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JAY-Z, Kendrick Lamar lead diverse 2018 Grammy nominations

Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga also land nominations

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(Screenshot via YouTube.)

The 60th Annual Grammys Awards announced its 2018 nominees with rap and R&B artists making their mark on the top four major categories.

Singer Audra Day announced the nominations for the four major categories of record of the year, song of the year, best new artist and album of the year.

JAY-Z leads this year’s nominations with a total of eight nominations including album, song, and record of the year. His album “4:44,” which includes his mother’s coming out, will battle against Bruno Mars’  “24K Magic, “Damn” by Kendrick Lamar,” “Melodrama” by Lorde and “Awaken My Love!” by Childish Gambino.

Kendrick Lamar is close behind with a total of seven nominations for his album “Damn.” Lady Gaga also scored nominations for Best Pop Solo Performance for “Million Reasons” and Best Pop Vocal Album for “Joanne.”

The 60th Annual Grammy Awards will air from Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sunday Jan. 28 on CBS.

Album of the Year

“Awaken My Love!,” Childish Gambino

“4:44,” JAY-Z

“Damn,” Kendrick Lamar

“Melodrama,” Lorde

“24K Magic,” Bruno Mars

Song of the Year

“Despacito” Ramón Ayala, Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Erika Ender, Luis Fonsi and Marty James Garton, songwriters (Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber)

“4:44” Shawn Carter and Dion Wilson, songwriters (JAY-Z)

“Issues” Benny Blanco, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen, songwriters (Julia Michaels)

“1-800-273-8255” Sir Robert Hall II, Arjun Ivatury, Alessia Caracciolo, Khalid Robinson, Drew Taggart, songwriters (Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid)

“That’s What I Like” Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus and Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars

Record of the Year

“Redbone,” Childish Gambino

“Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber

“The Story of O.J.,” JAY-Z

“Humble,” Kendrick Lamar

“24K Magic,” Bruno Mars

Best New Artist

Alessia Cara

Khalid

Lil Uzi Vert

Julia Michaels

SZA

Best Pop Solo Performance

“Love So Soft,” Kelly Clarkson

“Praying,” Kesha

“Million Reasons,” Lady Gaga

“What About Us,” P!nk

“Shape Of You,” Ed Sheeran

Best Pop Vocal Album

“Kaleidoscope EP,” Coldplay

“Lust For Life,” Lana Del Rey

“Evolve,” Imagine Dragons

“Rainbow,” Kesha

“Joanne,” Lady Gaga

“÷ (Divide),” Ed Sheeran

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance 

“Something Just Like This,” The Chainsmokers & Coldplay

“Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber

“Thunder,” Imagine Dragons

“Feel It Still,” Portugal. The Man

“Stay,” Zedd & Alessia Cara

Traditional Vocal Album

“Nobody But Me (Deluxe Version),” Michael Bublé

“Triplicate,” Bob Dylan

“In Full Swing,” Seth MacFarlane

“Wonderland,” Sarah McLachlan

“Tony Bennett Celebrates 90,” Various Artists

Best Rap Album

“4:44,” JAY-Z

“Damn,” Kendrick Lamar

“Culture,” Migos

“Laila’s Wisdom,” Rapsody

“Flower Boy,” Tyler, the Creator

Best Rap/Sung Performance

“Prblms,” 6lack

“Crew,” Goldlink featuring Brent Faiyaz & Shy Glizzy

“Family Feud,” JAY-Z featuring Beyoncé

“Loyalty,” Kendrick Lamar featuring Rihanna

“Love Galore,” SZA featuring Travis Scott

Best Country Album

“Cosmic Hallelujah,” Kenny Chesney

“Heart Break,” Lady Antebellum

“The Breaker,” Little Big Town

“Life Changes,” Thomas Rhett

“From a Room: Volume 1,” Chris Stapleton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

