The name of Yannick Nézet-Séguin resonated five times on Tuesday during the unveiling of the nominations for the 65e Grammy award ceremony – to be held on February 5, 2023 in Los Angeles – a sign of the recognition enjoyed today by the pianist, conductor of the Metropolitan Orchestra and musical director of the Metropolitan Opera of New York (MET). Composer and producer Kaytranada, as well as the group Arcade Fire, each picked up a nomination.
As director of the MET, Nézet-Séguin received two of three nominations in the Opera Recording category for Eurydice by composer Matthew Aucoin and Fire Shut Up in My Bones by Terence Blanchard.
Its management of the registration of the Requiem by Verdi at the event The Met Remembers 9/11 deserves a citation in the Choral Performance category, then, that of the event A Concert for Ukraine, presented on March 14, another in the Best Classical Compendium category. Finally, as accompanying pianist, his name is associated with that of soprano Renée Fleming, nominated in the Classical Solo Vocal Album category for Voice of Nature – The Anthropocenepublished by Decca.
Quebec musical talent also shines in three other categories. Winner of two Grammys in 2021 in the Best Dance/Electronic Recording and Dance/Electronic Album categories, Kaytranada (Louis Kevin Celestin) is once again up for Best Dance/Electronic Recording for the song Intimidated, duet with singer HER taken from the EP of the same name. For its part, the album WE by Arcade Fire was selected in the Alternative Music Album category; it will have a lot to do to beat one of the four other albums in the running, those of Björk, Wet Leg (which won three nominations, including that of New Artist), Big Thief and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Finally, let’s highlight the work of Quebec composers and producers Demy & Clipz (Étienne Gagnon and Steve Martinez-Funes), with whom the reggaeton star Bad Bunny shares the honor of his two nominations in the categories Album musica urbana and the prestigious Album of the year for A Verano Sin Ti. In this album, Demy & Clipz worked on the musical production of the song Corriente.
Beyoncé leads the awards roster with nine nominations, followed by Kendrick Lamar (eight), Adele and Brandi Carlile (seven each). Lizzo, Future, Mary J. Blige and ABBA are also in good position in the race for statuettes.