The 2011 Grammy Awards have been unpredictable in the past but the award handed out for Best New Artist this year was the most unpredictable of them all.
Everyone knows that the Best New Artist category is a popular category that features some of the future superstars of the music industry. In this category was Justin Bieber and Drake but neither of them took home the gold. So who did? Esperanza Spalding. Who is she? We asked ourselves the same question.
Perhaps she has a following but, before 10 seconds ago, I had never heard the name in my life. For this woman to be considered Best New Artist over Justin Bieber and Drake just seems ridiculous…don’t you agree?
We’re not sure who calculated the votes in this category but we’d be pushing for a recount.
This just doesn’t seem right. No disrespect to Esperanza (we don’t even know enough about her to say anything disrespectful) but there’s no way she’s considered the artist to look out for over Justin Bieber and Drake.
Were you surprised to hear that Esperanza Spalding won the elite award for Best New Artist at the 2011 Grammys?
Look her up. She is a true artist…hence the title and award. It’s about time people won for their artistry and not just because they can sell out an arena to a bunch of hormonal teeny hoppers.
Haha, no. No recount necessary. Just because the Best New Artist ISN’T a crappy pop star, doesn’t make it wrong.
I’m thrilled that the music industry made the RIGHT choice! Go Esperanza! Woo!
may not be the “artist to look out for” compared to the other nominees. but she sure has a hell of a lot more talent than the others. try looking her up before you write an article complaining. you may be surprised how good music sounds when it isn’t auto-tuned to death
As well you are totally discounting the beautiful work from Mumford and Sons AND Florence and the Machine…displays of real talent.
Never heard of her before
WTF? You dont know who Esperanza is ? Man you are not fit to write a music blog1
This award was totally messed up. Not all of us Bieber fans are “hormonal teeny hoppers” so just back off. And Drake and JB are WAY more popular than this esperanza person. This was totally messed up. Recount!!
I am glad she won over Drake and Bieber. Both of them have been around for a while and do not fit in the category of “Best New Artist”. Esperanza however is new and deserves this award.
Fantastic! I LOVE Esperanza Spalding and am Not surprised. Who is Drake? And Justin may be the most hyped newcomer but but best new ARTIST in terms of musicianship could only have been Ms Spalding. Congratulations!
You need to stop talking, stop blogging, maybe even stop breathing. Drake and Justin Bieber cant touch this girl. I’m so glad neither of those two won this award.
@Bria
This was not a popularity contest. It was the best new artist contest. Esperanza is new. Drake and bieber are not. no recount needed
@Chris
Thank you! Esperanza actually has talent. Biener and Drake just sing a bad song. Hit the auto tune switch and add a wierd digital beat and BAM! great song? i think not. we need more talented musicians in this world.
If You don’t know who she is you REALLY shouldn’t be writing about music.
She has real talent!
Congratulations Esperanza. Show them it’s not the amount u sell but the talent in what u do that makes U the Best New Artist of the Year
See u next year on stage with Best Album of the
Year!!!!!
Are you kidding me?!? Esperansa Spaulding is an amazing jazz artist. She is the youngest teacher at the Juleard school of art. She writes music, plays upright bass, and has a hauntingly beautiful voice. The fact that Bieber was in the same category as her is insulting to a true artist.
Well… if you dont know who she is… google her… she is very talented and finally, they are regonizing real talenr.. go Esperanza…
I’ve never seen or heard of her ~ ever!! Wtf INDEED!!!
Omg! I was ECSTATIC to hear that Esperanza won! I’ve been following her for more than a year now and she is truly deserving of that award (my opinion, and also the opinion of the Grammy committee). Her music exudes the elegance and style of a class act. Kudos to her. Go have a listen, and you’ll appreciate her as well.
Wow, maybe there’s hope for the music industry after all. Go Esperanza!!!
I think a recount will be great how can a girl win when nobody knows her !? Like seriously
I’ve known her since she was at Berkeley School of music with my sister and I’m SO PROUD to see REAL talent being recognized at the highest level. Great job Esperanza!!!
I think that its because people don’t know her that she won best NEW artist, instead of people that have been famous for over two years. ( Justin bieber ) Besides she shows a lot of original talent, not some cheap in the moment stuff.
You have not heard of Esperanza Spalding because your are stupid and know nothing about music.
this is just like when Norah Jones won… everyone what like..what?…and what sux is that it shouldn’t be that surprising.. when you think of art.. and craft.. the person best at their craft… best at their art… is should definitely be based on skill and talent.. NOT popularity.