“It Ain’t My Fault,” Brothers Osborne

“My Old Man,” Zac Brown Band

“You Look Good,” Lady Antebellum

“Better Man,” Little Big Town

“Drinkin’ Problem,” Midland

Best Country Solo Performance

“Body Like a Back Road,” Sam Hunt

“Losing You,” Alison Krauss

“Tin Man,” Miranda Lambert

“I Could Use a Love Song,” Maren Morris

“Either Way,” Chris Stapleton

Best Rock Album

“Emperor of Sand,” Mastodon

“Hardwired…to Self-Destruct,” Metallica

“The Stories We Tell Ourselves,” Nothing More

“Villains,” Queens of the Stone Age

“A Deeper Understanding,” The War on Drugs

Best Rock Performance

“You Want It Darker,” Leonard Cohen

“The Promise,” Chris Cornell

“Run,” Foo Fighters

“No Good,” Kaleo

“Go to War,” Nothing More

Best R&B Performance

“Get You,” Daniel Caesar featuring Kali Uchis

“Distraction,” Kehlani

“High,” Ledisi

“That’s What I Like,” Bruno Mars

“The Weekend,” SZA

Best R&B Urban Contemporary Album

“Free 6lack,” 6lack

“Awaken, My Love!,” Childish Gambino

“American Teen,” Khalid

“Ctrl,” SZA

“Starboy,” the Weeknd

Best Dance Electronic Album

“Migration,” Bonobo

“3-D the Catalogue,” Kraftwerk

“Mura Masa,” Mura Masa

“A Moment Apart,” Odesza

“What Now,” Sylvan Esso

Best Dance Recording

“Bambro Koyo Ganda,” Bonobo featuring Innov Gnawa

“Cola,” Camelphat & Elderbrook

“Andromeda,” Gorillaz featuring Dram

“Tonite,” LCD Soundsystem

“Line of Sight,” Odesza featuring Wynne & Mansionair

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media

“Baby Driver,” (Various Artists)

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: Awesome Mix Vol. 2,” (Various Artists)

“Hidden Figures: The Album,” (Various Artists)

“La La Land,” (Various Artists)

“Moana: The Songs,” (Various Artists)

Best Song Written For Visual Media

“City of Stars,” Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, songwriters (Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone)

“How Far I’ll Go,” Lin-Manuel Miranda, songwriter (Auli’i Cravalho)

“I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker),” Jack Antonoff, Sam Dew & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Zayn & Taylor Swift)

“Never Give Up,” Sia Furler & Greg Kurstin, songwriters (Sia)

“Stand Up for Something,” Common & Diane Warren, songwriters (Andra Day featuring Common)

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media

“Arrival,” Jóhann Jóhannsson, composer

“Dunkirk,” Hans Zimmer, composer

“Game of Thrones: Season 7,” Ramin Djawadi, composer

“Hidden Figures,” Benjamin Wallfisch, Pharrell Williams & Hans Zimmer, composers

“La La Land,” Justin Hurwitz, composer

Best Music Video

“Up All Night,” (Beck) Canada, video director; Laura Serra Estorch & Oscar Romagosa, video producers

“Makeba” — (Jain) Lionel Hirle & Gregory Ohrel, video directors; Yodelice, video producer

“The Story of O.J.” — (Jay-Z) Shawn Carter & Mark Romanek, video directors; Daniel Midgley, video producer

“Humble.” — (Kendrick Lamar) The Little Homies & Dave Meyers, video directors; Jason Baum, Dave Free, Jamie Rabineau, Nathan K. Scherrer & Anthony Tiffith, video producers

“1-800-273-8255″ — (Logic featuring Alessia Cara & Khalid) Andy Hines, video director; Andrew Lerios, video producer

Best Music Film

“One More Time With Feeling” (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds) Andrew Dominik, video director; Dulcie Kellett & James Wilson, video producers

“Long Strange Trip” (The Grateful Dead) Amir Bar-Lev, video director; Alex Blavatnik, Ken Dornstein, Eric Eisner, Nick Koskoff & Justin Kreutzmann, video producers

“The Defiant Ones” (Various Artists) Allen Hughes, video director; Sarah Anthony, Fritzi Horstman, Broderick Johnson, Gene Kirkwood, Andrew Kosove, Laura Lancaster, Michael Lombardo, Jerry Longarzo, Doug Pray & Steven Williams, video producers

