This image shows Grammy Award nominee Justin Tranter on May 25, 2023. The Grammy-nominated songwriter is credited with some of the biggest hits of the past decade. (Jenna Peffley via AP)
This afternoon’s host is Justin Tranter, a much-nominated songwriter. Tranter gave out ground rules for winners, including leaping up to let everyone know you’re present (no substitutes accepted), then keeping speeches to a tight 45 seconds. The clock begins the moment winners step onto the stage.
He shared the recipe to his success with The Associated Press earlier: “I just start having a conversation with the artist,” Tranter says. “When they say something that I think is either already the song title or is at least the song topic, then it becomes a secret or not-so-secret interview. And I just keep going in on that topic.”
It is a process that has yielded smashes for such artists as Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa, Halsey, Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, DNCE, Gwen Stefani and Fall Out Boy, triggering 50 million single sales and 50 billion streams.
Tranter is up for a songwriting Grammy this year for an astonishing range of songs, testament to an ability to talk to everyone: There’s Italian heavy metal, a rap banger, crystalline pop, introspective rock and a soaring Broadway number.
The songs are: Miley Cyrus’ “River,” Baby Tate’s “Jersey,” Måneskin’s “Honey (Are U Coming?),” Talk’s “A Little Bit Happy,” “I Want More” from the TV series “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies” and Reneé Rapp’s “Gemini Moon” and “Pretty Girls.”
None seem to have any connection to the others except Tranter, who fronted the glam-punk band Semi Precious Weapons and vowed to make the songwriting business humane after experiencing homophobia and bad record deals.
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Carol Dennis is an entertainment aficionado with an eye for all things pop culture. She dives into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry, from movie premieres to music festivals. Carol’s passion for storytelling extends beyond her reporting, as she’s an aspiring screenwriter in her free time.