I hadn’t heard of her before either but I took a few minutes to google her and was blown by her credentials, achievements, talents and even her disarming beauty. I am a little inclined to agree with other people here in that if you are writing a music blog and given this thing around.. you might have heard of it.. it’s called the internet.. you could probably give this ‘unknown’ girl a chance rather than just writing her off..
Real talent prevails tonight! An out of this world, studied and trained musician and composer won best new artist!!!!
‘Best’ means best.
‘Best’ does not equal ‘Best Known’
I saw this woman on Austin City Limits last year and fell in love with her music. She may not be the most known but she deserved her win.
Maybe some music lovers need to turn off the Top 40 and listen to different genres.
Don’t you know that the Grammy’s, like many awards shows, are run by a group of like-minded people who think they’re the authorities on everything, and it’s their duty to tell us what we SHOULD be listening to and who REAL artists are.
Nevermind the impact of Drake or his rise in one year, the power of Mumford and Sons music, or the obvious cultural impact Justin Beiber (whether I can stand him or not) have … this is about artsy fartsy people telling us what we should like. It’s about music that THEY think is talented and THEY think is relevant, not what us peons think (many of them have already commented on this posting to tell us just that!)
Boy, I wish I was so sure of my own farts that I thought everyone else should smell them!
… and btw, if she has SO MANY achievements, how in the world is she a best NEW artist?
She may be a musical genius and an incredible asset to the community of Artists for her creativity, age, and as a refreshing breath into a wonderful genre, but how can she be a “New Artist” if she has published 3 albums spanning from 2006 to now? I’m not going to sit here and belittle anyone who hasn’t heard her name before or who are fans of JB or Drake but my confusion lies in the labeling of an artist within these categories. People say “google” her to understand her better, that’s fine, check her out on Itunes or Wikipedia but my question remains. This isn’t a popularity contest but her song should have some better publicity and marketing to reach that level. That’s my opinion.
Sorry to disappoint you, but this is not the Billboard Awards nor the People’s Choice Awards for music. Esperanza’s a jazz artist. Look her up and it might expand your musical spectrum. If it does not, well, that’s ok too.
E Spalding is an exceptional artist. When you hear her, you feel the fresh air and inspiration. JB and Drake – OH GOD, another teenage drama!!!
Thanks John Ponce and SD for proving my earlier point …
Really, check your own egos about what people should and shouldn’t be listening to. I do give more credit to Billboard or People’s Choice Awards because it’s from the people, not a select subculture of snobs.
Thank God it’s the Grammys and not the MTV Music Awards. Esperanza is amazing. Her music is classy, a true revamping of jazz with contemporary world influences. I’m sorry you don’t know enough about her. If you are going to choose to be a music critic please do your research. Bieber and Drake are solid pop icons but they’re far from being complete artists or at least as elaborate as Esperanza.
@Ian: Nice try pal. Esperanza released her second album in 2007 or 2008. Bieber was breast feeding then, and Drake was in a wheelchair.
Maybe she won ‘best new talent’ because she’s ‘better’ as opposed to ‘more popular’. For a start she can actually play an instrument….
A Grammy award is one based on talent, skill and inventive thinking. The Billboard and AMA awards are only based on popularity. Popularity doesn’t make one a great artist. Esperanza Spalding’s qualifications are based on the reasons she won. Shelby Lynne won that same award 10 years ago and she was in the business longer before that. But Shelby has more talent than that Lady Antibellum. I am sorry that diverse musical styles seem to dissapoint lovers of sugar-froth crap like Bieber fans who have never even heard of the Ramones or Arcade Fire. But hey, if you don’t like complex music, then don’t even run this blog, kiddo.
Thanks all for reinforcing my thought that this New Artist award was about pretentious (nearly dictator-like) people making a point that what THEY like is better than what most other people like. My point: you can’t give a New Artist award to someone whose first album came five years ago!
actually I am glad she won over the untallented stupid kid Bieber! she has way more talent then this stupid teenager who has no brains!
Yet another Hollywood set up to give some random reject a title. Kind of odd how NO ONE has heard of the “singer” >.>
Drake should have won.
The Justin kid needs to hit puberty, or die, whichever happens first the better.
I’m sorry but my opinion is the new artist of the year should be someone well known. even if you don’t like pop you know who Justin Bieber is and that is exactly why he should get the new artist of the year award. not to mention the fact that he is one of the first young singers to NOT have come from disney or nickelodeon so he has that going for him! he totally should have won… and who is esmeralda and all those other people?
