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Taylor swift
TAS Rights Management*When the Grammy nominations were announced on Nov. 23, Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff and St. Vincent were listed as album of the year nominees for their role as songwriters on Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour. That raised some eyebrows because those three songwriters weren’t actively involved in the creation of Sour. It’s simply a case that Rodrigo and her producer and frequent collaborator, Daniel Nigro, interpolated an old song of theirs.
The Recording Academy made an update on its site on Sunday (Dec. 5) which indicates that it has withdrawn the nominations for Sour for Swift, Antonoff and St. Vincent (Annie Clark).
Swift and Antonoff are still listed as album of the year nominees for their work on Swift’s evermore. Antonoff also remains a nominee for producer of the year, non-classical. St. Vincent remains a nominee for best alternative music album for Daddy’s Home.
Here’s an Academy statement on the subject: “During the submission process, the Academy received credits from the label for the track ‘deju vu.’ Last week, we received the correct credits from the label that recognize Annie Clark, Jack Antonoff and Taylor Swift as songwriters of an interpolation on the track, ‘deja vu.’ In keeping with current Grammy guidelines, as songwriters of an interpolated track, Clark, Antonoff and Swift are not nominees in the album of the year category for Sour. Antonoff and Swift are nominated in the category for Swift’s album, evermore.”
This year, the Academy announced that all songwriters on album of the year nominees will receive nominations. But the Academy is wisely drawing a distinction between songwriters who are actively involved in the creation of a new song and those whose old work was merely interpolated.
“deja vu,” one of the biggest hits on Sour, includes an interpolation of “Cruel Summer,” a song that Swift, Jack Antonoff and St. Vincent co-wrote for Swift’s 2019 album, Lover. Another track on Rodrigo’s album, “1 step forward, 3 steps back,” contains an interpolation of “New Year’s Day,” a song Swift and Antonoff co-wrote for Swift’s 2017 album, reputation. (That one was listed correctly when the label submitted Rodrigo’s entry, according to the Academy.)
This Grammy ruling simplifies things for Swift loyalists who are voting members of the Academy. Previously, Grammy voters who really wanted Swift to win her 12th Grammy had a hard choice to make in album of the year voting. Should they vote for Swift’s album or for Rodrigo’s album, which presumably has a better chance of winning? (Rodrigo has seven nominations this year, compared to just one for Swift.) Now, Swifties in the Academy no longer have to make that tough choice. They will be presumably be voting for Swift.
This is one of several refinements the Academy has made in the nominations list since it was first made public. The nominations list contains thousands of names and data points; some changes and adjustments are inevitable.
Here is an official Academy list of those changes.
NEWS
Mustard has seemingly hit back at comments from Drake‘s producer Gordo, with a little help from JAY-Z.
Gordo, who worked on several Drizzy albums including $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, For All the Dogs and Honestly, Nevermind, called out the “Not Like Us” hitmaker this week after noticing that he was no longer following him on social media.
“omg just noticed mustard unfollowed me on ig…. Sad day,” he wrote sarcastically on X. “headlining chella must of got to his head.”
Despite unfollowing Gordo, Mustard appeared to catch wind of his post and issued a snarky yet subliminal response on Instagram.
Alongside a caption which read: “We not the same,” the producer posted a video of JAY-Z in an interview saying: “Are you kidding me? Who are you guys talking to? What have you done to even have an opinion on what I been doing? You done nothing to even have an opinion.”
Swipe below to see the clip.
Mustard hasn’t exactly been quiet about his disdain for Drake throughout the 6 God’s beef with Kendrick Lamar which erupted last year.
The multi-platinum producer and DJ graced the stage at Tyler, The Creator‘s Camp Flog Gnaw last November, where he surprised the crowd by appearing to cue up Drizzy’s Take Care hit “Crew Love” with The Weeknd.
Before the song could kick into gear, however, Mustard jumped on the mic and yelled, “Sike!” before quickly pivoting to Kendrick, Future and Metro Boomin‘s “Like That,” the blistering collaboration that ignited the heated feud between the Hip Hop titans.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times months earlier, the 10 Summers hitmaker took a shot at Drake’s character while ruling out a reunion with his “Who Do You Love?” collaborator.
“I don’t think I want to make a song with that dude. He’s a strange guy,” he said matter-of-factly.
Mustard would also offer Drake some advice on how to bounce back from the beef, saying to Big Boy: “I’m not speaking at Drake or for him, but a lot of shit that’s going on — the tactics, the things that you do just to get attention. You don’t need to do that. Just make music, man. Make good music and you’ll be fine.”
Mustard also made a surprise appearance during Kendrick Lamar’s historic Super Bowl halftime show performance, joining the Compton superstar for his climactic rendition of “TV Off” which he also produced.
