As the Grammy Awards are rolling around again, we thought we’d spotlight some of the women of colour making waves in the music industry. From R&B to Jazz, and from Pakistan to Chile, these prize-winning, groundbreaking women are names to know.
Melissa Aldana, Best Improvised Jazz Solo
Nominated for her performance of ‘Falling’, Chilean saxophonist Aldana has been playing for 28 years. Tutored by her father, also a professional saxophonist, Aldana was invited to play at the Panama Jazz Festival when she was just 17. Recording her first album in 2010, Aldana went on to win the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition, a prize that comes with a $25,000 scholarship plus a recording contract. Alongside her solo career, Aldana also formed a group with two friends, Cuban drummer Francisco Mela and Chilean bassist Pablo Menares, called Melissa Aldana and Crash Trio.
Arooj Aftab, Best Global Music Performance
Aftab was the first Pakistani artist to ever win a Grammy, when she took home the Best Global Music Performance for her song ‘Mohabbat’ last year. Nominated in the same category this year for ‘Udhero Na’ (with seven-time Grammy nominated artist Anoushka Shankar), Aftab is hoping for a repeat performance. Aftab is also the recipient of the Pride of Performance Award, the highest award for showing excellence in the field of art and music in Pakistan. Now based in the US, Aftab was born in Saudi Arabia before moving to Lahore when she was 10. She was quick to use the internet for self-promotion and her viral renditions of ‘Mera Pyaar’ and ‘Hallelujah’ were credited with helping launch the Pakistani indie scene.
Brittany Fousheé, Song of the Year
Fousheé is nominated alongside four others for her work on Steve Lacy’s song, ‘Bad Habit’. It’s no surprise that she released her debut single at aged 22, when she was already writing songs aged 5! Music was in her blood, as her mother was the drummer in a 1980s all-female Jamaican reggae band. However, it wasn’t until 2020 when she rose to fame, after her vocals were used on a song by rapper, Sleepy Hallow. She has since toured with James Blake, appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and was named Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop rookie of the month in March 2021.
Samantha Williams, Best Musical Theatre Album
Nominated alongside her other cast members (including theatre veteran Sharon D. Clarke) for the Broadway musical, ‘Caroline, Or Change’, this was Williams’ breakout role. Having performed as Alana Beck in ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ previously, 2021 saw her step into the shoes of Emmie Thibodeaux, the daughter of the titular character, Caroline. Originally meant to show in 2020 and delayed due to the pandemic, the production proved even more timely in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and the pulling down of statues across the US and UK. We can’t wait to see what Williams does next.
Jessy Wilson, Best Song Written for Visual Media
Up against musical heavyweights including Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, Wilson is nominated for her song ‘Keep Rising’ from the film The Woman King. The song, featuring Beninese singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo, is about both Black female empowerment, as well as Wilson’s own struggles with the music industry. Wilson has worked with musical royalty including singing backing vocals for Alicia Keys’ tour and being mentored by John Legend. Her sound has been compared to Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin, but Wilson is very much her own artist. She was formerly in the rock duo Muddy Magnolias, and is also a visual artist and sculptor.
There are many other amazing women of colour nominated at this year's Grammy Awards - you can listen to our playlist to hear more! The ceremony is taking place on Sunday 5th February and we're excited to see who takes home the prizes.
For now, we'll leave you with this: Samantha Williams covering fellow nominee Beyoncé's 'Sweet Dreams'. What a gorgeous rendition!
