Watch highlights from the 2025 GRAMMYs on live.GRAMMY.com.

The 2025 GRAMMYs telecast has been reimagined to raise funds for MusiCares Fire Relief, a dedicated campaign to support the people affected by the recent wildfires in the Greater Los Angeles Area. Donate now.

Just before Chappell Roan was crowned Best New Artist at the 2025 GRAMMYs, her fellow nominees Benson Boone, Doechii, Teddy Swims, Shaboozey, and RAYE performed a medley of their hit songs on the GRAMMY stage — proving why they all deserved the coveted recognition.

And it truly was one big medley to rule all medleys! Each artist delivered their signature songs, resulting in an epic, genre-blending performance: Boone's catchy pop, Doechii's astonishingly original take on rap, Swims' alt balladry, Shaboozey's record-breaking country stylings, and RAYE's bewildering soul.

Boone was up first, starting from his seat on the Crypto.com Arena floor and snaking through the crowd singing the mesmeric beginning to his smash-hit "Beautiful Things." Right at that killer pre-chorus soar, he hurriedly ripped the top of the suit open to reveal a blue sequined jumpsuit, climbing up the stage and across the grand piano for his trademark backflip. It felt as if Boone was cannonballing over an endless abyss, his powerful vocals keeping the whole room afloat.

That jolt of energy lent itself perfectly to the next act, the masterful Doechii — who is now a first-time GRAMMY winner, taking home Best Rap Album not long before hitting the stage. The Tampa native was surrounded by an immaculately choreographed group of backing dancers all clad in custom Thom Browne gray uniforms — that is, before it was ripped away, revealing a two-piece white underwear fit with classic red and blue stripes. Doechii powerfully strutted along a moving walkway, delivering a mix of "CATFISH" and "DENIAL IS A RIVER" for a performance that spoke volumes.

Powerhouse vocalist Teddy Swims kept the awe going, as his voice danced across the mic and commanded the stage for a dynamic rendition of his chart-topping hit, "Lose Control." "Something's got a hold of me lately," he cooed. "No, I don't know myself anymore." That admission echoed through the Crypto.com Arena, Swims looking well in control of his fate for years to come.

Celebrating both his first GRAMMY nominations as well as the decade's longest-running No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, Shaboozey brought his chart-topping smash "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" to the GRAMMY stage next. Starting with a snippet of his recent single "Good News," the country and hip-hop experimentalist got the crowd to swell in unison, showcasing a song that feels at once all-American and universally joyful. And with Jennifer Lopez cheering him on, the joy Shaboozey brought to the ceremony was palpable.

Then the angelic voice of RAYE sealed the medley's finale with an impressive old-Hollywood-inspired "Oscar Winning Tears." RAYE's sparkling black dress, the white tux-clad backing band, and the vintage bandstands perfectly complimented her immaculate voice that kept the crowd in a trance. That mystic spell was only broken when she giddily bounced on the stage at the massive roar of approval.

Read More: Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: RAYE On Her Long Road To Stardom, Writing Songs With Beyoncé & Her "Really Beautiful" Bond With Charli XCX 

While they may not have been a part of the medley proper, Khruangbin offered a majestic rendition of "May Ninth" just before their fellow Best New Artist nominees took the stage. It was a fitting transition between the medley showcase and the standout performances given by their other BNA comrades Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter. 

"That's a tough category right there," last year's Best New Artist recipient Victoria Monét beamed, just prior to revealing Roan winning the category. Year in and year out, Best New Artist offers some of the most thrilling music of the evening. But being able to showcase such an incredible spectrum of unique, powerful artists emphasized the bright musical future ahead.

Watch highlights from the 2025 GRAMMYs on live.GRAMMY.com.

The 2025 GRAMMYs telecast was reimagined to raise funds to support those impacted by the wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area. The Recording Academy and MusiCares launched a dedicated campaign to support affected music professionals, and we need your help. Donate now.

Canadian metal quartet Spiritbox have become the metal band of the moment.  Long known for their collision of blistering metalcore and djent influences against melodic new wave and ethereal goth undercurrents, the quartet are ready to level up to headliner status.

The band's dreamy dissonance made it all the way to Music's Biggest Night, where they received their second nod in the Best Metal Performance Category, this time for "Cellar Door." Now, Spiritbox plan to make even more waves with their second full-length album, Tsunami Sea. 

Tsunami Sea finds them unleashing some of their heaviest music while blending in atmospheric tracks like "Deep End" and the drum ‘n bass-inflected "Crystal Roses." The music feels apropos for a band that has overcome adversity, including the recent death of a former band member and their bassist losing his home in the L.A. wildfires.

Formed by singer Courtney LaPlante and guitarist Michael Stringer in 2015 after they left the band Iwrestledabearonce, Spiritbox released two independent EPs before making their big splash in 2021. Their full-length debut album, Eternal Blue hit No. 13 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and generated significant buzz. Despite a series of touring setbacks due to the pandemic, Spiritbox began converting the masses with their heavy, high energy shows in late 2021. Two more EPs followed: the industrial-laced Rotoscope and the more melodic, twice GRAMMY-nominated The Fear Of Fear.

