What to expect at the 2023 Grammys

Trevor Noah’s Return As Host

Trevor Noah was a fixture on late night television for seven years as host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.” He has also become a fixture at the Grammy Awards, as he is returning as the ceremony’s host for the third time. The stand-up comic joins LL Cool J as the only person to host the Grammys at least three times in the last 30 years.

Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar Lead All Nominees

Both Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar made big statements in 2022 with new albums. They now lead all nominees with nine and eight nods, respectively. Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” and Lamar’s “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” are both up for Album of the Year. They will also face off in the Record of the Year and Song of the Year categories for Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul” and Lamar’s “The Heart Part 5.”

Mary J. Blige’s First Album of the Year Nomination

Mary J. Blige is no stranger to the Grammy Awards. The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul is a 37-time nominee and nine-time winner. Her most recent win was Best Contemporary R&B Album in 2008 for “Growing Pains.” This year, she is up for Album of the Year for the first time in her career for “Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe).” Blige will also perform during the ceremony.

Viola Davis EGOT Watch

Viola Davis earned her first Grammy Award nomination this year. She’s up for Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording for her memoir, “Finding Me.” If Davis wins, she will become the latest artist to join the elite club of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony (EGOT) winners. She won a 2015 Emmy for her role in ABC’s “How to Get Away With Murder,” a 2017 Oscar for “Fences” and has two Tony wins for 2001’s “King Hedley II” and 2010’s “Fences.”

New Categories

Many tune in to the Grammy Awards each year to learn the results in their favorite categories like Album of the Year, Best Rap Performance and Best Progressive R&B Album. Last year, the Recording Academy announced five new competitive categories: Songwriter of the Year, Best Alternative Music Performance, Best Spoken Word Poetry Album, Best Americana Music Performance and Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media.

Multi-generational Hip-Hop Tribute Performance

The 2023 Grammys show will feature a stacked lineup of performances like Mary J. Blige, Lizzo and Steve Lacy. One of the grandest scheduled performances is likely to be a star-studded tribute to hip-hop, celebrating the genre’s 50th anniversary this year. With Questlove as musical director and co-producer, the tribute will feature LL Cool J, Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel, Method Man, Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, Lil Wayne, Lil Baby, DJ Jazzy Jeff and many others.

DJ Khaled will also have his own hip-hop showcase, including a performance of his nominated single, “God Did,” featuring Jay-Z,  Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, John Legend and Fridayy.

Quavo to Pay Respects to Takeoff

The hip-hop tribute performance will continue the tradition of the musical mashups that happen almost every year at the Grammy Awards. Another anticipated collaboration will feature Migos member Quavo performing with acclaimed gospel collective, Maverick City Music. Quavo will pay tribute to his late Migos groupmate and nephew, Takeoff, who was shot dead last November at age 28. Together, they will use the performance to raise awareness about gun violence.