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Thank U, Next: Grammy snubs and other interesting facts

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NEW YORK — Fourteen things worth noting about Friday’s nominations for the 2019 Grammy Awards, from snubs to first-time nominees:

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THANK U, NEXT

It’s another year at the Grammys, and another snub for Ed Sheeran.

Though this singer won two pop honours at this year’s show, he was cut out of the top three categories. This time, he’s nowhere to be found.

Sheeran had one of the year’s biggest hits with “Perfect” — both the solo version and duet version with Beyonce. But the song didn’t earn any Grammy nods.

Carrie Underwood is in a similar position: She launched the first album where she co-wrote and co-produced each song this year, but the seven-time Grammy winner didn’t pick up a single nomination for the project. Kane Brown, one of the most successful new artists of the year and a dominator on the country charts, was also snubbed.

Young rappers who heavily dominated on streaming services this year were also left out, including the late XXXTentacion, Juice WRLD, Tekashi 6ix9ine, Lil Pump, Lil Baby, Gunna and others.

Seasoned acts who have won Grammys or scored multiple nominations in the past were also dissed, including Lil Wayne, Sam Smith, Nicki Minaj, Migos and Chris Brown.

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NOMINATED BUT STILL SNUBBED

Billboard reported this week that Taylor Swift’s “reputation” was the year’s biggest album, but the Grammys don’t agree.

The album surprisingly only earned Swift one single nomination — for best pop vocal album — and was snubbed in the album of the year category. Her hit song, “Delicate,” was shut out of record and song of the year, and even best pop solo performance. At the Grammys earlier this year, her song “Look What You Made Me Do” qualified for awards but didn’t garner any nominations.

Could it be Taylor fatigue?

Kanye West, whose years focused more on politics than music, has a similar problem: He only received one nomination, too. He’s up for producer of the year, despite releasing an album and producing a number of projects.

Ariana Grande received nominations for best pop solo performance and best pop vocal album, but many felt she should have earn nods for album, song or record of the year.

Maroon 5 had one of the year’s biggest hits with “Girls Like You,” featuring Cardi B, but only earned a nod for best pop duo/group performance.

Luke Combs had the year’s most streamed country album, but he didn’t get any country nods. He’s up for best new artist though.

And Eminem released two albums but only earned one nomination — for best rap song.

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J. COLD

With hip-hop dominating the pop charts and streaming services this year, many wondered who would earn Grammy nominations in the rap categories because of all the competition.

J. Cole seemed like a shoo-in.

He earned two nominations for his collaborations with others, but his impressive and acclaimed “KOD” album was left out of best rap album and album of the year. The album’s songs also didn’t earn nods like best rap song or best rap performance.

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TOTAL REQUEST LIVE

The best pop/duo group performance is looking like MTV’s “TRL” in the late 90’s and early 2000s.

Christina Aguilera, Backstreet Boys and Justin Timberlake are nominated in the category, which has seven nominees.

Aguilera is up for “Fall In Line,” her duet with Demi Lovato; Timberlake and Chris Stapleton are nominated for “Say Something”; and Backstreets Boys’ latest single, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” earned them nomination, their first since the 2002 Grammys.

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LONG LIVE THE DEAD

Mac Miller died in September, a month after releasing the album “Swimming.” Now, it’s competing for best rap album, where he will compete with Cardi B, Travis Scott, Pusha T and Nipsey Hussle.

Chris Cornell died last year and was a posthumous at the 2018 Grammys in best rock performance. He’s nominated in the category again with “When Bad Does Good.”

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BEYONCE VS. HER MENTEES

Has the student become the master? The soulful duo Chloe x Halle, mentored by Beyonce, will compete with Queen Bey at the Grammys.

Chloe x Halle’s full-length debut, “The Kids are Alright,” is nominated for best urban contemporary album, where Beyonce and Jay-Z’s “Everything Is Love” is also a nominee.

The sister duo, co-stars of the “black-ish” spinoff series “grown-ish,” also picked up a nomination for best new artist.

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HOLLLYWOOD’S HOTTEST

While Bradley Cooper earned Golden Globe nominations and is a likely Oscar contender, the Grammys are also part of his awards season.

The actor scored two nominations for his duet with Lady Gaga, “Shallow,” including record of the year and best pop duo/group performance.

