Eric Bellinger Finds Himself in a ‘New Light’ With Grammy Nomination

When singer-songwriter-producer Eric Bellinger learned he’d received his first Grammy nomination as an artist — best progressive R&B album for New Light — the first thing he did was scream. The second thing the Los Angeles native did was release an acoustic edition of the album on Wednesday (Nov. 24).

New Light: Acoustics features four of the album’s fan-favorite singles: “What About Us” featuring Sevyn Streeter, “Tired of Waiting,” “Go Get It” and “Euphoric” featuring Brandy. Initially released in September through the label YFS (Your Favorite Song) and distributor EMPIRE, New Light is Bellinger’s eighth studio album. In addition to motivational lead single “Shine on the World” and guest appearances by The Game and Kierra Sheard, the 15-song set marks the next chapter in Bellinger’s artistic journey.

Prior to launching his solo career in earnest in 2014 with the single “I Don’t Want Her,” the prolific Bellinger racked up numerous writing and producing credits. Grammy-nominated for the first time in 2014 for best R&B song for Chris Brown’s “New Flame,” Bellinger has also collaborated with Usher, Justin Bieber, Brandy, Tank, Trey Songz, Teyana Taylor and, most recently, Love aka Diddy.

Says Bellinger of his latest career achievement, “It’s awesome to be doing what I love to do and then get this type of recognition.”

Where were you and what were you doing when you heard the news?

I’m in New York rehearsing for a show I’ll be doing with Alicia Keys. So yesterday, I was trying to be super quiet during the rehearsal while I was watching the nominations announcement on my phone. When the category came up and I heard my name, I began screaming. People [in the room] were saying, “What are you talking about?!” But it was a great moment.

You’ve released a host of albums, mixtapes and EPs over the last several years. What is it about New Light that made it click with voters?

I just had a feeling from the beginning. My intention from the first session was to go extra hard on this album, to go crazy musically with everything from the harmonies to the transitions to post-production. I’m a singer who grew up in the church and a songwriter that’s a perfectionist when it comes to articulating my thoughts. We also did camps, bringing in so many different, incredible musicians — the most I’ve ever collaborated with on an album. I went into the project thinking that if this is the last you’re ever going to hear from me, I want this to be the time. And I knew that once we did that, then God would do the rest.

What does it mean to be recognized in the best progressive R&B album category, which formally debuted during the last awards cycle?

There are so many different worlds of R&B. Melodies have become so monotonous and so easy to knock out on Auto-Tune or find a beat on YouTube. So it’s very possible for all to have the same sound. I like to call my music the evolution of classic. That’s always been my thing like with uptempo R&B club song “I Don’t Want Her” [featuring Problem], working with samples and trying different things with drum patterns. I’ve always stayed in the streets to see and hear what’s going on so I can put it in the music. I feel like because I’m able to tap into the new frequencies that the youth are doing, it’s automatically going crazy because I’m combining it with classic soul.

With this new slate of R&B nominations, do you think voting and other changes implemented by the Recording Academy are working?

I do. It’s especially dope because they’re shining a light on artists through different categories that are so broad across the spectrum, and now there are so many more voters that are urban who are more involved and more aware. I was on the board when the last Grammy voting was taking place so I was able to soak up a lot of knowledge while we were going through that and other [Academy] processes. And that’s important. Instead of complaining about why we aren’t getting this or that, we have to take the necessary steps to do our part as well. So I do see a lot of people becoming members and voting and artists being nominated as we celebrate R&B and music in general.

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H.E.R., Jazmine Sullivan & Silk Sonic Stand Up for R&B in 2022 Grammy Nominations

Just like last year, the R&B nominations for the 64th Grammy Awards are once again a potpourri of genre faves, surprises and omissions.

H.E.R. brings her total Grammy nominations count to 21 with eight more added Tuesday (Nov. 23) and four of those under the R&B banner: best performance and best song for “Damage,” best album for Back of My Mind and best traditional performance for “Fight for You.” And, of course, there were the expected nominations for Silk Sonic and “Leave the Door Open” (best R&B performance, best R&B song).