This is set to be a big year for Spiritbox. The group will embark on a nearly six-week North American tour in April, followed by European festival dates and three shows supporting Linkin Park including one at Wembley Stadium. Ahead of their album release, LaPlante spoke with GRAMMY.com about the band’s recent upheavals, the rising power of women in metal, and a funny case of mistaken identity.

This interview has been edited for brevity.

Women rule pop music, but here are so many women in rock and metal doing cool things. I don't feel like the mainstream media gives them as much love. Do you wonder why that is?

Yeah. There's not a lot of women that get to something other than niche success if they don't have a more traditionally pleasant voice. There isn't really an equivalent, like, Tom Waits in the women's world — someone [whose] singing is more about the character and storytelling, versus technical or pleasing proficiency. 

I wonder if hearing a male or female voice singing over the same passage of music, someone might interpret the heaviness factor differently. It's obviously an experiment that I will never conduct, but I always wonder, Is my male counterpart considered more metal than me if we are doing similar stuff?

Learn more: 5 Women Essential To Punk: Exene Cervenka, Poly Styrene, Alice Bag, Kathleen Hanna & The Linda Lindas

You've previously discussed how there are a lot of women in metal now, but there could be more.

After a certain point, [women and girls] don't really care to get into a party that no one invited them to. I look at it like a cool nightclub — I'm not going to stand outside waiting in line trying to see if the bouncer is going to let me in. I'll go find my own club. If you don't want me there, I'll find somewhere where people want to see me. 

It also comes from when you're a young girl, not really feeling welcome. Like going to a small metal show and having people question why you're there. Things are getting better, but we just have to a higher standard and not care that some bread crumbs were thrown at us. We're trying to eat the steak.

There are some lyrics in Tsunami Sea that really sync up for me. In "Crystal Roses," you sing, "You're an echo of an echo flowing nowhere, buried in a message somewhere out there." Then in "Ride The Wave," you sing, "Ride the wave like a message in a bottle." Is there a connection for you between those songs?

Everything that we've ever made — lyrically and sonically — we think of as a concept album. This album, every song, has to do with each other. The final song is the culmination of everything that I talked about. Instrumentally, every weird 808 sound is actually a sound from the ocean. It's a show don't tell thing. I hope that subtly comes across to whoever is listening.

Lyrically, the album is like an autobiography of what it is to be me, but in my head. I think the environment in which you were raised is so imprinted on how you see the world. When I was 15, I moved to Vancouver Island; that's where I met my husband Michael who’s in my band. Living on an island that was very remote and hard to leave made me feel very isolated due to the career that I hoped to have. It just really shaped a lot of who I am, but I miss it as well. I romanticize this place where I'm from, that when I was there it was holding me back. Then when I'm gone, I romanticize being there because I miss it and I miss my family.

It’s fun watching the "Soft Spine" video – you're doing pop dance moves against these heavy guitars and grooves.

It's just how I am on stage. That's how I express myself when I'm doing that song. I love dancing, and that's how I emote. 

It's also very funny when you think about [how] most of the songs are about me being depressed, then I'm just having fun and dancing on stage. When I'm on stage, I'm playing a character and a lot more relatable. That came through in this video. I was also wearing sensible shoes so I could dance.

Megan Thee Stallion enlisted you guys for the rock remix of her song "Cobra."

I love her. She's someone that I've supported as a fan of her music for a long time now. I got in relatively on the ground floor with her. She's one of the only artists that I've ever stumbled upon and watched them rise up in the industry.

I love seeing and being curious about what other types of music fans think about what we do. Her fans loved it. They are so open-minded because she has such eclectic music tastes. Our fans, and the fans of our genre of metal, thought it was awesome.

You had to cancel two tours that were underway during the COVID pandemic and lost significant money. Brent Smith from Shinedown and the band We Came as Romans offered Spiritbox financial help. I imagine that was pretty vital for you at that point.

These are people that did not know us and just wanted to help somebody because they wanted to pay it forward. The Europe tour was just us taking time off work and knowing it was going to be rough. The [tour supporting] Limp Bizkit was a different level of touring. We went from never having any musical gear to investing in all of that gear, and paying [a space] to rehearse. 

[At that point], we hadn't been together in a year and a half. We played music together like 10 times and never played together again, so we invested so much time and money into that. That was a disaster when that got canceled after three shows.

I was really depressed, then my manager called me and [said], "You know the band Shinedown? Their singer just sent you guys $10,000 from his business manager." We're like, Is this a scam or something? He went out of his way, and he said, "Don't worry about telling anyone. Don't feel like you have to thank me or anything. I just know what that's like to have your investment mess up." I was like, consider this an advance on us opening for you. It was nice that a couple of years later we got to finally work with them and meet them.

We were renting our light package from [We Came as Romans]; that's thousands of dollars for that month. They were just like, "Don't worry about it, you don’t need to pay us." It was just very nice to see such positive people wanting to help out a stranger.

