success and her own story. Meanwhile, the single "Never Be The Same" (for which she recruited Frank Dukes, known for his work with Lorde and Post Malone) proved she could embody a more adult pop sound. 

"I feel like the best way to come up with something new and different is just to be the you-est you possible," Cabello told the New York Times when the album was released. "If you pull from all the different little parts of yourself, nobody can replicate that."  

Cabello also embodied these hallmarks for her sophomore album, Romance, which featured a heartfelt ode to her dad, "First Man," and several songs inspired by her, well, romance with Mendes. That included "Señorita," which actually featured Mendes; the song quickly became Spotify's biggest streaming song of the summer of 2019. And with a sultry Latin flair, "Señorita" offered another nod to her roots — and the sounds that would soon be the focus of her music. 

Sonic Trip Down South: Latin Roots

With the success of songs like "Havana" and "Señorita" in mind, Cabello made her junior album a full-on salute to her Cuban heritage in the form of Familia. Each track is decidedly Spanglish, from lead single "Bam Bam," an inspired collaboration with Ed Sheeran (who featured her on his own Latin-inspired track, "South of the Border," in 2019), to "Hasta los Dientes,"which featured the Argneitian star María Becerra.  

"This [album] has been finding my way back," she explained to GRAMMY.com at the time. "A big part of that is my roots, and my heritage. I want to spend the most time in Latin America and in Mexico because it just makes me feel like myself."  

According to the star, the album bolstered her confidence; in turn, it helped her fully feel free to express herself. "There's no walls of any of that other, like, ego stuff up. So that's why [Familia] was the most fun experience, and what I think is my best work so far." 

Read More: How Camila Cabello Found Herself With 'Familia,' An Album That Ties Together Her Latin Roots And "An Unfiltered Me"

Latest Chapter: Hyperpop Diversion

With the first single from her fourth project, "I LUV IT" (featuring Playboy Carti), it was obvious Cabello was about to embark on yet another complete reconstruction of her sound. The song served as a tantalizing hint that the singer's next album, C, XOXO, ventured in a hyperpop direction. In reality, it's a concept album based on long, late, wild, and sometimes melancholy nights in Miami. Second single, "HE KNOWS" with Lil Nas X, marked further proof. 

"We wanted to see how we could take these cadences that have a certain swagger and contrast it with beautiful music and pretty chords and lush guitar," Cabello told PAPER Magazine of her latest process earlier this year. But while not every song exhibits that oft-discussed Charli XCX-influenced hyperpop sound, her aforementioned lead singles arguably do."We were mixing and matching to find something new and inspiring. If it's a sweet melody, let's make the music scary. If she has a rap flow, let's make the music acoustic."  

The album's tracks also develop with an ominous aura. "Pretty When You Cry," for example, sounds like it's sung while sitting on a sidewalk outside the club one late night with mascara streaking; in the distance the listener hears the warped, low echoes of an inspired sample of Pitbull's "Hotel Room Service." As a result, the music is the starkest contrast yet from her bubblegum past — further proof that Cabello's penchant for genre-swapping has turned into a singular aspect of her superstar career. 

Latest News & Exclusive Videos