Also on tap were hoped-for nods on behalf of critically acclaimed projects from Jazmine Sullivan (best R&B album for Heaux Tales, best R&B performance and song for “Pick Up Your Feelings”), Lucky Daye (best progressive R&B album for Table for Two, best traditional performance for “How Much Can a Heart Take” featuring Yebba) and Giveon (best R&B song for “Heartbreak Anniversary”). The latter song was a breakthrough hit from the singer-songwriter’s Take Time EP, nominated last year for best R&B album. Snubbed last year, Snoh Aalegra won nominations for best R&B performance (“Lost You”) and best R&B album (Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies).

Several unexpected surprises also round out this year’s nominations slate. Justin Bieber received his R&B validation with a best R&B performance nod for “Peaches,” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon. The recognition comes after the singer/songwriter posted a letter to the Recording Academy on Instagram last year after the 2021 Grammy noms announcement, declaring that his fifth album Changes — nominated for best pop vocal album — was being improperly honored as it was actually an R&B project.

Another major surprise this year is Jon Batiste. Leading the 2022 Grammy derby with 11 nods, the artist-musician-composer clinched two of those in the R&B field: best traditional R&B performance for “I Need You” and best R&B album for We Are.

In its second year of existence, the best progressive album category (formerly best urban contemporary album) numbers six nominees, owing to a tie. Besides Daye, those nominees include first-timer Masego (Studying Abroad: Extended Stay) along with previous Grammy winners Eric Bellinger (New Light, his first nod as a solo artist) and ex-Snarky Puppy member Cory Henry (Something to Say, also nominated for his co-producer-writer work on the Bellinger and Kanye West albums); prior Grammy nominees Hiatus Kaiyote (Mood Valiant) and Terrace Martin; as well as Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder & Kamasi Washington (Dinner Party: Dessert), all Grammy-nominated artists, with Glasper and 9th Wonder as past winners.

Glasper is also up a second time as a featured guest on Leon Bridges’ “Born Again” for best traditional R&B performance. “Bring It on Home to Me” by BJ the Chicago Kid, PJ Morton & Kenyon Dixon featuring Charlie Bereal completes that category. Bridges also scores a second nod for best R&B album for Gold-Diggers Sound. Nominated three times last year, including best R&B performance, singer-songwriter-musician Jacob Collier returns with a best R&B song nod for SZA’s “Good Days.”

There are some compelling outcomes to watch as the countdown begins, especially in best R&B song and R&B performance. Best R&B album nominees and labelmates H.E.R. and Sullivan are competing against each other and Silk Sonic in both categories. Then all three are vying against Bieber in the performance category.

However, there are still several striking omissions across the field. Among the names that spring to mind are newcomer Capella Grey, Ari Lennox and Normani featuring Cardi B for best R&B performance. Also Tank, Leela James, soul pioneer Merry Clayton and Charlie Wilson & Smokey Robinson’s silky pairing (“All of My Love”) for traditional R&B performance, as well as Shelley FKA DRAM for best progressive album and VanJess for best R&B album.

The 64th annual Grammy Awards will take place in Los Angeles on Jan. 31.

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Adele’s ’30’ Surpasses Drake’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’ for Year’s Biggest Debut

Adele’s 30 has captured the biggest week of 2021 for any album in the U.S., surpassing the debut of Drake’s Certified Lover Boy.

According to initial reports to MRC Data, 30 has earned more than 660,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. from its Nov. 19 release through Nov. 22, with over 560,000 of that sum in traditional album sales.

In terms of weekly units earned, 30 has now beaten the debut week of Drake’s Certified Lover Boy, which launched with 613,000 units earned in the week ending Sept. 9.

Equivalent album units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.

It was earlier reported that 30 is also 2021’s top-selling album (surpassing the sales of any album over the past 11 months combined) and has the year’s largest week for any album in terms of traditional album sales, beating the debut of Taylor Swift’s Red (Taylor’s Version), which sold 369,000 copies in the week ending Nov. 18.

The current tracking week ends at the close of business on Nov. 25. Billboard is scheduled to announce the album’s official final first-week numbers on Sunday, Nov. 28, after MRC Data has completed processing the week’s data.