Your bassist Josh Gilbert has had a rough year. He lost his house in the Altadena fire, and then the band went on tour. How has he managed to cope through all of this?

I think that's how he coped. We were like, we gotta cancel all of this. We gotta push our album back. All that other stuff feels so insignificant and selfish. We gave him some time, banded together, and helped each other. We were like, "What do you want to do? We'll do whatever you want."

Josh is very wise. He really knows himself and what he wants. He was like, "I need to do this. I need to go to rehearsal every day. I need to shoot music videos. This is my identity, and I need to not be Josh who lost his house. I need to be Josh, bass player in Spiritbox."

That's what he wanted to do, and we're really grateful. But it's crazy. If you talk to anyone else that's happened to, it feels like a death [to them].

Your former bassist Bill Crook died last year which shocked people.

It was horrible. It was very sudden, and we were on tour. We're so thankful his mom wanted all of his friends to be at his memorial. She moved it to when we were back from tour so that we could go. 

We dedicated our [new] album to him and him alone in the thank you section. This album really is for him, because he grew up in the same place as us and had the same experiences. A lot of what I'm talking about in the album – of the things I deal with and try to overcome mentally – he and I are very similar [there]. 

We wrote all this before he passed, but I wish I could have showed it to him. Every day I miss him so much. This last couple months have been hard for everybody, but we're going to be okay. I think we're going to have a really good year.

On the 2025 GRAMMYs red carpet, another outlet mistook you for Poppy, who was nominated in the same Category. You played along — with a lot of poise and humor.

I don't take anything like that personally. It’s the same if someone asks me a really misogynistic question — I find it so much more valuable to make it a learning experience, or at least have someone else that's about to watch it find some fun humor in it. That person didn't know who I was. They had no reason to know who I was.

I just found that whole process very fascinating and extremely funny, and I was immediately smirking while doing it. I texted [Poppy] right away: I just did an interview as you. I hope that I said all my knowledge correctly.

It's the very last day of February, and the wintry month is going out with a bang thanks to new music from Halsey, Lizzo, Natalia Lafourcade, and more.

When it comes to new albums, BLACKPINK's LISA makes her solo debut with Alter Ego, while Kip Moore delivers a whopping 23 songs on Solitary Tracks. And indie rock veterans The Head and The Heart kick off the rollout for their newly announced LP, Aperture, with "After the Setting Sun."

This week's plethora of new songs also includes Nathaniel Rateliff and Gregory Alan Isakov pairing up for the thoughtful "Flowers," Damiano David continuing to build anticipation for his forthcoming debut solo album with third single "Next Summer," and The Ting Tings harkening back to the '70s with "Good People Do Bad Things." Plus, CA7RIEL and Paco Amoroso unveil "#TETAS" and XANDRA keeps the party going with "Feel Good."

Below, press play on 10 exciting new releases worth diving into, including high-profile singles by Lizzo, Benson Boone and Halsey, BINI's latest mini album, full-lengths from Fridayy and Architects and more.

Two years after taking home the GRAMMY for Record Of The Year with her hit song "About Damn Time," Lizzo's on the tequila-soaked rebound and searching for "Love in Real Life" on the lead single — and title track — for her upcoming fifth studio album.

The danceable song marks an evolution from the self-love anthems that made the mononymous singer famous, with swinging retro melodies bumping up against playfully modern lyrics like, "Flashing lights, I'm so high/ This is better than I thought/ Am I dancing like a THOT?/ I needed this." Ultimately, whether or not Lizzo finds the love and catharsis she's looking for on the dance floor is an open question — and one fans will certainly be eager to find answers to once she drops the studio set that's set to arrive this summer.

Fresh off his viral performance at the 2025 GRAMMYs, Benson Boone delighted fans by dropping his new single "Sorry I'm Here For Someone Else" on Thursday afternoon, one day earlier than its planned release date.

The Jason Evigan-produced track sends the Best New Artist nominee spiraling through a lush, '80s-inspired soundscape dripping with synths after an unexpected run-in with a former flame (and her order of fries). "Benny, don't do it/ Benny, don't do it," the rising star warns himself, but he already knows it's a lost cause and by the final stanza, he's running through the diner to chase after the one that got away.

Enter the BINIverse! BINI's new era, which began last summer when the eight-piece Filipino girl group launched their Biniverse Tour, now has an infectious soundtrack in the form of their latest six-track mini album.

In addition to fun and flirty singles "Blink Twice" and last summer's "Cherry on Top," the P-pop stars' first English language project includes aspirational anthem "Zero Pressure," the ebullient "Out Of My Head," eaJ collaboration "Secrets" and a bonus remix of "Cherry On Top" by Indonesian star AGNEZ MO.

Halsey is all tied up on her new single, "safeword." The BDSM banger — which serves as a surprise follow-up to their 2024 album The Great Impersonator — starts at 100 and doesn't slow down as the nonbinary pop star wails, "Yes, sir, no, sir, on all fours/ Are you ready to get what you've been waiting for?/ I'm not a criminal, I'm just a wild child/ I'm not a bad girl, I just like it wild style!"

