ABC/Image Group LA; ABC/Randy HolmesJulia Michaels heads into Sunday night’s Grammys with two nominations: Best New Artist and Song of the Year for her hit “Issues.” Julia, who first made her mark by writing hits for the likes of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, is thrilled to finally be recognized as an artist in her own right.
“It’s amazing,” she tells ABC Radio. “As a songwriter, you always hope that you’ll be recognized. And then as an artist, to be acknowledged…as someone that sings their own songs now, from their own point of view….it’s really amazing.”
Julia’s Best New Artist competition includes Alessia Cara, SZA, Khalid and rapper Lil Uzi Vert, and she’s “honored” to be in that group.
“I see all of the people that are nominated for Best New Artist as people that have been super-innovative and have changed the course of music for 2017 and are changing it for 2018 already,” she notes.
Like Julia, rapper Logic also has two Grammy nods: Song of the Year and Best Music Video for “1-800-273-8255.” He tells ABC Radio he’s thrilled about the nod for his anti-suicide anthem, which features Alessia and Khalid.
“It’s something that for me is just incredible,” he marvels. “‘Cause you work so hard at something and you try to spread a positive message…and you hope it will connect, and it did…but the fact that it’s now connected with my peers…it truly is, like a lifetime achievement.”
Even if he doesn’t win, Logic says he feels like he already has, because of what the song has done to raise awareness of the National Suicide Prevention hotline.
“The fact that I’m nominated…it already won to me,” he tells ABC Radio. “They know the number, they know the message, they know the meaning…that’s it, I did my part. Cool.”
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