“Soundbreaking” (Various Artists) Maro Chermayeff & Jeff Dupre, video directors; Joshua Bennett, Julia Marchesi, Sam Pollard, Sally Rosenthal, Amy Schewel & Warren Zanes, video producers

Best Spoken Word Album

“Astrophysics for People in a Hurry,” Neil deGrasse Tyson

“Born to Run,” Bruce Springsteen

“Confessions of a Serial Songwriter,” Shelly Peiken

“Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In (Bernie Sanders),” Bernie Sanders and Mark Ruffalo

“The Princess Diarist,” Carrie Fisher

Best Comedy Album

“The Age of Spin & Deep in the Heart of Texas,” Dave Chappelle

“Cinco,” Jim Gaffigan

“Jerry Before Seinfeld,” Jerry Seinfeld

“A Speck of Dust,” Sarah Silverman

“What Now?,” Kevin Hart

Best Musical Theater Album

“Come From Away” — Ian Eisendrath, August Eriksmoen, David Hein, David Lai & Irene Sankoff, producers; David Hein & Irene Sankoff, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

“Dear Evan Hansen” — Ben Platt, principal soloist; Alex Lacamoire, Stacey Mindich, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, producers; Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

“Hello, Dolly!” — Bette Midler, principal soloist; Steven Epstein, producer (Jerry Herman, composer & lyricist) (New Broadway Cast Recording)

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Theater

Talented pair of local queer actors tackles ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

Ford’s production features terrific score

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Chani Wereley (Audrey) and Derrick D. Truby Jr. (Seymour) in the 2024 Ford’s Theatre production of Little Shop of Horrors. (Photo by Scott Suchman)

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ 
Through May 18
Ford’s Theatre
511 10th St., N.W.
$33-$95
Fords.org 

Ever since premiering off-Broadway in 1982, “Little Shop of Horrors” has drawn a devoted following of avid audiences as well as performers eager to act in the show. Now playing at Ford’s Theatre, the doo-wop, dark comedy features a terrific cast including a wildly talented pair of local queer actors who’ve longed to appear in the show since they were kids. 

Set in the urban 1960s, Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s hit show with a terrific score follows the wacky rise of Seymour, a nebbishy florist in a Skid Row shop who changes his fortunes by unintentionally marketing an exotic, human eating plant.  

Chani Wereley, 28, who plays Seymour’s love interest Audrey, a hyper femme downtowner with an edge, has had her on eye the role for years. Wereley says, “Audrey’s been around the block more than once, but I approach her as a person who moves through the world with love and hope.”

The queer D.C. native adds, “On long trips to visit family in Canada or Florida, the first thing we’d do is pop a ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ video [film version] into the car’s VHS player. I’ve watched is so many times, I could quote the whole movie to you.”

After auditioning to play Audrey in director Kevin S. McAllister’s production at Ford’s, Wereley never thought she’d book the part, and when they said she got it, she cried.  

Similarly, Tobias A. Young, 34, the pansexual actor who voices the part of the bloodthirsty plant affectionately dubbed Audrey II, explains his intense interest in the work: “I started watching the film in ’86. Growing up as a little gay boy in Calvert County, Md., I wanted to be blonde Audrey [played by Ellen Green in the movie]. I didn’t know much about musicals at the time, but I was absorbed.” 

When asked by Ford’s to play the voracious plant Audrey II without auditioning, his reply was an unhesitant “yes.” 

Voicing a role requires Young to sing from backstage in a black box rigged with monitors and a mixing board. He says, “people ask if I’m singing from inside of the ever-growing, scary plant. No, I’m not, and that’s fine. But let’s face it, actors love to be seen on stage, but I don’t feel entirely unseen as Audrey II.”

He’s worked hard and successfully with formidable puppeteers Ryan Sellers and Jay Frisby to bring parts of himself to the carnivorous plant — his sassiness, own movements, and even a tilt of his head; their efforts have drawn the actual Young into the show. 