The "safeword" music video is equally uninhibited, with Halsey wearing plenty of leather and latex as she dons a wide variety of fetish gear, including her own leather muzzle and a pair of very NSFW nipple clamps connected by a chain. She leaves little to the imagination as she leads a playmate dressed in a gimp suit around on a leash, rides another like a horse, and simulates self-pleasure on top of a ceiling-facing mirror.

Just three weeks after joining forces with Israel Fernández and Diego del Morao on "Amor Clandestino (Acústica)," Natalia Lafourcade is back with "Cancionera," her first solo single since 2022's "Mi manera de querer."

The four-time GRAMMY winner — and record holder for most Latin GRAMMY wins by a female artist at 18 and counting — opened up about the track, which translates to "Songbook" in English, on social media ahead of its release. "Sometimes I don't know where I'm going. No destination yet, I choose to keep flying," she wrote in her native Spanish. "I still choose myself. Let the singing fly!...Let the song we all carry inside fly!"

Fridayy shows off the full breadth of his talent on Some Days I'm Good, Some Days I'm Not — the jam-packed sophomore studio set that follows his 2023 self-titled debut. Across 20 tracks, the double album features collaborations with the likes of Kehlani (dreamy highlight "Saving My Love," which happens to be his first duet on an album with a female artist), Wale (previously released single "Shotgun"), Chris Brown ("One Call Away"), Meek Mill (side 2 opener "Proud of Me") and more.

"There's no lane I can't touch at a high level. I'll give you a life record, an uplifting record, a R&B love song, a rap song or a pop song," the Haitian-American artist said in a statement about his vision for the album's diverse sound. "I feel like I can do anything."

NEEDTOBREATHE joins forces with Tori Kelly for their new collaboration "I've Got a Story." On the uplifting hymnal, the Christian rock band's frontman, Bear Rineheart, trades jubilant hallelujahs with a gospel choir before ceding the spotlight to the three-time GRAMMY winner, as she testifies with her once-in-a-generation voice, "There's a beauty in the ashes, there's redemption in the fall/ There's no way that we can rise until we're brave enough to crawl."

The powerful duet anchors the soundtrack to Amazon Prime Video's new biblical drama series House of David, which also includes contributions from Christian music heavyweights like for KING & COUNTRY ("40"), Lecrae & Jamie MacDonald ("Unbreakable"), Chris Tomlin ("After Your Heart"), Tasha Cobbs Leonard ("Help") and more.

Architects set a high bar as the goal when it came to recording The Sky, The Earth & All Between. "It wasn't about just putting out another Architects record. It had to be the record — the one people talk about when they talk about our band," said frontman Sam Carter in a statement, while drummer Dan Searle added, "We had to make the quintessential Architects album — bringing together all our best qualities and everything we excel at."

To do so, the UK rockers returned to their metalcore roots with a clean slate, summoning songs like lead single "Seeing Red" and hard-charging follow-ups "Curse," "Whiplash," "Blackhole" and "Everything Ends" in the lead-up to unveiling the entire body of work. Elsewhere, the band enlists rock newcomers like indie duo House of Protection for the pop-punk-flecked "Brain Dead," and Amira Elfeky, whose sing-song vocals provide a spectral counterbalance on album cut "Judgement Day."

Forrest Frank and Thomas Rhett first found musical chemistry back in 2021 on Surfaces' Pacifico-era single "C'est La Vie." Now, the recent first-time GRAMMY nominee and country crooner are back with more good vibes on "NOTHING ELSE."

Frank's cup is filled to the brim as he warbles, "'Cause I woke up with a good thing layin' by my side/ I woke up to some birds singin,' 'Hey look I'm alive!'" on the sunny track before tossing the mic to Rhett, who doubles down on the song's message that all the pals really need in life are family, Jesus and health. After all, if they don't have those, what else is there?

BANKS — 'Off With Her Head'

BANKS returns with her fifth album, Off With Her Head. The indie pop darling kicked off the era back in October with the gleefully petty lead single "I Hate Your Ex-Girlfriend" featuring Doechii, which was followed by fellow singles "Best Friends" and "Love Is Unkind."

In an interview with Zack Sang just days before the release, BANKS explained her optimistic interpretation of the album's title, and why it doesn't mean what fans might assume. "It sounds really heavy and dark, obviously, but it's actually a really positive sentiment… Living in the past, going over things from the past, rehashing things in your head: sometimes it's really hard to just shut that down," she said. "Even negative voices, it's really hard to think your way out of those. You can't think your way around negative, toxic cycles in your head. You have to just cut it off."

Temperatures may still be cold, but the music industry is red hot! Superstars and rising artists alike are unveiling anticipated albums, dropping incredible songs and launching thrilling new musical eras.

