When the 2023 Grammy nominations were announced last week, the major categories included superstars racking up major (and in some cases, historic) nominations, as well as some notable snubs. Then there is the best new artist category, which is as wide-open as it’s ever been.
The nominees constitute a fresh new crop of rising stars who have been gaining traction in the ever-changing music industry through TikTok trends, viral moments and smash summer hits, among other avenues. In the past, superstars like Olivia Rodrigo, Megan Thee Stallion and Billie Eilish have snagged the highly coveted crown… but this year’s list of nominees is filled with artists trying to take their next big step. They include Latto, a new hit-maker who gave a dose of “Big Energy” to top 40 radio this year; Måneskin, who scored one of the most unlikely rock hits in recent memory with a raucous version of a half-century-old song; Molly Tuttle, a celebrated bluegrass performer who has the talent and songwriting panache to cross over; and Muni Long, who created several hits for other artists before finally scoring one of her own with the viral R&B smash “Hrs and Hrs.” But in this race, every nominee’s story is fascinating, and worthy of discovery.
The pressure is on to score a major moment during the Feb. 5, 2023 telecast. Until then, get to know the backstory, sound and personality of all 10 of the Grammy best new artist nominees. Here is a breakdown of who could rule the scene next.
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Anitta
Brazilian pop star and social media titan Anitta is no stranger to award nods: the singer/dancer/model already has seven Latin Grammy nominations dating back to 2016. Her latest effort, Pieces of Me, was released in April, and its viral hit “Envolver” which helped skyrocket the artist to global stardom. Featuring tracks in English, Spanish and Portuguese, Versions of Me seamlessly blends Brazilian funk and hip-hop beats with addictive pop melodies.
The multifaceted star has been churning out tracks with hitmakers like Cardi B and Missy Elliott, was joined by Snoop Dogg onstage at Coachella, and recently served as a mentor for the Billboard NXT competition. But even she was almost entirely speechless when it came to her first Big Four Grammy nomination:
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Omar Apollo
Omar Apollo’s harrowing post-breakup track “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All)” took over TikTok this year, inspiring thousands of teens to create their own theatrical cathartic breakup scenes over Apollo’s broken-hearted pleas. The track helped him rack up over seven million streams in just one week and has climbed to No. 51 on the Hot 100, setting Apollo apart from your everyday viral star.
Hailing from Indiana and the son of Mexican immigrants, Apollo weaves Latin music elements with alternative R&B production. He’s created a unique sound that has resonated with an increasingly large audience – a viral Tiny Desk Concert may have helped catapult him to stardom, but he’ll be playing to major crowds soon enough.
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Måneskin
The Italian rock stars had an unlikely breakout year: vocalist Damiano David, bassist Victoria De Angelis, guitarist Thomas Raggi and drummer Ethan Torchio originally gained international success with their hard-charging rendition of the classic 1967 Four Seasons track “Beggin.’” The cover was actually performed and recorded in 2017, when Måneskin competed on the Italian version of The X Factor, but gained a whole new life after going viral on TikTok.
After winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021, the quartet went on to perform their hit on Saturday Night Live, and later shot to the top of Billboard‘s Alternative Airplay Chart with “Supermodel,” produced by pop heavyweight Max Martin. Their new album, Rush, will be released in January, and the band is touring in the U.S. ahead of the new full-length.
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Domi & JD Beck
Child prodigy Domi Louna grew up in a small riverfront city in France, learning swing and jazz piano. She then linked up with Texas-based JD Beck to form a one-of-a-kind jazz fusion duo that caught the attention of Grammy winner (and former best new artist nominee) Anderson .Paak.
The pair don’t have hard and fast rules when it comes to their sound: light bass riffs are overlaid with jazzy piano licks over an ever-changing drum beat to keep fans on their toes. After releasing their debut album NOT TiGHT to rave reviews in July – with collaborations that include Herbie Hancock, Mac DeMarco and Thundercat – there is no telling where the duo will go from here.