Personally I’ve never heard of this girl and for her to win I suppose is huge because of the fact that no one knows her. That being said the academy definitely threw her a bone on this one with a star studded category like this one. In the end tho what would this award due for beiber other than please his cult-like following of teen girls. In my opinion Drake really deserved this one for great rapping and making excellent songs that are extremely popular as well as meaningful. On a side note though I thought for Eminem to miss out on record,song and album of the year was a travesty and makes you think if the academy even looks at rap songs because they are stereotyped as to “Gangsta” and unmeaningful even though his are some of the most passionate and meaning filled songs nominated tonight.
I don’t know this chick either but by process of elimination, she is the only real artist out of the givin choices. Like mc hammer or vanilla ice, jb and drake are simply products. Cash money and usher have used these guys just for the image. Basically they sold their souls to the devil and they don’t deserve an award.
Plus
This critic/writer/etc is doing his/her job well. Wether it’s her real opinion or not, it’s definitly the majority’s. Plus look at this long blog she’s got going already.
Actually never heard of her before too but after youtubing her today, boy was I ever glad that she won the Grammy. She’s gorgeous and musically gifted. Bieber is just hype, this is the real deal. She is a true musician, not just an over-hyped product which is what most music seems to be nowdays.
SHUT-UP KC! you are ever so annoying!
F-CK U. ,,i,, i2 kayo.
regan shut-up f-ck u
Drake is terrible and just bieber is worse. Florence and the machine should have taken it.
It is obviously because they didn’t want Canadians winning best album and best new artist over Americans…
No, I don’t agree. She deserved it. Listen to something besides what you are spoon fed for a change and you will discover real music.
And it is called “Best New ARTIST”. So you have to have artistic talent to win. That rules out Bieber and Drake. What does popularity have to do with being “Best” and being an “Artist”?
They are bias!!! And they made her win because they are trying to prove a point…HOW MANY PEOPLE LISTEN TO JAZZ!!! VERY FEW!!! It is boring and depressing!! I am not a JB or Drake fan…hell no I am not..but they should have made their decision from the public’s veiw point!!! This is just a publicity stunt for people to know her..GUESS WHAT EPIC FAIL…People are not going to buy her music…only the ones that are commenting on this page! The people who are picking the grammy winners are old RED NECKS that like country music and jazz…and guess what we dont like either!!! EPIC FAIL LOSERS!!
SO HOW COME SHE IS SO TALENTED AND NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT HER??????? DONT YOU THINK IF SHE WAS THAT TALENTED PEOPLE WOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED HER….AND ACTUALLY KNOW ABOUT HER….EPIC FAIL..YOU DUMB TWITS..PEOPLE DONT CARE ABOUT TALENT…ITS WHAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY DANCE TO WHEN YOU GO OUT PARTYING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME….NOT EVERYONE IS RICH TO GO OUT AND LISTEN TO BORING JAZZ!!!!!! MAJOR EPIC FAIL RETARDS!!! IT UNDER MINDS THE CREDIBILITY OF THE GRAMMY’S…MAJOR EPIC FAIL!!! THEY COULD’VE EVEN GIVEN IT TO CEELO..MAJOR MAJOR EPIC FAIL…THE TWIT THAT PICKED HER MUST BE SAYING TO HIMSELF ‘OH YES I AM PROVING A POINT HERE’ NO YOU PISSED OFF 500,000,000 PEOPLE!!!
Epic Fail, two things need to be addressed.
1. Why are you shouting in CAPS?
2. The Grammys do not award popularity, they award talent and skill and a commitment to making good music. In the old days, you had to be famous for having a talent:
ex: Steveie Wonder, Springsteen, Aretha, etc. No it’s only by the way you dress or how young yo have to be before you reach out of puberty. The only epic fail was that Lady Antibellum won, beating out “Empire State of Mind.” A much better song. Ms. Spaulding won based on her talent, not lack of fame. Deal with it.
I dont question her talent, I disagree with being called “NEW ARTIST”, when you’re going on your third album,….
Ceelo not even new! He’s gnarled Barkley! You can’t change your name and be called a new artist.
@Jimbo.. CAN YOU HEAR ME SHOUTING TWIT RETARD!!! Yes a lot of fame out there also have talent who should have won and didn’t, like Ceelo…you behave like she is only talent in the world!! You people are just jealous of fame because you don’t have it…I am not saying she doesn’t have talent I am saying that she doesn’t deserve it…The whole world..or who does give a crap about music DONT KNOW HER!!! And most of us dont listen to jazz…WE CANT AFFORD TO!!!
Quit yelling and get to 3rd period English class. By the tone and content of your post It’s obvious you need it. You can rail about the “Bieber Haterz” during lunch break. Just because you scream loud does not add to your argument or make it anything more than your uneducated opinion. Fame has nothing to do with ability. People like you will always equate popularity with merit and will buy into any product the corp music industry rams down your throat. Some people will always have more discerning taste. Not everybody wants to be uber famous and have their picture splattered all over TMZ. Some people would rather have their artistry speak for itself.
