Arts & Entertainment

Grammy noms 2018: Brandi Carlile, Janelle Monáe and more LGBT artists

More women were nominated than ever before this year

Published

8 years ago

December 7, 2018

Mariah Cooper

Janelle Monáe, gay news, Washington Blade

Janelle Monáe’s album ‘Dirty Computer.’ (Photo courtesy Atlantic)

The Recording Academy announced the nominees for the 61st Grammy Awards on Friday with women and LGBT artists dominating the list.

Out Americana singer Brandi Carlile received six nominations including for Album (“By The Way, I Forgive You”) and Record of the Year (“The Joke”). This makes her the most nominated woman at the Grammys this year. Carlile is up against pansexual artist Janelle Monáe’s “Dirty Computer” which was also nominated for Album of the Year.

Monáe’s music video for“Pynk” was also nominated for Best Music Video.

Queer artist St. Vincent was nominated for Best Alternative Album (“Masseduction”) and Best Rock Song.

Transgender representation was included among the nominees. Songwriter Teddy Geiger was nominated for co-writing “In My Blood” by Shawn Mendes. Transgender musician Sophie’s album “Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides” was nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album.

Other notable mentions include the “Call Me By Your Name” soundtrack which was nominated for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media. Sufjan Stevens’ song “Mystery of Love” from the soundtrack was nominated for Best Song Written For Visual Media.

The nominations kept on rolling in for “A Star is Born,” which received three nominations for the song “Shallow,” performed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, including for Record of the Year.

Kendrick Lamar earned the most recognition with eight nominations for his work on the “Black Panther” soundtrack.

Overall, this year’ s Grammy’s saw more women getting nominated as the categories expanded its lists from five to eight nominees.

The Grammys air on Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. on CBS. For a complete list of nominees, visit here.

Record of the Year

“I Like It” — Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin
“The Joke” — Brandi Carlile
“This Is America” — Childish Gambino
“God’s Plan” — Drake
“Shallow” — Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
“All the Stars” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA
“Rockstar” — Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
“The Middle” — Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey

Album of the Year
“Invasion Of Privacy” — Cardi B
“By The Way, I Forgive You” — Brandi Carlile
“Scorpion” — Drake
“H.E.R.” — H.E.R.
“Beerbongs & Bentleys” — Post Malone
“Dirty Computer” — Janelle Monáe
“Golden Hour” — Kacey Musgraves
“Black Panther: The Album”— Various artists

Song of the Year
“All The Stars” — Kendrick Duckworth, Solána Rowe, Al Shuckburgh, Mark Spears & Anthony Tiffith (Kendrick Lamar & SZA)
“Boo’d Up” — Larrance Dopson, Joelle James, Ella Mai & Dijon McFarlane (Ella Mai)
“God’s Plan” — Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Brock Korsan, Ron LaTour, Matthew Samuels & Noah Shebib, songwriters (Drake)
“In My Blood” — Teddy Geiger, Scott Harris, Shawn Mendes & Geoffrey Warburton (Shawn Mendes)
“The Joke” — Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth (Brandi Carlile)
“The Middle” — Sarah Aarons, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Marcus Lomax, Kyle Trewartha, Michael Trewartha & Anton Zaslavski (Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey)
“Shallow” — Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando & Andrew Wyatt (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper)
“This Is America” — Donald Glover & Ludwig Goransson (Childish Gambino)

Best New Artist

Chloe x Halle
Luke Combs
Greta Van Fleet
H.E.R.
Dua Lipa
Margo Price
Bebe Rexha
Jorja Smith

Best Pop Solo Performance
“Colors” — Beck
“Havana (Live)” — Camila Cabello
“God Is A Woman” — Ariana Grande
“Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?)” — Lady Gaga
“Better Now” — Post Malone

Best Pop Vocal Album
“Camila” — Camila Cabello
“Meaning Of Life” — Kelly Clarkson
“Sweetener” — Ariana Grande
“Shawn Mendes” — Shawn Mendes
“Beautiful Trauma” — P!nk
“Reputation” — Taylor Swift

Best Dance Recording
“Northern Soul” — Above & Beyond featuring Richard Bedford
“Ultimatum” — Disclosure featuring Fatoumata Diawara
“Losing It” — Fisher
“Electricity” — Silk City & Dua Lipa featuring Diplo & Mark Ronson
“Ghost Voices” — Virtual Self