Tiffany Haddish, a recent Emmy winner, has a reason to wear the famous white dress she’s sported everywhere one more time: She’s nominated for best spoken word album.

Famous faces also make up the nominees for best comedy album, including Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Fred Armisen, Jim Gaffigan and Patton Oswalt.

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WHAT THE…?

The Grammys just gave Pusha T major bragging rights.

His rival, Drake, may be up for album of the year, but he’s not nominated for best rap album, where Pusha T is nominated.

Janelle Monae also earned an album of the year nomination, but she’s not competing in any R&B categories.

Even the “Black Panther” soundtrack, an album of the year contender, does not appear in the best compilation soundtrack for visual media category, where nominees include “The Greatest Showman” and “Deadpool 2.”

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FINALLY!!!

Florida Georgia Line have launched multiple hits since they released their debut album in 2012, but they never received Grammy love.

Until now.

The country duo earned their first nomination ever this year, for best country duo/group performance for “Meant to Be,” which features Bebe Rexha and is the longest-running No. 1 song on Billboard’s country songs chart.

Shawn Mendes has been a star since he emerged on the music scene, but he’s finally competing for Grammy gold with his third album. He’s nominated for song of the year with “In My Blood” and best pop vocal album for his self-titled third album.

Camila Cabello didn’t earn any nominations when she was in the group Fifth Harmony, but her solo debut earned her two nominations this year.

The country duo Dan + Shay and DJ Mustard, who co-wrote Ella Mai’s hit “Boo’d Up,” are also first-time nominees.

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CHARLIE PUTH, THE ENGINEER, SHINES

Charlie Puth didn’t earn nods like song of the year or best pop vocal album, but his work as an engineer has given him a chance at winning a Grammy.

Puth is nominated for best engineered album (non-classical) for “Voicenotes,” his sophomore album. He’s listed as an engineer on the project and shares the nomination with Manny Marroquin and Dave Kutch.

Puth was previously nominated for three Grammys at the 2016 show for his hit, “See You Again.”

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LADIES’ NIGHT

Almost a year after Neil Portnow told women to “step up” — which he later corrected — female performers are dominating in the major categories at the Grammys.

Five of the eight album of the year nominees are women, including Janelle Monae, Kacey Musgraves, H.E.R., Brandi Carlile and Cardi B.

Six of the eight best new artist nominees are women, including H.E.R., Jorja Smith, Margo Price, Chloe x Halle, Bebe Rexha and Dua Lipa.

Women are also strongly represented in song and record of the year, too, where nominees include Lady Gaga, SZA, Cardi B, Maren Morris, Ella Mai and Carlile.

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WOMEN IN COUNTRY MUSIC

For years women have struggled on the country music charts and country radio, but at the Grammys, they shine brightly.

The country categories, like usual, includes more women nominees than men. Three of the five best country album nominees are women, including Kacey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini and Ashley McBryde.

Three of the five best country solo performance nominees are also women, including Musgraves, Loretta Lynn and Maren Morris.

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A SOLDIER’S SONG

Folk singer Mary Gauthier released an album this year exclusively featuring songs co-written with veterans and their family members from sessions with the non-profit organization, SongwritingWith:Soldiers.

Now the album, “Rifles & Rosary Beads,” is nominated for best folk album at the Grammys.

The critically acclaimed 11-song project earned a nomination earlier this year for album of the year at the Americana Music Honors & Awards, but lost to Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s “The Nashville Sound.”

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MOVING GENRES

Tori Kelly, who burst on the music scene as a pop singer, released a gospel album this year and picked up two nods in the gospel category.

Sting, who released a collaborative album with Shaggy this year, earned a best reggae album nomination for the project.

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Online: https://www.grammy.com

Mesfin Fekadu, The Associated Press



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Border Patrol Agent Lashes Out At Biden-Harris Admin, Calling Job ‘Migrant Concierge Service’ Amid Border Crisis

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From the Daily Caller News Foundation

By Mariane Angela

The border agent stated he is prepared to risk his career to bring attention to what he views as grave mismanagement and potential dangers posed by current border policies.

A Border Patrol agent criticized the recent changes in his role under the Biden-Harris administration, condemning it as transforming into a “migrant concierge service,” according to The New York Post Friday.