Fans can dive into new studio sets like Sam Fender's People Watching, Mike Posner's The Beginning, BlocBoy JB's The Purple M&M 2, Kameron Marlowe's Sad Songs For the Soul, and Dave East & Ransom's The Final Call. There's also plenty of exciting new tracks to put on repeat, including Coco Jones' "Taste," Russell Dickerson's "Happen To Me" and Burna Boy's "Update," as well as cool collabs like Ashley Cooke and Joe Jonas' "All I Forgot" and Don Tolliver, Speedy, j-hope, and Pharrell Williams' "LV Bag."

Elsewhere, Mt. Joy, KALEO and Tucker Wetmore each delivered the first tastes of their respective new albums arriving later this spring; Carly Pearce announced a deluxe version of her latest album, hummingbird, with a powerful song called "no rain"; and the Yellowjackets commemorated more than 4 decades as a group with their twenty-eighth album, Fasten Up.

Below, press play on other major releases to warm up your winter from the likes of JENNIE & Doechii, Tate McRae, Selena Gomez and benny blanco with Gracie Abrams, MARINA, Imagine Dragons and more.

Over the last four months, JENNIE's rollout for her forthcoming debut solo album, Ruby, has been a nonstop showcase of swaggering versatility — and girl power anthem "ExtraL" shows off yet another side of the K-pop idol's multifaceted vision.

JENNIE kicks off the track by hyping up her girl squad and declaring, "Said, 'F— your rules' is the mood, damn right/ Walk in a room and I set the vibe." Naturally, the song kicks into another gear when Doechii gleefully announces her arrival to the party at the 1:15 mark, and proceeds to demand, "Gimme chi, gimme purr, gimme meow, gimme her/ Gimme funds, gimme fight, gimme nerve/ Gimme c—, let me serve."

The Swamp Princess' unforgettable performance at the 2025 GRAMMYs was a potent reminder — or introduction for new fans — that she hardly needs permission to serve. But the banger turns into much more than a well-deserved victory lap as she and the BLACKPINK idol play off one another and prove once again that, yes, ladies do in fact run this.

Tate McRae shot to It Girl status in late 2023 thanks to hits like "greedy" and "exes," both of which anchored her hit sophomore album THINK LATER. Now, less than 18 months later, the Canadian pop starlet is striking while the iron's hot by dropping her third studio album, So Close To What.

The hotly anticipated LP has already come complete with a trio of sultry, dance-ready singles (and scintillating music video treatments) in the form of "It's ok I'm ok," "2 hands" and "Sports car," but McRae further earns her Gen Z pop star bonafides with standout album cuts like unapologetically territorial opener "Miss possessive," "Revolving door" and the Flo Milli-assisted "bloodonmyhands." The singer also puts her personal life front and center by recruiting boyfriend The Kid LAROI for the flirtatious, at times explicit duet "I know love," which is practically guaranteed to send fans of the couple into a frenzy.

Just days after claiming on her press tour for the Oscar-nominated Emilia Perez that it would "be very hard for me to ever go back to music," Selena Gomez did precisely that by announcing I Said I Love You First, a collaborative album with her new fiancé, benny blanco. The first taste of the project arrived upon the album announcement ("Scared Of Loving You"), and just one week later, the couple already delivered another — this time, with the help of Gracie Abrams.

"Call Me When You Break Up" finds the two raven-haired pop stars biding their sweet time as they wait for a paramour to finally see the light and move on from the wrong relationship. At just 2:08, the winking track — built on blanco's bouncing production — may feel more like a sonic apéritif than a lead single, but it'll certainly have Selenators' mouths watering for what else is in store.

Mumford & Sons frontload their forthcoming fifth studio album, RUSHMERE, with another dose of folksy vulnerability in the form of second single "Malibu."

Whereas lead single "Rushmere" was propulsive and virtually crackling with anticipation, its rousing follow-up offers the band — now a trio following the 2021 departure of banjo player Winston Marshall — a moment of much-needed catharsis as road-weary frontman Marcus Mumford wails, "You are all I want/ You're all I need/ And I'll find peace beneath the shadow of your wings" in his trademark growl.

MARINA is finally ready to emerge from her self-imposed chrysalis with a new era of music. Four years after 2021's superb Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land, the Welsh pop chanteuse (and newly published author of the poetry collection Eat the World) is on a journey of transformation, as evidenced by lead single "BUTTERFLY."

Channeling the radical self-assurance and piercing lyricism of fan-favorite projects like 2009's The Family Jewels and 2012's Electra Heart, the song takes flight as MARINA vows, "No longer a baby, yeah, I been around/ I can see how people like to move in this town/ Trust no b—, even people that you love/ I can flip a switch quicker than a blade does."

It may not be festival season just yet, but SAINt JHN transports listeners from the depths of winter onto their favorite festival grounds with his fourth full-length, FESTIVAL SEASON.

Preceded by singles "Glitching," "Body On Me" and "Poppin," the 18-track album turns the Guyanese-American rapper's bombastic rhymes and emotions up to eleven — whether he's wilding out on "Guyanese Moshpit," name-dropping designer brands on "Pay For Pucci," or searching for a distraction on "Whose Ex-Wife Is This." But it's when SAINt JHN drops the party-ready persona on moving cuts like opener "Never Met Superman" and highlight "Fvck being SAD" where his humanity shines through to maximum impact.