If 30 debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart dated Dec. 4 (which reflects the tracking week ending Nov. 25), it will mark Adele’s third No. 1. She previously topped the list with her last two studio albums: 25 (10 weeks in 2015-16) and 21 (24 weeks in 2011-12).

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Judge Seeks Cardi B’s Medical Records in STD Defamation Lawsuit

With a trial looming in Cardi B’s defamation lawsuit against a vlogger who the superstar has accused of spreading false rumors that she has herpes, a federal judge has cleared the way for a California hospital to turn over STD tests conducted on the rapper.

In an order issued Monday, Judge William M. Ray II directed the Center for Women’s Pelvic Health at UCLA to produce “any and all medical records within your possession related solely to the testing for Herpes and HPV for Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar,” referring to Cardi B by her birth name.

Monday’s order came in a bitter libel lawsuit filed by Cardi B against a blogger named Latasha Kebe. The case accuses Kebe of waging “a malicious campaign” to hurt Cardi B’s reputation, including releasing dozens of videos that made allegedly false claims of prostitution, drug use and sexually transmitted diseases. A jury trial is scheduled to kick off Jan. 5.

The medical records are important to Cardi B’s case against Kebe because a negative test would help show that the blogger’s STD accusations were false, which must be proven to win a defamation lawsuit. Monday’s order was sought by Kebe’s attorneys, but an attorney for Cardi B told Billboard on Tuesday (Nov. 23) that the same tests had already been voluntarily disclosed earlier in the case — and as evidence in favor of the rapper’s accusations.

“The medical records concerning the HPV and herpes tests were previously produced subject to a protective order and in support of my client’s claims,” said Lisa F. Moore of Moore Pequignot LLC. An attorney for Kebe did not immediately return a request for comment on Tuesday.

The case has been hard-fought for more two years. Kebe initially countersued on accusations that Cardi B’s fans had threatened her on social media, but Judge Ray ruled last year that there was “no evidence” that the rapper had caused the alleged harassment.

Even scheduling issues have led to nasty disputes. After Cardi B asked earlier this month to delay a November trial to January because of a family emergency, Kebe accused her of fabricating the story so that she could host the American Music Awards, citing Instagram stories showing “no family emergency in sight.”

The judge rejected those claims and scheduled the trial for Jan. 5.

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Grammy Nominations in the Post-Committee Era: Who Benefited & Who Didn’t? (Analysis)

Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga and ABBA might want to thank the Recording Academy for getting rid of its nominations review committees. Wizkid might feel differently.

This year, for the first time in 27 years, the final nominations in the Grammys’ Big Four categories were determined by the Academy’s 11,000 voting members without being second-guessed by a review committee.

For the most part, the nominations are what you might expect. Olivia Rodrigo’s “drivers license,” Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open” and Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” are right in the Grammys’ wheelhouse. They’re well-crafted records that did well with just about every constituency – fans, critics, radio, the industry. They were going to be in the finals, committee or no committee.

ABBA’s record of the year nomination for “I Still Have Faith in You” is a shocker. For one thing, the group had never previously been nominated for a Grammy in any category, though its masterminds Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus were nominated individually for their work on the Mamma Mia soundtrack (Andersson) and the Chess musical cast album (both of them). It seems reasonable that the committee might have bypassed that record in favor of something else.

What might the committee have favored? Perhaps Wizkid’s “Essence” (featuring Tems), a mellow, vibey track that is the front-runner to win in the new best global music performance category. The record peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 two weeks before first-round voting closed on Nov. 5, which is ideal timing. While we’ll never know for sure, “Essence” probably made the top 20 in the vote of regular voting members. If it did, the committee, were it still in place, likely would have given it a push into the top 10.

The album of the year nomination for Bennett & Gaga’s Love for Sale and the record of the year nod for their spry recording of Cole Porter’s “I Get a Kick Out of You” also may not have happened if the committee were still in charge. Bennett hadn’t been nominated in a Big Four category since 1994, when his MTV Unplugged won album of the year. That win, and a nomination in that category that same year for The Three Tenors in Concert 1994, caused some grumbling that the Grammys were out-of-touch.