Zachary Apotheker, who joined the force in 2020, voiced his frustration over the shift in his duties under the Biden administration from intercepting drug traffickers and apprehending illegal entrants to what he now sees as aiding migrant entry, in an interview with the NYP. Apotheker highlighted concerns about security and vetting under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, noting that over 8 million migrants have crossed the southern border since January 2021, including members of the Venezuelan prison gang, Tren de Aragua.

“I don’t want to bring people into the country. That’s not what I signed up to do,” Apotheker told NYP. Apotheker’s distress is further compounded by over 1.7 million illegal migrants who have evaded capture since Jan. 2021, as he shared encounters with victims of migrant-committed crimes, naming individuals and emphasizing the personal toll on him.

“I’m an apolitical person and I just want to do my job and protect this country,” the agent said, the NYP reported. “When I see people from another country coming here, getting resources beyond what the American citizen can get, that’s where I have to draw the line. And then they’re going out and committing crimes and we’re still not removing them and American citizens are being killed, women are being raped.”

Apotheker and multiple Border Patrol sources have raised concerns to the NYP about the inadequate documentation for unaccompanied migrant children under 14, including missing biometric data, complicating their safe relocation to families or sponsors in the U.S. He highlighted a backlog in the immigration system, noting that 291,000 migrant children have been released in the U.S. without court dates, with an additional 32,000 failing to appear for their scheduled hearings.

The border agent stated he is prepared to risk his career to bring attention to what he views as grave mismanagement and potential dangers posed by current border policies. “However bad you think it is now, it’s only going to be worse,” he warned.

The White House and Border Patrol did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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Rumored deal with Bloc Quebec party could keep Trudeau Liberals in power, stave off election

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From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

“The federal government does not have a mandate to bargain with Quebec separatists at the expense of Alberta, the West and the rest of the country”

The possibility of an early Canadian election may not come to fruition after Bloc Québécois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet hinted that an alliance between the separatist party and the Liberals under Justin Trudeau could become a reality.

Rumors began to swirl that a Bloc-Liberal deal could happen after Bloc House leader Alain Therrien said Sunday that the party’s “objectives remain the same, but the means to get there will be much easier.”

“We will negotiate and seek gains for Quebec … our balance of power has improved, that’s for sure,” he said, as reported by the Canadian Press.

Therrien made the comments in light of the possibility of a federal election taking place before fall 2025 after New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh pulled his official support for Trudeau’s Liberals last week.

Late last month, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre called on Singh to pull his support for Trudeau’s Liberals so that an election could be held.

Therrien also noted that the NDP pulling its support of the Trudeau Liberals has created a “window of opportunity” that his party may exploit. The Canadian Press reported that a person close to the Bloc party said directly that the NDP had in essence handed the party the balance of power.

As it stands now, the Bloc has 32 seats to the NDP’s 24, which is more than enough to prop up the Liberals, who have 154 seats.

As for Blanchet, he told the media on Monday that he was feeling “good” about his party’s newfound power. He then took a shot at Poilievre, saying he is more or less like Trudeau. “There are plenty of issues on which (Poilievre’s) in the same position as Justin Trudeau,” Blanchet said.

“Show us that you’re different, Justin Trudeau, apart from being against abortion, then we’ll see what you have to offer,” he said.

While most Conservative MPs are pro-life, Poilievre supports abortion and has a poor track record when it comes to life and family issues, with Campaign Life Coalition having given him a “red light” rating.

News of a possible Bloc-Liberal deal to keep Trudeau in power drew the immediate ire of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

“The federal government does not have a mandate to bargain with Quebec separatists at the expense of Alberta, the West and the rest of the country,” she wrote Monday on X. “If the Liberals go down this path, we need an election to be called immediately.”

On Tuesday, Blanchet responded to Smith’s comments to reporters by saying he found her remarks “funny,” adding that “Canadians are suddenly very interested in us.”

As for Trudeau, his woes continue to mount. LifeSiteNews recently reported how national elections campaign director for Canada’s federal Liberal Party announced he was stepping down because, according to sources close to the party, he does not think Trudeau can win a fourth consecutive election.

Recent polls show that the Conservatives under Poilievre would win a majority government in a landslide in an election held today. Singh’s NDP and Trudeau’s Liberals would lose a massive number of seats.

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