Coinciding with the launch of the Recording Academy's Songwriters & Composers Wing, the 2023 GRAMMYs feature the first-ever award for Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical. While they may not always get the same recognition as the performing artists, this award ensures that the writers who helped bring some of the year's most meaningful songs to life get their turn in the spotlight.

"To be honored by your peers for not just one song that you wrote, or an album that you worked on, but for the meaningful contribution and breadth of diversity of your songwriting across all genres in one given year would be the highest achievement that any songwriter could achieve — period," said Evan Bogart, Chair of the Songwriters & Composers Wing.

The prolific songwriters nominated in this inaugural award class showcase the vast spectrum of a year in excellence — from arena-ready pop to intimate ballads, R&B jams to country sparkle. Each writer was eligible to put forth up to nine songs demonstrating their skill, and the compiled list of tracks from the year's nominees reads like a guide to the sound of 2022.

Before seeing who takes home the honor at the 65th GRAMMY Awards — airing on CBS on Feb. 5, 2023 — learn more about the nominees for Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical below.

View the complete list of 2023 GRAMMY Award nominees across all 91 categories.

Amy Allen

• For My Friends (King Princess) (S)
• The Hardest Part (Alexander23) (S)
• If We Were A Party (Alexander23) (S)
• If You Love Me (Lizzo) (T)
• Magic Wand (Alexander23) (T)
• Matilda (Harry Styles) (T)
• Move Me (Charli XCX) (T)
• Too Bad (King Princess) (S)
• Vicious (Sabrina Carpenter) (S)**

Singer-songwriter Amy Allen founded indie pop group Amy & the Engine. Her ability to tap into both personal emotion and grand hooks proved the perfect compliment to a suite of tender yet sinewy songs — tracks that balance vulnerability and strength in the softest moments. 

Allen co-wrote "Matilda" for Harry Styles' Harry's House, a subtle and warmhearted character sketch, as well as Sabrina Carpenter's "Vicious", a sort of venomous counterpart about a spiteful ex — and yet both songs carry a deep vein of self-reflection as well. Whether writing for Lizzo or King Princess, Allen helps capture an unflinching intimacy.

Nija Charles

• Cozy (Beyoncé) (T)
• Ex For A Reason (Summer Walker With JT From City Girls) (T)
• Good Love (City Girls Featuring Usher) (S)
• Iykyk (Lil Durk Featuring Ella Mai & A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie) (T)
• Lobby (Anitta & Missy Elliott) (S)
• Ride For You (Meek Mill Featuring Kehlani) (T)
• Sweetest Pie (Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa) (S)
• Tangerine (Kehlani) (T)
• Throw It Away (Summer Walker) (T)

Nija Charles has held her own place at the center of the hip-hop world since debuting as a songwriter in 2017 at just 20 years old. Charles further solidified herself the following year on tracks with Cardi B, 21 Savage, Meek Mill, and the Carters. 

While 2022 saw the release of her debut solo project as Nija, Don't Say I Didn't Warn You, Charles infused that same lithe confidence and agility in a return collaboration with Mill ("Ride For You"), as well as contributing to "Cozy" on Beyoncé's Renaissance. She has also worked on tracks with some of the other biggest women in the game: Megan Thee Stallion, Kehlani and Anitta. 

"I make [music] so that I can listen to it in the car and listen to my friends," Charles told Uproxx in a recent interview. That sense of camaraderie and fun marks every track in Charles' catalog and gives an assured boost to every artist she works with.

Tobias Jesso Jr

• Boyfriends (Harry Styles) (T)
• Can I Get It (Adele) (T)
• Careless (FKA Twigs Featuring Daniel Caesar) (T)
• C'mon Baby Cry (Orville Peck) (T)
• Dotted Lines (King Princess) (T)
• Let You Go (Diplo & TSHA) (S)
• No Good Reason (Omar Apollo) (T)
• Thank You Song (FKA Twigs) (T)
• To Be Loved (Adele) (T)

When Tobias Jesso Jr. released his 2015 debut solo album, Goon, the Canadian singer-songwriter was already starting to get attention from the likes of Adele, Sia, and HAIM. In fact, Adele even interviewed him for The Guardian, where Jesso swore his fealty to the patron saint of eccentric pop, Randy Newman: "Randy is a boss and literally couldn't act different if he tried." 