Best Rock Song
“Black Smoke Rising” — Jacob Thomas Kiszka, Joshua Michael Kiszka, Samuel Francis Kiszka & Daniel Robert Wagner, songwriters (Greta Van Fleet)
“Jumpsuit” — Tyler Joseph, songwriter (Twenty One Pilots)
“MANTRA” — Jordan Fish, Matthew Kean, Lee Malia, Matthew Nicholls & Oliver Sykes, songwriters (Bring Me The Horizon) “Masseduction” — Jack Antonoff & Annie Clark, songwriters (St. Vincent)
“Rats” — Tom Dalgety & A Ghoul Writer, songwriters (Ghost)

Best Rock Album
“Rainier Fog”— Alice in Chains
“M A N I A”— Fall Out Boy
“Prequelle“ — Ghost
“From the Fires” — Greta Van Fleet
“Pacific Daydream” —Weezer

Best Urban Contemporary Album
“Everything Is Love” — The Carters
“The Kids Are Alright” — Chloe x Halle
“Chris Dave And The Drumhedz” — Chris Dave And The Drumhedz
“War & Leisure” — Miguel
“Ventriloquism” — Meshell Ndegeocello

Best Rap Album
“Invasion Of Privacy” — Cardi B
“Swimming” — Mac Miller
“Victory Lap” — Nipsey Hussle
“Daytona” — Pusha T
“Astroworld” — Travis Scott

Best Country Album
“Unapologetically” — Kelsea Ballerini
“Port Saint Joe” — Brothers Osborne
“Girl Going Nowhere”— Ashley McBride
“Golden Hour” — Kacey Musgraves
“From A Room: Volume 2″— Chris Stapleton

Best Jazz Vocal Album

“My Mood Is You” — Freddy Cole
“The Questions” — Kurt Elling
“The Subject Tonight Is Love” — Kate McGarry with Keith Ganz & Gary Versace
“If You Really Want” — Raul Midón with The Metropole Orkest, conducted by Vince Mendoza
“The Window” — Cécile McLorin Salvant

Best Gospel Album
“One Nation Under God” — Jekalyn Carr
“Hiding Place” — Tori Kelly
“Make Room” — Jonathan McReynolds
“The Other Side” — The Walls Group
“A Great Work” — Brian Courtney Wilson

Best Latin Pop Album
“Prometo” — Pablo Alboran
“Sincera” — Claudia Brant Musas
“(Un Homenaje al Folclore Latinoamericano en Manos de los Macorinos), Vol. 2” — Natalia Lafourcade
“2:00 AM” — Raquel Sofía
“Vives” — Carlos Vives

Best Americana Album
“By The Way, I Forgive You” — Brandi Carlile
“Things Have Changed” — Bettye LaVette
“The Tree Of Forgiveness” — John Prine
“The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone” — Lee Ann Womack
“One Drop Of Truth” — The Wood Brothers

Best Comedy Album
“Annihilation” — Patton Oswalt
“Equanimity & The Bird Revelation” — Dave Chappelle
“Noble Ape” — Jim Gaffigan
“Standup for Drummers” — Fred Armisen
“Tamborine” — Chris Rock

Best Song Written For Visual Media

“All The Stars” — Kendrick Duckworth, Solána Rowe, Alexander William Shuckburgh, Mark Anthony Spears & Anthony Tiffith (Kendrick Lamar & SZA), “Black Panther”
“Mystery Of Love” — Sufjan Stevens (Sufjan Stevens), “Call Me By Your Name”
“Remember Me” — Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez (Miguel, featuring Natalia Lafourcade), “Coco”
“Shallow” — Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando & Andrew Wyatt (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper), “A Star Is Born”
“This Is Me” — Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, songwriters (Keala Settle & The Greatest Showman Ensemble), “The Greatest Showman”

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical
Boi-1da
Larry Klein
Linda Perry
Kanye West
Pharrell Williams

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Theater

Don’t miss summer productions at Clear Space in Rehoboth Beach

‘Cher Show,’ ‘Pretty Woman’ among season’s standouts

Published

8 hours ago

August 10, 2026

Peter Rosenstein

Abby Lynne and Caetano de Sá (Photo by Deny Howeth)

