TheCable

DIPO AKINKUGBE

The annual show of music’s biggest night is upon us once again. The 57th edition Grammy awards is scheduled to hold at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles on Sunday February 8.

Rapper LL Cool J is set to host the event for the fourth consecutive time and 70 Grammy awards will be presented at this year’s ceremony.

The event promises great excitement with performances from the world’s biggest artistes such as Madonna, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Usher, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Common and John Legend.

However the highlight of the show will be the musical acts that get to take away the world’s most prestigious musical award.

Here are TheCable’s top 5 nominees set to take home the coveted trophy. These artistes have received high praise for producing inspiring music in 2014 and really deserve all the accolades. Tell us which nominees you think will win awards.

SAM SMITH

Sam Smith

Newcomer Sam Smith is definitely this year’s hottest Grammy nominee. He leads the nominees list alongside veterans Beyoncé and Pharrell Williams with nominations in six categories, which include Song of the Year for Stay With Me” and Album of the Year for In the Lonely Hour, then Record of the Year and Best New Artiste.

At just 22 years old, he is the 10th artiste of all time to be nominated in all four field categories and the second youngest after Mariah Carey who he has revealed is among his biggest musical influences. He said: “It’s all I listened to. I actually didn’t listen to male vocalists until about two years ago.

“I just listened to Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan. Massive voices.”

The young artistes revealed in May 2014 that he is gay.

BEYONCE

Beyonce

She is the most nominated woman and third-highest female awardee in Grammy history. Prior to being nominated in six categories for this year’s awards, she’s been nominated 53 times in her career and won 17 Grammy’s.

Now, she is a hot favourite to pick up awards for Best R&B Song and Best R&B performance for Drunk in Love featuring hubby Jay-Z, Album of the year for Beyoncé, Best Urban Contemporary Album, Best Surround Sound Album and Best Music Film for Beyoncé and Jay Z: On the Run Tour.

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter was a member of one of the most successful girl groups of all time known as Destiny’s Child, which was disbanded in 2005. By that time Beyoncé had already established herself as a solo artiste with her debut solo album titled Dangerously in Love (2003), which sold 11 million copies and earned her five Grammy awards.

She is married to American rap artiste Sean Carter (Jay-Z) and is blessed with a daughter named Blue-Ivy.

IGGY AZALEA

Iggy Azalea

Iggy Azalea (real name Amethyst Amelia Kelly) is a controversial white rapper who has garnered an impressive four Grammy nominations which include Record of the Year and Best Pop/Duo Group Performance for Fancy featuring Charli XCX, Best Rap Album for the New Classic, and Best New Artiste.

As the Grammy nominations were announced on December 5 2014, hip hop fans on social media lashed out at the 24 year old Australian for not deserving her nomination for best Rap Album going up against heavyweights such as Eminem for Marshall Mathers LP2, Common for Nobody’s Smiling and other highly-rated artistes Childish Gambino-Because the Internet, School Boy Q-Oxymoron and Wiz Khalifa-Blacc Hollywood.

Iggy Azalea’s emergence on the hip hop stage in 2014 stirred up quite a vitriolic cultural debate on white artistes adopting a hip-hop culture and how they end up winning awards over supposedly more deserving black counterparts.

After the controversial win of the white Mackelmore who beat out big favourite Kendrick Lamar at last year’s Grammy’s, many fans have expressed their dismay at what they expect will repeat itself this year. Watch out!

PHARRELL WILLIAMS

Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams is a deeply talented singer and producer nominated for both roles. He is the only awardee on this list who was nominated and also won in last year’s Grammy’s.

Last year, he was nominated for an impressive seven awards, and he won three awards for Producer of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for his collaboration with Daft Punk for Get Lucky.

This year he is again among the leading nominees with six nominations for Best Contemporary Urban Album and Album of the year for his 2014 album titled Girl, Best Music Video and Best Solo Pop Performance of his single Happy, and as producer for two albums Beyoncé and X nominated for Album of the Year.

The never-aging crooner is also set to perform some of his latest and greatest hits on the night. This man is just something else.

ANGELIQUE KIDJO

Angelique Kidjo Album Cover

This is Angelique Kidjo’s seventh Grammy nomination and sixth in the Best World Music Album category. She won the award in 2008 for her album titled Djin Djin released on the 1st of May 2007.

She is nominated for her 10 album titled EVE, which was released on January 28 2014. The 13-track album dedicated to the beauty and resilience of women in Africa, features artistes such as Asa, the Legendary New Orleans Pianist and six time Grammy award winner Dr. John, the Kronos Quartet and the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra.

It also features intimate collaborations with traditional women choirs from Kenya and from various cities and villages in Benin.

The 54-year-old Beninese singer said “Eve is an album of remembrance of African women I grew up with and a testament to the pride and strength that hide behind the smile that masks everyday troubles”.

The album debuted at number one on the Billboard World Music Chart. We wish her all the luck and hope she wins!