Today’s category is Best Traditional R&B Performance. I confess that Jon Batiste is the only artist on this list that I know.
I Need You, Jon Batiste:
Bring It On Home to Me, BJ The Chicago Kid, PJ Morton, and Kenyon Dixon featuring Charlie Bereal:
Born Again, Leon Bridges featuring Robert Glasper:
Fight For You, H.E.R. (This song is also nominated for Song of the Year):
How Much Can a Heart Take, Lucky Daye featuring Yebba:
Born Again doesn’t sound like traditional R&B. How did it end up in this category? Bring It On Home to Me is an old standard, and the most traditional of the bunch, sung in 4-part harmony just a little differently than I’m used to. I didn’t like Fight For You before, which is also up for Song of the Year, but after repeated listenings, it’s growing on me. I didn’t see Judas and the Black Messiah, so I don’t really know how it fits into the context of the movie. I Need You is not my favorite Jon Batiste song. How Much Can a Heart Take is pretty good, but I like Fight For You more. But since the category is Best Traditional R&B Performance, my gut says Bring It On Home to Me should win.
Now it’s your turn. Which song do you think deserves the Grammy? How traditional do you think it needs to be? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Have you seen the other parts of this series? Part I: Best Music Video, Part II: Song of the Year, Part III: Best Global Music Performance, Part IV: Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/ Song, Part V: Best Dance/ Electronic Performance, and Part VI: Best Rock Song.