Grammy Awards: Ricky Reed Receives Two Nominations At 64th Annual Grammy Awards
- Details
- Category: Theatre, Music
- Published on Tuesday, 23 November 2021 19:38
- Written by A&E Contributing Editor
Multi-platinum producer and songwriter Ricky Reed is up for two nominations at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards: Album of the Year for his production work on Jon Batiste's We Are, and Producer of the Year.
His contributions to major releases this year from Batiste, as well as Lizzo, Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello, Junior Mensa, and John-Robert earned him the Producer of the Year nod. Reed was also part of the Grammy-nominated albums Gold-Diggers Sound by Leon Bridges (Best R&B Album) and Sin Miedo (Del Amor Y Otros Demonios) 8 by Kali Uchis (Best Mùsica Urbana Album).
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Reed previously won Best Urban Contemporary Album in 2019 for Lizzo's Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) and has received five previous nominations including two for Producer of the Year.
Despite the unprecedented times, Reed has kept extremely active. In March 2020, in direct response to Los Angeles' stay at home ordinance, Reed steadfastly moved his producing and writing sessions online from his home studio and published an open letter in the Los Angeles Times addressing the artist community and urging them to "band together by staying apart." Beginning as a mental health exercise to keep motivated, as well as to help inspire, challenge and gather fellow creatives, Reed began hosting livestreams twice per week on his Nice Life YouTube channel.
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The sessions, later named NICE LIVE!, offered an unpolished look at the conversations between Reed and friends, which were often the flashpoint for a new song or instrumental that Reed created live on the spot.
From the sessions, Reed's critically lauded debut album, The Room featuring Leon Bridges, Jim James, Lido Pimienta and Alessia Cara among others, was born and released to widespread critical acclaim last July.
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Paste hailed the album as "an ambitious release from a true industry game-changer," while Pitchfork noted, "as a means of community building, and as a document of Ricky Reed exploring a new sound, The Room is impressive."
Reed is best known for his work with Lizzo, The Weeknd, Twenty One Pilots, Halsey, Leon Bridges, Kali Uchis and many others. Reed started his own label Nice Life Recording Company in 2014 as a joint venture with Atlantic Records, signing and developing global superstar Lizzo. While Lizzo remains in the joint venture, Nice Life went independent in 2017 and the label earned its first #1 record with Lizzo's smash hit "Truth Hurts" in 2019.