Jesso has since stretched far beyond those roots, this year culminating with work for an impressively wide array of artists. He co-wrote three songs for avant-pop star FKA twigs' new mixtape, two tracks for masked indie country hero Orville Peck, and one song with Diplo, in addition to continued collaborations with Adele and a cut from Harry Styles' latest. Jesso infuses his trademark eccentric charm into every collaboration, no matter the genre.

The-Dream

• Break My Soul (Beyonce) (S)
• Church Girl (Beyonce) (T)
• Energy (Beyonce) (T)
• I'm That Girl (Beyonce) (T)
• Mercedes (Brent Faiyaz) (S)
• Rock N Roll (Pusha T Featuring Kanye West and Kid Cudi) (T)
• Rolling Stone (Brent Faiyaz) (T)
• Summer Renaissance (Beyonce) (T)
• Thique (Beyonce) (T)

The-Dream's list of hit singles (both on his own and as a writer/producer) stretches back a decade and a half; his particular brand of hyper-charged hip-hop has already netted five GRAMMY Awards. 

Born Terius Youngdell Nash, the artist-songwriter-producer struck quadruple-platinum with "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" — and, 12 years later, is a co-writer for more than half of Beyoncé's Renaissance. The album's post-disco and Chicago house vibes slide perfectly into The-Dream's long line of gems, which are equally suited to radio play and the dance floor. Slow-rolling tracks for Brent Faiyaz and Pusha T rounded out the songwriter's impressive year, as The-Dream continues to innovate and experiment while simultaneously honoring the roots of the genre. 

Laura Veltz

• Background Music (Maren Morris) (T)
• Feed (Demi Lovato) (T)
• Humble Quest (Maren Morris) (T)
• Pain (Ingrid Andress) (T)
• 29 (Demi Lovato) (T)

Songwriter Laura Veltz is no stranger to the GRAMMY nomination process, having received noms for Best Country Song each of the last three ceremonies: 2020 for co-writing Dan + Shay's "Speechless"; in 2021 for Maren Morris' "The Bones"; in 2022 for Morris' "Better Than We Found It.

Her partnership with Morris continued with three credits on the country star's 2022 album, Humble Quest: "Background Music," "Detour" and the sun-soaked title track. In addition to helping craft the first single from Ingrid Andress' Good Person, Veltz also stepped into new territory by co-writing and providing backing vocals for all but three tracks on Demi Lovato's acclaimed glam/pop punk record, Holy Fvck. Throughout, Veltz pushes self-discovery and honesty, ensuring each composition carries its own unique depth.

2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List

Watch highlights from the 2025 GRAMMYs on live.GRAMMY.com.

The 2025 GRAMMYs telecast was reimagined to raise funds to support those impacted by the wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area. The Recording Academy and MusiCares launched a dedicated campaign to support affected music professionals, and we need your help. Donate now.

"The thing that makes my life exciting is the fact that I always feel like I'm ready," Nile Rodgers says.

The Lifetime Achievement Award honoree may be the textbook example of the axiom: "if you stay ready, you won't have to get ready." From a tour stop in London, Rodgers notes that he always has his guitar with him — typically his white 1960 Stratocaster, which Fender has since issued a replica of — and "always" has a recording studio with him. "I always believe that I can add something musically," he says.

There's little hubris in that statement, and there shouldn't be. The past 12 months alone have seen Rodgers tour with his band Chic internationally (including his first-ever performance in Korea), work on a GRAMMY-winning project with the most awarded artist of all time, and accept another five-year term as the Chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

This level of activity is far from uncommon for the four-time GRAMMY winner. Rodgers got his start as a session musician in the "Sesame Street" traveling band in the early 1970s, though his legend truly began when he co-founded Chic — a disco group whose sound and language have become the blueprint for much of contemporary pop and dance music.