Imagine Dragons are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their smash 2015 sophomore album, Smoke + Mirrors. But rather than drop a typical commemorative re-release, the GRAMMY-winning rockers reached deep into the vault to put together Reflections, a 14-track companion album filled with previously unreleased demos from the Smoke + Mirrors sessions.

Not only does the celebratory project give fans a new album of never-before-heard music, it provides an even deeper look into frontman Dan Reynolds' prolific songwriting prowess and willingness to experiment — whether he's chasing the unattainable on the skittering "The Ghost Intervention," crafting sunny surf rock onto a Western motif on the blissed out "Cowboy," or diving into the groove of French-tinged disco on standout "Monica." Naturally, the LP ends with a demo version of "I Bet My Life," transforming Smoke + Mirrors' biggest hit into a stripped-down folk anthem.

Last year saw Nate Smith team up with Avril Lavigne for not one, but two songs, "Can You Die From a Broken Heart" and "Bulletproof." So it was only fitting for the chart-topping country singer to kick off his 2025 releases with a big-time collaboration: the HARDY-assisted "Nobody Likes Your Girlfriend."

The two country stars are out to save a pal (played by "The King of Queens" star Kevin James in the track's music video) from the clutches of a terrible girlfriend. She may be controlling and she can't be trusted, but she makes for an awfully fun musical intervention as Smith and HARDY lay down some hard truths: "I know she's got you in a love drunk whirlwind/ But man to man, nobody likes your girlfriend."

Ana Tijoux offers up dual singles "Serpiente de madera" and "Muévelo" for a one-two punch of rhythm and lyrics. The songs, which translate to "Wooden Serpent" and "Move It" in English, are sonic opposites — with the former nearly approaching spoken word territory as the French-Chilean political activist raps over a simplistic soundscape of synths before urging listeners to feel the groove on the latter's jaunty flute symphony.

As Tijoux teased on Instagram, the songs are part of an upcoming EP titled Serpiente de madera, which will be released in April. Though she hasn't revealed any other details, it seems she's eager for what's to come: "2025 te recibo," she wrote in a post, which translates to "2025 I receive you."

Watch highlights from the 2025 GRAMMYs on live.GRAMMY.com.

The 2025 GRAMMYs telecast was reimagined to raise funds to support those impacted by the wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area. The Recording Academy and MusiCares launched a dedicated campaign to support affected music professionals, and we need your help. Donate now.

Ifedayo Gatling knew they were going to get a GRAMMY nomination. They prayed for it, wrote it down, and told their mother. Gatling all but manifested it with the help of Harlem Gospel Travelers bandmates George Marage and Dennis Bailey, declaring after a studio session that this song would lead to a nomination at the 2025 GRAMMYs. 

As if God had a telephone, the vocal trio did get that nod; their third album, Rhapsody, was nominated for Best Roots Gospel Album at this year's Ceremony. The 10-track album of reimagined gospel covers from Numero Group's Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal series melded the Travelers' interests in '60s and '70s funk and soul with a contemporary view of gospel. 

"So many people have a certain view of what church is, a certain view of what gospel is. And sadly, it's not always the positive side," Gatling tells GRAMMY.com. "I think that when people see us, they're able to see a whole new side of what church, of what gospel is about and what the experience of being loved by God can be. And that is a greater calling than we could even say."

Although Rhapsody lost to Cory Henry's Church, their nomination was historic: The Harlem Gospel Travelers are the first openly queer — and Gatling the first openly nonbinary — artists to be nominated in the Category. While HGT were never actively hiding their identities — their performances and stage dress often had an element of flamboyance that could be read as queer — Rhapsody is the first album cycle where its members were officially out. 

Sharing that side of their story was a leap of faith, particularly in a field that many consider conservative. "That leap of faith has led us to be GRAMMY nominees…but also to be beacons of light and representation for so many other people. To show them that they can have their dreams come true is beyond anything that we could have ever imagined," Gatling continues. "Now queer people get to see us, young Black people get to see us, Christians get to see us. And that's busting down doors and breaking glass ceilings."

The Harlem Gospel Travelers first coalesced in their namesake neighborhood in 2014, when musician, producer, and mentor Eli "Paperboy" Reed was auditioning singers for an afterschool music education program for teens. Their voices rising from the choir, the quartet of HGT (then with Asher Bethune) worked with Reed to release their debut album He's On Time, and soon disbanded for college. When that Colemine Records release struck a chord, Reed encouraged the singers to gather once again; the result was Look Up!, an album of original material. 

Several years and singles later, HGT reconvened to record material by Chicago’s Pastor T.L. Barrett, Cleveland’s Shirley Ann Lee, Brooklyn’s Jonah Thompson, and others. The result, Rhapsody, was recorded with the rhythm section from Look Up! As well as with legendary gospel organist Gregory Kelly. When the Travelers learned they had been nominated — Marage in the middle of the street, Bailey in the middle of moving apartments, and Gatling in a North Carolina airport — it felt like the culmination of a higher purpose. 