Milli Vanilli won best new artist so the arguments for talent being crucial to the award are somewhat off base. They do however support the theory that this catagory is meaningless. Bob Newhart has a best new artist Grammy for cryin’ out loud.
Best New Artist, consider the award/title. From the beginning (before all things “net”), this award was supposed to be about talent not popularity. Mr Bieber is not new OR an artist and will be replaced by the next “flavor of the month” in 2 albums. Maybe “no one listens to jazz”, a bit of an overstatement but this is the “Grammy’s”, not the “Nick” awards. I don’t expect many experienced ears to listen to, let alone buy, Ms Spalding’s album but this woman has more talent in her little finger than Mr Bieber will ever have. Let’s face it, the pedaphiles will drop him when he turns 18 and preteens girls will be over him once he changes his hair style. Broaden your musical horizons “kids”, you’ll be a better human for it.
And none of you even would buy her music. What a joke!
I don’t mean any disrespect to Esperanza; I’ve never heard her music so I cant judge how good she is …but SERIOUSLY?! How does this artist who most people have no clue about (except for, obviously, the people on this site who have looked her up) beat out both JB and Drake, both of which were very successful last year. However, since I’m not a Beaver fan, this doesn’t nearly upset me as much as the fact that Eminem also go beat out by some band that no one knows or cares about. Even if he didn’t win, I was half expecting the winner to be either Lady Gaga or Katy Perry, but who the heck is “Arcade fire”?!?!
I also forgot to mention Florence & the Machine, another great new artist that should have won.
most of you are missing the point of the grammy award. it is not about popularity among the masses. the awards are given by the music industry to artists that they deem worthy. it is NOT a popularity contest. so if you want to have a vote, get talented, join the music industry and vote!
as for esperanza, she has amazing vocals, songwriting skills, plays multiple instruments and teaches university level music. and stevie wonder, prince and others think she is amazing.
this is certainly not the first year that an “unknown” has won best new artist, but because she was up against bieber and drake, she has drawn fire from the tone deaf masses.
as for canadians winning, instead of complaining that drake and bieber lost. what about congratulating the canadians that won – arcade fire, neil young and michael buble.
What the hack. Who is she ?
@Rivka I see your point and I do realize that the winners are chosen by the industry and not teenage girls (thank God), but it still just seems weird to me. And like I said earlier, I’m more upset about the album of the year vote than this one. BTW I’m not Canadian so I could care less about the other people you just mentioned.
@ AAyle, no I do not agree. The category is best, not most popular. Btw, I never heard of Drake before today, so why was HE nominated since he is clearly not popular?
@ Bria, if you are not a teeny bopper and love Bieber, you clearly have no taste in music and therefore your opinion does not matter.
Secondly, where do you get the idea that the Grammy’s are about rewarding popularity, again if you are not a teeny bopper, then you are an incredibly ignorant adult, like AAyle.
@ Kendra, obviously people in the music industry know her, just because you don’t does not impress anyone.
Someone forgot to pay me because I like jazz and am not rich.
Or maybe its just my triple digit IQ, because there are some definate double digit IQs posting here.
The Grammy’s aren’t a popularity contest, that’s the People’s Choice Awards. The Grammy’s are for whom the music professionals deem has the most talent. She definitely qualiies. She got a full ride to Berklee College of Music, and after graduating at 20, was immediately offered a professorship.
im so impressed by not only ms spalding but by the grammys and the votes, maybe its time that actual musicians will start getting recognized more than just Pop, Hip-Hop/Rap artist… so glad it didnt go to beiber or drake…
everyone knows best new artist is a death sentence . Most artists that win fade into obscurity right after they win it so… yeah .
Personally IDK who won the award….and I am no “teeny-bopper” either, but I have never heard of this Jazz artist. Good for her but who voted for her anyhow??? I think “Best New Artist” should at least be someone who is known by many.
i’m glad there are some open minded people out there (KC, KD) and She shouldn’t even have won. Again not a Justin or Drake fan but the Grammy’s is a very public event and it is targeted to the populous so when you announce some one, who the majority of the world doesn’t really know, you get a tweet in the manner of W.T.F. Why The Fuss. Oh BTW get my app in iTunes Budget Friend App
She won this award because she makes real music, not pre-teen pop trash or the garbage that passes for rap these days like Justin Bieber and Drake. Giving one of them a grammy is like giving twilight an Oscar. Yes they’re well know and sell a lot, but that doesn’t make it good.
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