Leon Bridges, Sylvan Esso, Yola, Fleet Foxes and More Artists React to 2022 Grammy Nominations: Exclusive

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The post Leon Bridges, Sylvan Esso, Yola, Fleet Foxes and More Artists React to 2022 Grammy Nominations: Exclusive appeared first on Consequence.

Nominations for the 2022 Grammy Awards were announced on Tuesday (November 23rd). Lead nominee Jon Batiste is up for a whopping 11 Grammys, and Justin Bieber, Doja Cat, and H.E.R. aren’t far behind, with eight nominations each.

Artists like Leon Bridges — who is up for Best Traditional R&B Performance with Robert Glasper, as well as for Best R&B Album — shared their exclusive reactions with Consequence by email.

“It’s humbling to be nominated for two Grammy Awards, amongst all my peers in the music industry,” Bridges says. “Gold Diggers Sound was a labor of love, something healing that followed a difficult time in my life and was born out of nighttime R&B jam sessions with musicians and a producer I deeply respect and am inspired by.

“I can’t thank the fans enough for showing up in force, the Recording Academy and most importantly all the hardworking songwriters, producers, engineers and musicians who are the true heroes and make this all possible. Special shoutout to my brother Robert Glasper — it was an honor to create, record and perform ‘Born Again’ with you.”

“Deep thanks and appreciation to the dozens of people who helped bring this album to life and to the Grammy voters for their kind consideration!” Fleet Foxes‘ Robin Pecknold also tells Consequence. The band’s Shore is up for Best Alternative Music Album.

Free Love is our favorite record that we’ve ever made,” Sylvan Esso says of their Best Dance/Electronic Music Album nomination. “Releasing this out into the world in 2020 was a truly challenging experience; from shooting music videos in the ocean and taping TV performances from a moving truck, it’s wild to see how much of this process was an expression of love during some of our darkest moments. Being able to finally share this music in person on tour with our audience has been a dream, and the surprise of this nomination is such a beautiful way to celebrate this record again. We are honored to be nominated among so many people who inspire us.”

Meanwhile, jazz/funk band Hiatus Kaiyote are celebrating their nomination for Best Progressive R&B Album. “I don’t know why, but this Grammy nomination feels extra special,” frontwoman Nai Palm tells Consequence. “The first one felt like a fluke, the second one felt more grounding, but this third one has me wired at 6:00 a.m. on no sleep, like a kid on Christmas Day. It’s our first album nomination, and the making of it was sooo monumental to our growth as a band.

“I feel a deep sense of pride and purpose in this work. Mood Valiant is deeply tied up in my sense of mortality and worthiness because of the illness I overcame while making it. This third time-lucky nomination is a beautiful bookend to such a massive sonic and emotional journey. I am shooketh and super happy. Thank you to the Academy for making these four nerds from Australia feel like rock stars.”

Grammy nominees 2022
Grammy nominees 2022

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“Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!” Yola, who landed two noms, tells Consequence. “I’m so frikking excited and honored to be nominated for American Roots Song and Best Americana Album!! I can’t begin to tell you what it means to have this album nominated. These songs come from such pivotal moments in my life and speak on such personal subjects that these nominations are just so meaningful! A massive thank you to the one and only Dan Auerbach for assisting me in bringing this album to life, and congratulations for your nomination for Delta Kream. To be nominated alongside my chosen sister Allison Russell and see nominations for my dear friend Brandi Carlile and the absolute domination of my buddy Jon Batiste just adds so much to this overwhelming sense of joy! I don’t think this’ll sink in for a while…”

Tori Kelly, whose A Tori Kelly Christmas is up for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, and who contributed to Justin Bieber’s Album of the Year nominee Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe), is also over the moon.

“I am definitely in shock. I am a late processor for sure, so this will probably hit me hard in like four days,” Kelly tells Consequence. “For this album, that I made in my home studio, to be recognized by The Recording Academy, is such an honor. I really created this with the intention of bringing cheer and to help spark some happiness during a tough year for so many.

“And of course, to even be mentioned in the Album Of The Year category — having contributed to Justin Bieber’s deluxe edition — is just mind-blowing. I’m just honored, in shock and excited. Thank you to Harvey and the entire Academy!”

Elsewhere, Madison Cunningham‘s Wednesday (Extended Edition) is up for Best Folk Album. “What news to wake up to! No matter the music or art I make, earning a nomination will always come as an unexpected and thoughtful surprise,” she tells Consequence. “Warmest thanks to the Recording Academy for this.”

Mon Laferte, whose SEIS is nominated for Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano), tells Consequence: “Since I arrived in Mexico, I have fallen in love with the cultural and musical diversity that exists throughout this beautiful country and SEIS is an album that has diverse inspirations from everything I have learned and lived during those 15 years. SEIS gave me the opportunity to merge genres such as El Mariachi, La Música Norteña and Campirana, La banda Sinaloense, and it also let me discover the Music of the Sierra Oaxaqueña.

“I have not forgotten the Chiapas marimba, the Jarochos and Huastecos sounds, the Isthmus music, nor Canto Cardenche, or the Sierreña music. There’s so much diversity to discover that I hope to continue immersing myself in this beautiful culture. I never imagined that I, an immigrant who came to Mexico to fight for her dreams doing what she loves the most, could be nominated for a Grammy, sharing a category with Mexican men and women who I deeply admire and respect. Music has the power to erase those boundaries and walls that want to divide us. As Chavela said, ‘Los mexicanos nacen donde se les da la rechingada gana.’ (Mexicans are born wherever the fuck they want).”

Check out more reactions from artists below, and see the full list of 2022 Grammy nominations here. The 2022 Grammy Awards will take place on Sunday, January 31st.

Leon Bridges, Sylvan Esso, Yola, Fleet Foxes and More Artists React to 2022 Grammy Nominations: Exclusive
Gab Ginsberg

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