The Harlem Gospel Travelers spoke with GRAMMY.com about God's plan, authenticity and how they're bringing the good news to Christians and non-believers. HGT will support Reed on an Australian tour in May.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

What does a GRAMMY nomination mean to you as artists and as people of faith working in your genre?

George Marage: Ever since I was little, I wanted to be recognized for my voice and whether by myself or with a group. So it's really a surreal feeling, and for me, I'm so glad to be able to do it with two of my best friends. I didn't even think this was possible at this stage, but God does things in mysterious ways and it's our time.

Dennis Bailey: There is that numbness until someone goes, "Hey, you're GRAMMY nominated." And then the sparks start flying again and I get giddy again. It feels like the first day all over.

Ifedayo Gatling: I keep telling my mom, "I can't believe it, but I can believe it." And I say I can believe it because we've worked for this and we prayed for this. And George would say to us all the time, "We're next, we're next. It's going to happen." I was in the studio and I was like, I'm going to the GRAMMYs next year. I don't know who I'm going with, but I'm going. After we recorded one of the songs, I texted our producer, I was like, "We're getting a GRAMMY nom for this." God was like, "bet."

You all shared more of your personal stories with this release. How much about your identities was already out in the world with your previous releases?

Gatling: The one difference between Rhapsody and our other two albums is the fact that we decided to share with the world that we are queer. And it made [our audience] feel seen because they saw queer people in a space that they didn't feel they would see themselves or be accepted in. 

And when we saw that, we said we can't limit ourselves or limit the people that need to see us. We have to open the door. We're choosing to reintroduce ourselves to the world where anybody can experience God or gospel or joy through us and our music, and the way that we present ourselves. Whether you're queer or not, or whether you believe in God or not, you could still get down with HGT.

I think that one of the beautiful things about music sung by people who have strong faith and beautiful voices is it brings in all sorts. I'd love to hear a little bit about the creative process behind Rhapsody.

Gatling: We all picked songs that were going to showcase different sides of our voices, or different sounds that we enjoy, or different parts of our personality. As we started working together, it really just started to inspire us to try different things, try different approaches vocally, creatively. 

When we recorded songs like "Get Involved" with Dennis, we went into it knowing that we were going to bring in a hip-hop flavor. And as we kept working on it and as we continue to perform it live, now it's blown into a full-blown rap.

We decided to call it Rhapsody because it is a transformation. It's a sonic experience of a transformation, but also a physical and a life experience of a transformation. 

I really like those Good God! comps and, to me, it makes sense that HGT would be interested in gospel music with a heavy soul influence. What about that era appeals to you? 

Bailey: The far outness of it all; the chill love that was being spread, or at least trying to be spread. The sense of community is what I love.

Marage: In the early '60s, '70s, it just seemed like everybody was just pure and what they were feeling, that's what you got. We don't use a lot of pitch correction or Autotune for our thing. What you hear for the most part is what you hear on stage. Bringing that type of rawness and realness into our time now, not a lot of people are doing that. 

Gatling: We enjoy that music of that era because you had no choice but to sing, you had no choice but to play. You had to give everything or nothing at all because nothing else was acceptable. And that's what's also pushed and fueled us in this new era because that's the artistry that we grew up on, that's the artistry that we admire.

Was any of this era of gospel music that you also grew up listening to? In your bio, you've said secular music like Juvenile was also a big part of your youth.

Gatling: My mom is in her late 50s and my dad is in his mid-60s, so I grew up with all of their music plus everything that my grandparents were listening to. And that's informed everything that we've kind of done.

I come from a Baptist church, so that's all of the gospel music that I've been introduced to. But then you have George, who comes from the Catholic church.

Marage: Gospel music wasn't in my early ages at all. I was definitely more secular, like R&B, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey. But until the time I met Ifedayo, we were in a gospel program. So that's how I was able to start getting the idea of the gospel music and the quartet style music. I just wanted to open my horizons to more gospel music.

Bailey: God just kept his hand on me. I wasn't a church kid, but I was in the church. So I spent a lot of time around the music, around the style. And then as I got older, I realized, Hey, they be singing. But I also liked the John Legends and the Mariah Careys; the secular stuff. And then by the time I got to college, I was on a spiritual journey of reconnecting with myself, reconnecting myself with God. It really was just a stroke of luck that it all came back to gospel.

Is there a song on Rhapsody that you're particularly proud of?

Marage: One of my favorites will always be "God's Love." I sing in falsetto for the most part, but when I originally heard the original singer, I was like, "I'm supposed to go how high right now?" So it just gave me that extra push [to] reimagine what was already an amazing song. 

Bailey: "Get Involved" pushed me to become more comfortable being just a chill dude. It has that vibe that just encapsulates my personality to the T. 

