By Ashlynn Shumer
For Mitzpeh
@shumerashlynn
Among the list of highly praised nominees at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards on March 14 was Jewish-American breakout R&B singer, Doja Cat.
The artist was nominated for three awards including Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. According to Grammy News, she lost all three to other famous artists. While many applauded the diversity of winners at this year’s Grammy Awards, other fans and students at this university were upset at Doja Cat’s snub, especially because she had one of the biggest hits of the year with her single “Say So.”
“Doja was one of my top listened-to artists this year! I play her album ‘Hot Pink’ all the time,” said freshman letters and sciences major Alexa Stephan.
Doja Cat made her Grammy debut in person, wearing an ambitious motorcycle-themed dress with bright green feathers. The dress was designed by Roberto Cavalli, according to People Magazine.
For her performance at the awards ceremony, she switched it up and sported a robotic-like latex suit that perfectly fit the futuristic theme of her “Say So” performance. It featured a large dance break with backup dancers and EDM tunes that made this performance different from other performances in the past.
“I loved her performance,” said freshman journalism major Sarah Cassuto. “I think her voice sounded great, and I loved how she incorporated the viral TikTok dance into it.”
“Say So” first gained its popularity during early 2020 when a TikTok dance trend using the song went viral. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 38 weeks on the chart, according to Billboard. The song boosted Doja Cat into superstardom.
“I was extremely surprised when she didn’t go home with anything,” said freshman government and politics major Aaron Knishkowy. “She had one of the most well-known songs of the year, so I thought she would at least take home Record of the Year. It would’ve been cool to see a Jewish artist win one.”
The Recording Academy, which awards the Grammys, has recently received criticism for some of its past decisions. Superstar artists such as The Weeknd and Zayn Malik released tweets voicing their opinions on the way the Grammys are run. A few days before the show, Malik tweeted about “the need for inclusion and the lack of transparency of the nomination process and the space that creates and allows favoritism, racism, and networking politics to influence the voting process.”
While Doja Cat did not walk away victorious this time around, the wide range of diverse winners this year was a step towards a more inclusive future for Jewish musicians, as well as musicians of all races, religions and ethnicities.
