Saturday, January 13, 2007

Grammy Watch: first performers announced; Best Pop Vocal Album


Hi, it's Albert at the Seattle Gay News on a very chilly night. If you're hitting the clubs tonight, be careful driving or walking - it's really slick out there.

Leading up to the Grammy Awards on February 11, I'll be posting updates on what to expect on music's biggest night. And, I'll be posting predictions and personal picks for awards in several categories. There are a lot of Grammy voters in Seattle, believe it or not. Let's hope the most deserved nominees walk away with the hardware this year. Look for a Grammy preview in the SGN on February 9.

Thus far, the Dixie Chicks, Gnarls Barkley, and Red Hot Chili Peppers have been confirmed as performers. Justin Timberlake is also performing on the live telecast with a nationally selected contest winner included in his background posse.

The nominees for Best Pop Vocal Album are:

Back to Basics - Christina Aguilera
Back to Bedlam - James Blunt
The River in Reverse - Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint
Continuum - John Mayer
Futuresex/Lovesounds - Justin Timberlake

Will win: Futuresex/Lovesounds

Grammy voters love John Mayer, by proof of his Song of the Year win for "Daughters" and his mysterious inclusion in the Best Rock Album category for a jazz-blues experimental project (Trio). But Timberlake is a pop superstar who continues to surprise those who dig him, and those who don't. Two smash hits, "SexyBack" and "My Love", should give him the edge over Mayer. The surprise could be Aguilera, another Grammy favorite and well-respected by her peers for attempting something different.

Should win: Futuresex/Lovesounds

Mayer and Aguilera went outside of the box and delivered career-bests last year. But Timberlake's hip-pop collaboration with Timbaland gets my vote; if not for its irresistable beats and dance floor shout-outs, then for delivering sexy back from wherever it had wandered off to.

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