Trevor Noah Teases 2 BIG Surprise Performers at 2023 Grammys
Trevor Noah‘s favorite part of hosting the Grammys?
Sure, rubbing elbows with stars like Lizzo and Bruno Mars is cool, but what the comedian really loves is listening to musicians he doesn’t know as well.
“Every time I go to the Grammys I discover a new artist that I didn’t fully appreciate and I didn’t love for the reasons that I should have,” he said on a January episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. “You go to the Grammys, you know the artists you know. You’ll know Beyoncé. You’ll know Adele. You’ll be like, ‘Oh, OK, I know these people.’ And then you’ll discover artists who change your life. They perform live in ways that you couldn’t have imagined.”
And if you don’t know the Best New Artist nominees already, you will soon. Anitta, Omar Apollo, DOMi & JD Beck, Muni Long, Samara Joy, Latto, Måneskin, Tobe Nwigwe, Molly Tuttle and Wet Leg are all hoping to take the stage at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena Feb. 5 and bring home a trophy, following in the footsteps of Olivia Rodrigo, Megan Thee Stallion, Billie Eilish and more.
Of course, true fans know these musicians have already been crushing it. To learn more about the Best New Artist nominees before the big night, keep reading.
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Latto
Latto is bringing big energy to the Grammys.
The two-time nominee, a.k.a Alyssa Michelle Stephens, was raised in Atlanta and appeared on The Rap Game in 2016, winning season one. Three years later, she dropped her EP Big Latto featuring “B*tch From da Souf,” which was made into a remix with Saweetie and Trina.
In fact, Latto has collaborated with several artists, including Megan Thee Stallion for “Budget,” Lil Baby for “Sex Lies,” Gucci Mane for “Muwop” and Chloe x Halle, Doja Cat and City Girls for “Do It (Remix).”
The 24-year-old released her second studio album 777 in 2022 featuring her 2021 single “Big Energy,” which secured the no. 3 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
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Omar Apollo
As Omar Apollo recalled to NPR, he saved up to buy a laptop and microphone by working at fast-food restaurants, later teaching himself how to sing by watching YouTube videos.
In 2017, the Indiana-born artist uploaded his song “Ugotme” to Spotify and later moved to Los Angeles to focus on music. He dropped his debut studio album Ivory in 2022, in which he sings in both English and Spanish.
“The life that I live is bilingual, mostly English,” the “Evergreen” star, whose parents moved to the U.S. from Mexico, told the Los Angeles Times in 2020. “But I think music’s a reflection of my life.”
Through his music, Omar also expresses his pride as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. “I’d always write about boys, even when it was just subtle or whatever,” the 25-year-old told Out in October. “It felt right. I mean, this is reality for me. The fact that people can relate to it and apply it to their lives or feel like they can resonate with what I’m saying, that makes me happy.”
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Anitta
While Anitta is a first-time Grammy nominee, you may have already streamed her music. After all, the Brazilian singer did break a Guinness World Record by becoming the first solo Latin artist to reach no. 1 on Spotify with her hit “Envolver,” which garnered more than 6 million streams within the first four months of its release.
Plus, she’s collaborated with Cardi B, Myke Towers, Snoop Dogg, Maluma, J Balvin and Madonna. Last year, Anitta released her fifth studio album, Versions of Me.
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Molly Tuttle
Another artist making history? Molly Tuttle. She’s the first bluegrass musician to be nominated in the Best New Artist category, and her album Crooked Tree is also up for Best Bluegrass Album.
So how did Molly’s love for the genre grow? As her bio notes, she inherited it from her father, a music teacher and multi-instrumentalist, and her grandfather, a banjo player, and started playing guitar at age 8, later attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Molly was named the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Guitar Player of the Year in both 2017 and 2018, making her the first woman to win the honor.
Lester Cohen/Getty Images for Audacy
Wet Leg
Settle into your chaise longue and get to know this indie rock band.
Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, both 29, formed Wet Leg in 2019. In 2022, they dropped their debut, self-titled studio album, which secured the no. 1 spot on the U.K.’s Official Album Chart. Rhian and Hester soon caught the attention of Harry Styles, who covered their song “Wet Dream” and invited them to join him on tour.
And it’s clear why he loves the duo’s music. They’re also up for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Alternative Music Performance for “Chaise Longue.”
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Muni Long
Also known as Priscilla Renea Hamilton, Muni Long has written songs for fellow artists like Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Mariah Carey, Madonna and Train.
Now after more than a decade in the biz, Muni Long’s focus is more on her career in front of the microphone. In 2021, she released her latest album Public Displays of Affection, which features her two-time Grammy-nominated and Billboard Hot 100 hit “Hrs & Hrs.”
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
Måneskin
Beggin’ for some new music? Check out Måneskin. The Italian rock band consists of singer Damiano David, 24; bassist Victoria De Angelis, 22; guitarist Thomas Raggi, 22; and drummer Ethan Torchio, 22. After forming in 2015, they came in second place on Italy’s X Factor in 2017 and won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021.
Måneskin has released three studio albums—with their most recent one Rush! dropping earlier this year—and several popular singles, including “Supermodel” and “Beggin'” which topped Billboard‘s Alternative Airplay chart.
Steven Simione/FilmMagic
Samara Joy
Samara Joy‘s Grammys excitement may linger awhile. Not only is the 23-year-old up for Best New Artist, but she’s also in the running for Best Jazz Vocal Album for her 2022 release Linger Awhile.
Born in the Bronx, Samara sang in church, joined the Fordham High School for the Arts jazz band and later enrolled in SUNY Purchase’s jazz studies program, according to her bio. She released her self-titled debut album in 2021.
Leon Bennett/Getty Images for EBONY MEDIA GROUP
Tobe Nwigwe
After suffering injuries while playing football at the University of Northern Texas, Tobe Nwigwe was forced to rethink his NFL dreams.
And it seems that journey worked out in his favor.
In 2016, he started the #getTWISTEDsundays YouTube series and by 2018 he dropped “I’m Dope,” which later landed on former First Lady Michelle Obama‘s workout playlist. Two years later, he released The Pandemic Project featuring “I Need You to (Breonna Taylor).”
Tobe, whose latest album is moMINTs, also acts, appearing in Netflix’s Mo and the upcoming Transformers movie.
Mark Von Holden/Variety via Getty Images
DOMi & JD Beck
Fans are totally jazzed about French keyboardist DOMi and American drummer JD Beck.
According to Grammy.com, DOMi began playing drums at 2 but switched to piano by 3, enrolling in the Conservatoire Régional du Grand Nancy by 5. She moved to the United States after receiving a Presidential Scholarship from Berklee College of Music.
As for JD, the website states the Texas-born artist started taking drum lessons at 5 and met DOMi at California’s National Association of Music Merchants trade in 2018. They grew their following on YouTube and played backup for Thundercat and Ariana Grande at Adult Swim’s 2020 festival. Two years later, DOMi & JD Beck signed to Anderson .Paak‘s label APESH-T and dropped their debut album NOT TiGHT.
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