“The Cher Show” at Clear Space Theatre is wonderful. I am always amazed at the talent they attract for their summer series. Kudos to Wes Drummond, the artistic director of the theater. “The Cher Show” is written by Rick Elice. Compliments to the talented director, James FitzSimmons, who brought to life this production. His immensely talented cast includes Shannen Hofheimer as Star, Breanna Lemerise as Lady, Abby Lynne as Babe, and Anya Kay, as young Cher. Each is a pleasure to both watch and listen to. They command the stage. Then more kudos to the entire cast and ensemble. Also, the creative team, which includes among so many who make this show a hit, choreographer Shondelle Graulich; scenic designer, David Chappell; lighting designer Brendan Smith; costume designer Valerie Beardsley; and the entire orchestra led by conductor, Jerry Birl.

But the actor who I was looking forward to seeing in the production, was a young actor I had written about, and reviewed, when I saw him at Clear Space two years ago. In this production he is Sonny Bono, and he definitely didn’t disappoint.

Let me introduce Caetano de Sá. I have written about him before, but his resume is worth repeating. It says; Height: 5’7 ½, Eyes: Brown, Voice part: Tenor G2 – C5, Build: Athletic. All true. Then you add to this he speaks Brazilian Portuguese, is certified in stage combat by the Society of American Fight Directors, and is a 2^nd Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. Then as his resume of roles confirms, he can act, sing, and dance with the best. He does a great job as Sonny and is fun to watch on stage. Here he displays his talents as a singer and actor, and they are as good as I remembered them when I first met Caetano while he was still in school in 2024, and was starring as Frankie Valli in “Jersey Boys,” at Clear Space. At the time he was a rising senior at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee BFA Musical Theater program. I interviewed him, and Harry Sperduto, who played Tommy Devotee, after seeing them in the show, and being amazed by their talent. Since that time, I have followed their careers. When I heard Caetano was coming back to Clear Space for the summer, I reached out, and he agreed to sit down and chat, which we did. I knew Clear Space Theatre was planning a busy summer season. Their lineup of shows included “The Cher Show,” “Mean Girls,” and “Pretty Woman.” They always have talented casts, including the many college students who are getting their first chance to shine, which was the case for Caetano in 2024. Now he is back as a graduate, with more experience under his belt, a little more established. This season he was going to play Sonny in their production of “The Cher Show,” Martin/Coach Carr, in “Mean Girls,” and Mr. Hollister in “Pretty Woman,” and being a part of the ensemble. He told me he really enjoys being at Clear Space, and that his castmates are all talented. He is a lot more experienced than when he was here before, having performed in productions at the Prairie Repertory Theatre, the Emerald Coast Theatre Company, Firehouse Center for the Arts, and the Sullivan Rep, among others. In productions as diverse as “Oklahoma!,” “Mystic Pizza,” “Hairspray,” and “Rock of Ages.” He now lives in New York City and clearly New York is the perfect place for an aspiring actor. He has an agent at Bramante Artists, who is getting him gigs, like the one he had at 54 Below and even a TV commercial for AFLAC.

“The Cher Show” is the second show I have seen at Clear Space this summer. After our chat I got one of the last tickets available that evening for “Pretty Woman.” In that production he has a smaller role, and is part of the incredibly talented ensemble. It is also an entertaining show and its very talented stars, Abby McDonough as Vivian, and Jaiden Leo Riley as Edward, are a pleasure to watch. Kudos to the talented director, Ashley Williams, and the entire creative team.

For anyone living at the beach, or coming for a visit, I urge you to plan a night at Clear Space. You won’t regret it. But know tickets for all the shows, and Sunday evening cabaret nights, sell out fast. So, I suggest you see what’s available online and buy yours today.

Photos

PHOTOS: World Pride March

LGBTQ rights demonstration held in Amsterdam

Published

2 days ago

August 9, 2026

Michael Key

A scene from the 2026 World Pride March in Amsterdam. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2026 World Pride March was held on Saturday, Aug. 8 in Amsterdam. Tens of thousands of participants marched from Martin Luther Kingpark to the grounds of the Pride Village at Museumplein.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)