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Muni Long
Muni Long continues to beguile R&B listeners, but even if the name might not ring a bell, you will undoubtedly be familiar with Long’s extensive songwriting work under the name Priscilla Renea: She has over a decade of experience under her belt, co-penning smashes like Pitbull and Kesha’s “Timber” and Fifth Harmony and Kid Ink’s “Worth It.”
After releasing her debut studio album under her given name in 2009, Long went on to churn out hits for pop mainstays – until she released “Hrs and Hrs,” the sultry R&B track which sparked her own TikTok trend, late last year. Long signed to Def Jam earlier this year, and returned from the studio with a fresh batch of songs under her new moniker, as Public Displays of Affection: The Album, which included “Hrs and Hrs” as well as collaborations with Saweetie and Ann Marie, was released in September.
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Tobe Nwigwe
Tobe Nwigwe might be new to the Grammy world, but the Texas-born rapper and producer has been bubbling under the mainstream for some time. Following a viral Tiny Desk Concert and a monumental BET performance in 2020, Nwigwe released moMINTs last August, working with artists like Pharrell Williams, Chamillionaire and 2 Chainz on energizing tracks with topics ranging from music industry practices to police injustice.
After releasing new songs weekly for his Twisted Sunday series throughout the pandemic, Nwigwe not only found fans in the likes of Michelle Obama and Dave Chappelle, but also managed to co-star in the Netflix dramedy series Mo earlier this year.
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Latto
After signing to RCA Records in 2019 and slowly growing her fanbase, the Atlanta-born rapper shot to a new level of stardom thanks to her TikTok-approved “Big Energy,” which repurposed elements from Mariah Carey’s timeless hit “Fantasy” and grew into a summer smash. The track peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 and even secured Latto a remix with Carey herself – not an easy feat.
Latto released her sophomore album, 777, this past spring, with all-star features that include Childish Gambino, Lil Wayne and 21 Savage. Most recently, Latto collaborated with a former best new artist nominee, Chlöe of Chloe x Halle, on the track “For the Night.”
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Samara Joy
Samara Joy has made a name for herself in part by sharing mesmerizing covers of iconic jazz tracks on TikTok. After showcasing her rich, buttery vocals, Joy accumulated over one million likes on the app, exposing a new generation of social media users to traditional jazz singers. The Bronx-born vocalist released her debut album Linger Awhile in September, and slowly began selling out her tours across the U.S. and Europe.
In typical New York fashion, Joy posted a TikTok of her celebrating her Grammy noms while on a crowded train platform. (Of course, the nearby NYers didn’t seem to bat an eye.)
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Wet Leg
After releasing their debut album this year, the cheeky British indie duo has been rubbing elbows with Harry Styles and racking up millions of streams for their meme-ready, millennial-approved hit “Chaise Lounge.”
After meeting in music school, bandmates Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chamber began writing punchy instrumentals and tongue-in-cheek lyrics that sound like they could have been specially crafted for zoomers. Sprinkled with pop culture references and delightful snark, Wet Leg has become a poster child for a modern version of effortless indie-rock cool, simply because they don’t take themselves so seriously. “They’re just really silly songs,” Wet Leg told Billboard earlier this year. “They’re not for anyone else. But now it is.”
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Molly Tuttle
Molly Tuttle might have been born in the suburbs of San Francisco, but that didn’t stop her from creating warm, country-laced tracks dotted with bluegrass-inspired acoustic guitar jaunts and twangy banjo riffs accompanied by lyrics rich in heartland imagery. After studying music at Berklee, Tuttle moved to Nashville to hone her craft, collaborating with the likes of Margo Price and Gillian Welch. Crooked Tree, the 30-year-old’s third studio album, was released in the spring to critical acclaim, but Tuttle is no stranger to praise: the songwriter made history in 2017 at the International Bluegrass Music Association when she was the first woman to win the IBMA’s guitar player of the year honor.
Tuttle told Billboard that she wasn’t expecting a best new artist nod, but felt honored to bring bluegrass into a general category. “I was hoping for the bluegrass album category because that community means so much to me,” she told Billboard. “But this means so much to me because I grew up playing bluegrass and going to bluegrass festivals.”