Both Wereley and Young possess gorgeous, emotive voices as evidenced by Wereley’s striking rendition of Audrey’s “Suddenly Seymour,” and Young’s soulful “Feed Me (Git It).” Additionally, both actors are also big on queer representation in theater. 

When her young pals were listening to Britney Spears, Wereley was dancing to retro tunes like “Mashed Potato Time,” and her favorite song to this day, the Shirelle’s girl group anthem “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.” As Audrey, Wereley eschews the character’s usual platinum hair for a bouncy brunette, cherry-streaked wig, tight pencil skirts, swing coats, and her very own half-sleeve tattoo. 

“It’s important for people to see themselves on stage,” she says. “Seeing me or someone like me is inherently interesting. Being that person on Instagram or with the institution, cast, or audiences is meaningful. It’s important.”

In 2011, a couple years after finishing high school, Young landed a part in “Dream Girls” at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, and he’s been working professionally ever since. Growing up, he didn’t see a lot of himself – Black and queer – on social media. He now wants to be open and honest for those out there who might not feel seen, he says

An introvert who lets everything loose on the stage, Young says, “theater is a safe space for queer people. That’s the first place we feel safe, particularly in school. And this is why we need theaters in schools, now more than ever.”

He adds, “What’s great about Ford’s is its surprises, especially when they switch up casting. It’s meaningful to see the shows you love, but why not see them with a twist? Using unexpected actors and incorporating queer people just makes it that much better.”

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Nightlife

D.C.’s gay DJ collective CTRL returns

Electropop group resurfaces at Trade on March 30

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CTRL is back after a six-year absence.

Finger lasers, confetti cannons, drag shows, photo booths, throwback tunes, and a touch nerdy: after a long break, D.C.’s gay DJ collective CTRL is throwing its first party in six years.

Born in an Eritrean restaurant more than a decade ago, this longstanding gay nightlife electropop group is resurfacing with a comeback event at Trade on March 30.

Gay DJs Adam Koussari-Amin, Jeff Prior, Devon Trotter, and Brett Andreisen hosted the first CTRL party at now-closed restaurant Dahlak, on the corner of 18th and U Streets. After a year of hosting pop-ups in that restaurant’s dining room, they upgraded down 18th Street to now-closed gay club Cobalt. There, the parties grew: drag shows, a pop-up photo booth from David Claypool, and quirky activations like throwing hot dogs into print-outs of Putin’s mouth. Their productions grew as well, like producing the now-defunct Brightest Young Gays (BYG) Pride events at Wonderbread Factory and Union Market and the ‘Get Wet’ pool party with David Brown’s Otter Crossing at the Capitol Skyline Hotel.

CTRL wasn’t done. The group received its biggest stage yet after a call from Ed Bailey, the owner of now-closed gay club Town, as well as current gay bars Number 9 and Trade. At Town, the opportunity “allowed our creativity to flourish with even bigger performances, bigger photo experiences, crazier hand-outs, and the same electropop dance vibes our fans had come to know us for,” says Koussari-Amin.

CTRL pressed pause when Town shut down, which “was a huge loss to the LGBTQIA+ community and D.C. nightlife in general,” says Koussari-Amin. After that, it hosted an occasional spinoff called QWERTY. Post-pandemic, Koussari-Amin has spent a few nights solo as DJ at Trade and other venues.

After connecting with Jesse Jackson, the Trade general manager, as well as with Bailey, who agreed to host the inaugural event, Koussari-Amin was determined to shift CTRL back to life.

However, getting the old band back together proved to be a challenge. While the rest of the group have either left Washington, D.C., or are pursuing other projects, Koussari-Amin received their blessing to stay on and find new members. 

“When it came to finding new partners, both DJ Dez [Desmond Jordan] and DJ Lemz [Steve Lemmerman] were obvious choices,” he says, noting that “they also have distinct styles and interests.” Dez has a residency at Pitchers and Kiki as well as pop-ups, and Lemz throws events like Sleaze and BENT.

 “It seemed important to come back to the nightlife table with an experience that could complement all the amazing experiences that have even built up since CTRL threw its last event at Town. Bringing back both the DJ collective and the CTRL event with Dez and Lemz means new voices, perspectives, sounds, and excitement.”