Gatling: "Searching for the Truth" was a song that I finished and I said that we were going to get a GRAMMY nom for, so I was right. God is good. The song I'm most proud of is "God's Been Good to Me." I wanted to have the spirit of artists like Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle; they sing as if the sky is not the limit. And so when I was in the studio, I wanted to have that energy and it wasn't until after I listened to the recording, I got all the way up there to that E-flat. I said, "Amen." 

My favorite song, "Have You Tried Jesus," that song right there has oil on it, and I mean all of the oil. I don't care if you don't believe in God or not, there's something about that song that's going to make you lift your hand. 

There's another song we ate up: "God's Love." If you listen to the harmonies in the background, we are one voice, one band, one sound. 

Although there's a notable history of queer and trans gospel artists and contemporary Christian musicians who are queer, I imagine that your church communities might not have been as welcoming to your true and most authentic selves.

Gatling: I'm born and raised in church. The church loves the gays. They don't want to say it, but they do. There are so many of us in the church. And even though sometimes it's very hard for people to embrace what they don't understand, church is such a beautiful space of love and worship when you find the people that get you.

That's why you have to find your church home. And HGT is a form of a church home because we're bringing the experience of church, the experience of gospel and that energy, to you wherever you are — whether it be a club, a festival. Wherever we meet you, you're going to experience this and be able to carry that love with you and create your own church family wherever you are to worship or to love and to experience whatever you want to experience. You are the church. 

Is bringing gospel to the masses — and to people like me who aren't of the same faith or aren't religious — something that you're consciously thinking of?

Gatling: It wasn't on purpose, but it happened and we accepted the assignment. I don't think that any one of us thought that we would be professionally making gospel music. And this is something that has fallen into our laps and we've decided to take the mantle and God continues to show us that this is what we're supposed to do.

We know that these are not church people. And it's okay because, first of all, we love that you give your praise with your tequila shot. I'm churchy, no matter what. That's why in our bio it says, "On the way to church, we going to say give God the praise. On the way back from church, it's 'Back That Azz Up,'" because it's the balance of it all.

I think that when people see us, they're able to see a whole new side of what church, of what gospel about what being loved and the experience of being loved by God can be. And that is a greater calling than we could even say. It's bigger than our mission, it's God's mission. 

George or Dennis, do you have any thoughts to add about the appeal of gospel music to folks that didn't maybe come from that space?

Bailey: I feel that we're displaying a dichotomy of humanity that people forget exists in gospel music. We're still human. We still trying to go hit the club and have a little fun, but we're God-loving. So the fact that I can show you I'm a regular dude, but I'm a regular dude who's really deep in love with my Lord and Savior, is beautiful and humbling to say the least.

Marriage: We're not promoting queerness; we're just showing our authentic selves; we're being truthful about it, and we're God-loving people. We try to live righteously. Gospel means bring good news and that's what we do. We bring good news, good vibes, good energy, and I believe we're doing the right thing. 

I read that you guys were somewhat shunned by the traditional gospel industry for being simultaneously too out but also too sonically traditional in your sound. Can you expand upon that, if it's accurate?

Gatling: What mainstream gospel music looks like is a very specific niche and look. We are somewhat in the gray because we don't identify as gospel artists. We choose to make gospel music because that is what inspires us and infuses us and is a part of us. But we can make a pop record tomorrow and still tear it up and still say "in Jesus' name" at the end of it.

It's not about being shunned, it's about people being ready to experience and see a new form of music and a new form of artists.  I think that it's taken people time to understand who we are and what we're presenting, but it's also taken us time to figure out who we are and what we're presenting. So ain't no shun over here; it's sun over here.

Your non-album singles "It's My Business" and "Fight On" are praise songs that are also protest anthems. Can you share a bit about the intersection of gospel and social justice, and where that intersection lies for your music?

Gatling: Gospel calls for you to speak to the problems and speak to the people, and encourage them and to speak love and positivity and empowerment. Historically, the Black church was about building community and about creating a safe space for Black people. Sundays were the only time that slaves were allowed to not work and to be able to be with their families.

After slavery was over, that did not stop. The church was still that place for everybody to come and to meet. When the civil rights movement happened, that's why churches were so involved and why gospel music was also so involved. And so that's why you have songs that have inspired and change that have a gospel feel to them, or there are gospel songs that are straight up about changing the world. 

The beginning of "Fight On" is a traditional hymn, and that's what inspired the rest of the song. [It says] We need to have a meeting of the minds and come together because what's going on right now is foolishness and love needs to take hold. "It's My Business" is a song that talks about the violence and social injustice that trans people are facing, not only here in America but in Europe as well.

Are you working on anything else that you would like to promote or hint at? 

Gatling:  We're working on another album. We just finished making all of the demos. This is going to be our biggest album yet in terms of the amount of songs, the production value, the singing that's about to go down. 

As musicians, you can be historians and we are the Harlem Gospel Travelers. Our first record was very inspired by the '50s and the '60s. [Then] we moved into the '60s and the '70s. What's next? The '70s and the '80s. So that should give you a hint on what the sound is going to be giving.