H.E.R., Jazmine Sullivan, Chris Brown among the nominees for 2021 Soul Awards

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Nominations for the 2021 Soul Train Awards have arrived. H.E.R., Jazmine Sullivan, Chris Brown and WizKid are some of the artists who are up for multiple trophies, and longtime hitmakers Maxwell and Ashanti are touted as special honorees for the ceremony as well.

H.E.R. leads the pack with eight nominations, including Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Song of the Year for “Damage,” and Album of the Year for her full length debut, Back of My Mind.

The Grammy and Academy Award-winning singer and songwriter is even her own competition, as she’s nominated twice in two categories; The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award for both “Damage” and “Come Through” and Best Collaboration with her respective duets with Sullivan on “Girl Like Me,” and Brown with “Come Through.”

Sullivan and Brown are right behind H.E.R. with six nominations each. Both singers will go head-to-head in The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award, Best Collaboration, and Video of the Year. Sullivan is also up for Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Song of the Year for “Pick Up Your Feelings,” and Album of the Year for Heaux Tales. Meanwhile, Brown is also nominated for Best R&B/Soul Male Artist and Best Dance Performance.

Others up for awards this year are WizKid, who has five nods, Silk Sonic, Anthony Hamilton, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Usher, SZA, and Chloe X Halle.

The Soul Train Awards will honor Maxwell for their “Legend” Award. The three-time Grammy-winning singer and songwriter was a driving force in Black music since he burst onto the scene in 1996 with his debut Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite. With five studio albums, hits like “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder),” “Matrimony (Maybe You),” “Fortunate,” “This Woman’s Work,” “Pretty Wings” and “Lake By the Ocean,” have been important contributions for both traditional and alternative soul music alike.

The Brooklyn-born artist joins past Legend recipients Teddy Riley, Toni Braxton, and Erykah Badu, according to Rated R&B.

“It’s an honor to be presented with the Legend award by a community that’s been growing with me throughout my career,” Maxwell said in a press release. “I’m so grateful to be sharing this moment with everyone and returning to the Apollo for an evening of excellence.”

The ‘Lady of Soul’ honor goes to Ashanti this year. The multi-platinum selling artist stood head and shoulders above most female singers in the 2000s, not only accumulating hits like “Foolish,” “Happy,” “Rock with You (Awww Baby),” and “Rain On Me,” but also lending her voice to some of the most memorable rap hooks, like Fat Joe‘s “What’s Luv,” Fabolous‘ “Into You” and several smash cuts for former labelmate Ja Rule, like “Always On Time” and “Mesmerize.”

Recent winners of the ‘Lady of Soul’ award are Brandy, Monica, Yolanda Adams, Faith Evans, Jill Scott, and SWV, as reported by BET.

“I’m honored to be recognized as this year’s ‘Lady of Soul’ honoree,” said Ashanti in a release. “This is a full-circle moment for me because I received the ‘Aretha Franklin Entertainer of the Year’ Award at the Lady of Soul Awards in 2002. As we commemorate 50 years of Soul Train, I’m proud to be a part of this legacy and to return to the Apollo to celebrate.” 

Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold are returning as the hosts of the Soul Train Awards for the fourth consecutive time, as previously reported by theGrio. The award show will take place at The Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, on Nov. 20. BET will air the ceremony on Nov. 28.

The complete list of nominees for the 2021 Soul Train Awards:

BEST NEW ARTIST
BLXST
CAPELLA GREY
MORRAY
TEMS
TONE STITH
YUNG BLEU

CERTIFIED SOUL AWARD
ANTHONY HAMILTON
ASHANTI
CHARLIE WILSON
THE ISLEY BROTHERS
JAM & LEWIS
T-PAIN

BEST R&B/SOUL FEMALE ARTIST
ALICIA KEYS
DOJA CAT
H.E.R.
JAZMINE SULLIVAN
JHENÉ AIKO
SZA

BEST R&B/SOUL MALE ARTIST
BLXST
CHRIS BROWN
GIVEON
LUCKY DAYE
TANK
USHER

BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
BRIAN COURTNEY WILSON
JAMES FORTUNE
KELLY PRICE
KIRK FRANKLIN
MAVERICK CITY MUSIC
TASHA COBBS LEONARD

SONG OF THE YEAR
BLXST FEAT. TY DOLLA $IGN & TYGA – CHOSEN
BRUNO MARS, ANDERSON .PAAK, SILK SONIC – LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN
H.E.R. – DAMAGE
JAZMINE SULLIVAN – PICK UP YOUR FEELINGS
WIZ KID FEAT. TEMS – ESSENCE
YUNG BLEU FEAT. DRAKE – YOU’RE MINES STILL

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
BLXST – NO LOVE LOST
DOJA CAT – PLANET HER
GIVEON – WHEN IT’S ALL SAID AND DONE… TAKE TIME
H.E.R. – BACK OF MY MIND
JAZMINE SULLIVAN – HEAUX TALES 
WIZKID – MADE IN LAGOS 

THE ASHFORD AND SIMPSON SONGWRITER’S AWARD
CAN’T LET IT SHOW – WRITTEN BY: KATE BUSH, DURRELL BABBS (TANK)

COME THROUGH – WRITTEN BY: CARL MCCORMICK, CHRIS BROWN, H.E.R., KELVIN WOOTEN, MICHAEL L. WILLIAMS II, TIARA THOMAS (H.E.R. FEAT. CHRIS BROWN)

DAMAGE – WRITTEN BY: ANTHONY CLEMONS JR., CARL MCCORMICK, H.E.R., JAMES HARRIS, JEFF GITELMAN, TERRY LEWIS, TIARA THOMAS (H.E.R.)

ESSENCE – WRITTEN BY: AYODEJI IBRAHIM BALOGUN, ONIKO EDDIE UZEZI, ONIKO EVAWERO, RICHARD ISONG, TEMILADE OPENIYI (WIZKID FEAT. TEMS)

LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN – WRITTEN BY: BRUNO MARS, BRANDON ANDERSON, DERNST EMILE II, CHRISTOPHER BRODY BROWN (BRUNO MARS, ANDERSON .PAAK, SILK SONIC)

PICK UP YOUR FEELINGS – WRITTEN BY: BLUE JUNE, CHI, AUDRA MAE BUTTS, JAZMINE SULLIVAN, KYLE COLEMAN, MICHAEL HOLMES (JAZMINE SULLIVAN)

BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE
CHLOE X HALLE – UNGODLY HOUR
CHRIS BROWN, YOUNG THUG – CITY GIRLS
LIZZO FEAT. CARDI B – RUMORS
NORMANI FEAT. CARDI B- WILD SIDE
USHER – BAD HABITS

BEST COLLABORATION
CHRIS BROWN, YOUNG THUG FEAT. FUTURE, LIL DURK, LATTO – GO CRAZY (REMIX)
DOJA CAT FEAT. SZA – KISS ME MORE
H.E.R. FEAT. CHRIS BROWN – COME THROUGH
JAZMINE SULLIVAN FEAT. H.E.R. – GIRL LIKE ME
WIZKID FEAT. TEMS – ESSENCE
YUNG BLEU FEAT. DRAKE – YOU’RE MINES STILL

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
BRUNO MARS, ANDERSON .PAAK, SILK SONIC – LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN
CHRIS BROWN, YOUNG THUG FEAT. FUTURE, LIL DURK, LATTO – GO CRAZY (REMIX)
H.E.R. – DAMAGE
JAZMINE SULLIVAN – PICK UP YOUR FEELINGS
NORMANI FEAT. CARDI B – WILD SIDE
WIZKID FEAT. TEMS – ESSENCE