“CTRL is an opportunity for the community to come together, enjoy music, drinks, and good vibes,” adds Jordan, noting that for him, it’s an event that celebrates queer identity.

And after months of planning, CTRL will kick off its monthly party series at Trade on March 30 for the first gig after its glow-up.

The trio says that its core inspiration “is driven by the indie and electropop favorites of new and old, like Goldfrapp, Ava Max, Charli XCX, … We’re also all huge fans of slut and trash pop music like Kim Petras, Slayyyter, Cupcakke,” as well as pop diva remixes, new bops, and songs that reside inside and far beyond the expanse of Top 40.

CTRL is also bringing back its activations that complement the tunes. Summer Camp is set for drag performances, David Claypool is back with his photo booth, and Koussari-Amin promises “to have all sorts of weird and wacky handouts like we used to.”

After the March premiere, April’s party is “CTRLella”, a Coachella send-up. Future events will feature various different themes, and they plan to throw a party during Capital Pride; they’re also looking to be a central part of Trade’s expansion into the adjacent space.

 Koussari-Amin says that “the event’s signature experience [is] a lynchpin in connecting D.C.’s expanding generations of queer folks, giving everyone a safe space to let loose and feel a rush no matter who they are.” 

For his part, Bailey continues to support CTRL and its collective intention, expressing its essential nature as a party for partiers by partiers. “CTRL is the kind of party that represents what people want. It’s just a real party by real people that just want to hear good music and dance with their friends.”

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Celebrity News

HRC releases ‘Queer Renaissance Syllabus’

Beyoncé’s hit album inspired curriculum

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Beyoncé performs at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., on Aug. 6, 2023. The Human Rights Campaign has released a curriculum that her "Renaissance" album inspired. (Washington Blade photo by Isabelle Kravis)

In a move aimed at celebrating the beauty, brilliance and resilience of the LGBTQ community, the Human Rights Campaign unveiled the “Queer Renaissance Syllabus” that Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” album inspired. 

Curated by Justin Calhoun, Leslie Hall and Chauna Lawson of the HRC’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program, the syllabus includes a variety of academic articles, essays, films and other media rooted in Black queer and feminist studies. Each piece is directly inspired by the tracks on Beyoncé’s Billboard 200-topping dance album, “Renaissance.”

Beyoncé’s album “Renaissance” stands as a cultural milestone, celebrating the Black queer roots of dance music while shedding light on overlooked Black queer artists. Inspired by her late-Uncle Johnny, the album not only garnered critical acclaim but also shed light on the often marginalized contributions of Black queer artists. Winning four Grammys and yielding chart-topping hits like “Break My Soul” and “Cuff It,” the album sparked discussions about economic impact and cultural representation.

Amid its success, legislative challenges arose, with Florida and Texas enacting bans on DEI initiatives in public colleges. Recognizing the album’s transformative potential, HRC developed the “Queer Renaissance Syllabus” to leverage its impact for education and activism.

Tailored for educators, youth-serving professionals, DEI practitioners, higher education leaders and admirers of Beyoncé’s artistry, the syllabus aims to encourage meaningful discussions, enrich lesson plans, and explore innovative ways to honor the vibrancy and significance of LGBTQ individuals and their culture.

With six themes anchoring the syllabus, ranging from “intersectionality and inclusivity” to “social justice and activism,” it provides a comprehensive exploration of various facets of LGBTQ experiences and expressions. Fan-favorite tracks from the album are paired with scholarly readings, offering insights into empowerment, self-acceptance and the transformative power of artistic expression. The syllabus also reinforces HRC’s efforts to highlight, amplify and re-center Black and queer voices.

By providing links to articles, books, podcasts and interviews, each associated with a song from the album, it celebrates the rich cultural heritage and contributions of the Black queer community.

The concluding section of the syllabus includes Beyoncé’s tribute to O’Shea Sibley, a young Black queer person who was murdered in Brooklyn, N.Y., last July while voguing to “Renaissance” songs at a gas station. HRC also includes a statement that condemns hate crimes.

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