Time Inc.โs Essence, the preeminent brand for African-American women, will host its highly anticipated eighth annual โBlack Women in Musicโโan official GRAMMY Week eventโon Thursday, February 9th in Los Angeles. The invitation-only soiree will salute the yearโs extraordinary GRAMMY nominees and fรชte four-time GRAMMY winner Erykah Badu on the 20th anniversary of her groundbreaking debut album, Baduizm.ย The evening will also feature a performance by Roc Nation management artist Tiwa Savage, an award-winning Nigerian singer songwriter making an indelible impact in the US.
โFrom the time that she first hit the scene with her album Baduizm, we all fell in love with the genius that is Erykah Badu. It is only fitting that we honor the accomplishments of our neo-soul queen, whose remarkable artistry still moves us 20 years later,โ said Essence Editor-in-Chief Vanessa De Luca. โWe congratulate Erykah on her incredible career, as well as all of this yearโs GRAMMY nominees, who share their amazing gifts with the world.โ
โOur collaboration with The Recording Academy underscores the mission of our โBlack Women in Musicโ platform,โ said Essence President Michelle Ebanks. โEssence, like the GRAMMYs, has always been at the forefront of recognizing the genius of so many artists and influencersโfrom iconic legends to the next generationโs rising stars, like Tiwa Savage. We also applaud our event sponsor, Lincoln, for returning once again to support the vision of this event.โ
โWeโre closely aligned with the inspiration behind the โBlack Women in Musicโ event that helps bring a highly talented group of artists together through the power of music,โ said Evan Greene, chief marketing officer of The Recording Academy. โThe Recording Academy has always strived to recognize and celebrate diversity within the music industry.โ
Established in 2010, Essence โBlack Women in Musicโ has heralded the accomplishments of both emerging and established artists and influencers during GRAMMY week. Previous celebrants include GRAMMY Award winners Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Rowland and Janelle Monรกe, GRAMMY Award nominees Solange and Andra Day, as well as music industry veteran Sylvia Rhone and singer/songwriters Lianne La Havas and Emeli Sandรฉ.
The 2017 ESSENCE โBlack Women in Musicโ event is sponsored by Lincoln.