That wasn’t really a knock on Bennett or The Three Tenors (José Carreras, Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti with conductor Zubin Mehta). It was just a reflection of the fact that hip-hop and alternative music were the most vital genres in music at that time, and neither was represented in the album of the year nominations. (The other three nominees that year were Eric Clapton and Bonnie Raitt, who had both won in the category previously, and Seal.) The controversy led Mike Greene, the Academy’s president/CEO at  the time, to install a nominations review committee the following year.

Bennett has won 12 Grammys in competition since his 1994 album of the year win, but until now he had not made it back to a Big Four category. Bennett and Gaga’s first joint album, Cheek to Cheek (2014), wasn’t nominated for album of the year, nor were either of his best-selling duets albums: Duets: An American Classic (2006) or Duets 2 (2011).

It’s as if the committee was afraid that he might win again if he was nominated in a Big Four category – which might have triggered another round of complaints about the Grammys being out-of-touch or stuck in the past.

Favoring legacy artists, at the expense of more contemporary stars, is a longstanding Grammy practice. Legacy artists are hard to beat. They have decades worth of friends, associates and admirers in the Academy.

At the 1990 Grammys, Quincy Jones won album of the year for Back on the Block, which was smartly marketed as reflecting his journey “from be-bop to hip-hop.” It beat Mariah Carey’s debut album and M.C. Hammer’s Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em, the first hip-hop album ever nominated in the category.

The following year, Natalie Cole’s Unforgettable With Love, a sentimental tribute to her father, Nat “King” Cole, won album of the year. Their silky duet version of “Unforgettable,” first a hit for the elder Cole in 1951, took record of the year, beating R.E.M.’s masterful “Losing My Religion” and Bryan Adams’ megahit “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You.”

No one questions the artistry of Jones or either of the Coles. But it sometimes seemed like every time the voters had a chance to salute a legacy artist, they took it. This goes way back in Grammy history.

In both 1965 and 1966, Frank Sinatra beat The Beatles for album of the year. In 1966, Sinatra’s A Man and His Music, a two-disc set in which he re-recorded songs from throughout his career, beat Revolver, one of the Beatles’ most prized albums.

The two acts – two of the greatest names in recording history — competed again in 1967 – for the third year in a row. This time The Beatles finally prevailed with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, which beat a Sinatra collab with bossa nova giant Antonio Carlos Jobim. (If The Beatles hadn’t won for Sgt. Pepper’s, one of the most classic and impactful albums of all time, the Recording Academy’s credibility would likely never have recovered.)

Even after the nominations review committee was in place, if they let a legacy artist compete in a marquee category, the voters would often flock to that artist. Ray Charles won album of the year posthumously for 2004’s Genius Loves Company – beating three red-hot contemporary Black stars, Usher, Kanye West and Alicia Keys, as well as Green Day.

Three years later, Herbie Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters won album of the year, beating albums by West (again) and Amy Winehouse, among others.

The Academy’s voting membership is different today than it was in 1994 or 2004 or 2007 – through natural attrition as well as through the Academy’s concerted effort to expand and diversify its membership.

Harvey Mason jr., the Academy’s CEO, alluded to that in an interview with Billboard this week. Asked if he was at all nervous about what the voters might do, left to their own devices, he replied: “I wasn’t nervous. I felt like we’d done a lot of important work on our membership. We’ve done a lot of outreach into different communities that we felt were maybe underrepresented in our voting membership. … So I felt like the timing was right for our membership to be able to directly decide who the nominees were. That’s why we felt good with removing the nominations review committees at the time that we did it.”

Asked about Wizkid not making the record of the year finals, Mason said “It is a great record. He’s a very talented artist. I can’t speak to why it didn’t make it, but I do really love the record.”

Mason reported being pleased overall with the nominations. While he expressed some concerns, such as the nominees in the rock categories skewing toward older, veteran artists at the expense of younger stars, he felt more confident than he did on Nominations Day 2020, when he had the unenviable assignment of talking up nominations that included not a single nod for The Weeknd.

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