Over six decades, Nile Rodgers developed something of a midas touch, writing and producing canonical earworms for the likes of David Bowie, Madonna, Mick Jagger, Diana Ross, Daft Punk (which netted the producer his first three GRAMMY Awards), and many others. Rodgers has so honed his skill and ear that it's le freaky; his contributions to the pop pantheon come with ease. "I never think about a song before I get to the studio, unless it's an idea that I had come up with the night before," he says.

Such was the case with "LEVII'S JEANS" from Beyoncé's Album Of The Year-winning COWBOY CARTER; the song itself was nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 2025 GRAMMYs. COWBOY CARTER is the second time Rodgers has worked with Bey: The two celebrated a Best R&B Song win for "Cuff It" at the 65th GRAMMY Awards, while Renaissance itself took some DNA from Rodgers' Chic era.

Nile Rodgers spoke with GRAMMY.com about his genre-defying career and the artists who have helped populate it. Read on for insights into his nominated work, the now-iconic jheri curl activator commercial he penned in 1988, and much more: 

I'm going to get right to business, and start with an existential question.

My favorite kind.

What makes a good and lasting pop song?

Everybody has a different formula and a different concept and a different approach. Rather than try and analyze what are the components of the great lasting pop song, let's just say that all great songs that last are what my music teacher used to tell me: they are always internalized. They're songs that you can't get out of your head no matter how much you try.

The way my professor taught me, he said: "The Itsy Bitsy Spider, went up the water spout down came the rain, and washed the spider out," and he says, "That's internalization. You can't help it." He says, "The national anthem. Go to a baseball game. Look at everybody's mouths. They start doing the lyrics, even though you would never buy the record." Can you imagine going up and buying that? But everybody knows it. It's internalized.

Speaking of great pop songs, I would love to know a bit more about your work on COWBOY CARTER. Is this the first country and Americana influenced album that you've worked on?

Not at all. I've worked with Keith Urban quite a bit. I've worked with David Lee Roth years ago when he did a collaboration with Travis Tritt and I produced a record by David. I've been in the mix with quite a few country players.

Did you bring those experiences to work when you were working on "Levii's Jeans" or when you were chatting with Beyoncé about various projects?

"Levi's Jeans" really started with my guitar part. [Producer The-] Dream and I were just working together out in the Hamptons, and I picked up the guitar and started writing to a lick he was singing. Or I played it and Dream said, "Damn, what's that?" And then started singing on top of it.

So one of those two stories is true. I remember me playing the whole thing. And the voice leading of the guitar playing has the melody and the vibe of [imitates "Levis Jeans" riff.]. So that had to have come before it was even called "Levi's Jeans" or anything like that, because Dream and I were just jamming.

From there, are you involved in the creative process? Do you work directly with Beyoncé or with Post Malone when putting this together?

It’s interesting how songs are composed in today's world. By providing that bed track, that's sort of all I needed to do. Then that sparks an idea, and then they write on top of that. I don't remember it even coming back to me and me having to fix anything.

Honestly, just playing it down the one or two times that I played it down — which is basically the way I always write — I never think about a song before I get to the studio, and unless it's an idea that I had come up with the night before or something. I just was in the room with Dream and mixed it. It was probably one of many songs that we wrote that day.

That was the day that he came to the studio really late; I was sitting there for hours. So that may have been the only song that we wound up doing, and maybe what wound up happening is that there was such clarity and such great direction that by the time we finished it, that's all we needed to do that day. I'm picturing the studio, the house, and the long-ass drive. My studio in Connecticut, in Westport, Connecticut, all the way out to the Hamptons.

You also worked on Renaissance, and "Cuff It," specifically. What was it like to work on projects centered on radically different genres? It seems to me that there's a bit of a parallel between your musical fingerprint and what Beyoncé is doing.

The  way that I look at all music — be it symphonic or small jazz trio or quartet — I always believe that I can add something musically. I'm an old school arranger, so even if my playing isn't the type of playing they want, I could write string parts or I could write horn parts, I could write whatever to make the music a little better.

The most fun I have is just doing stuff. I really say this with no ego: I just believe in my heart that I always have a musical idea that's worth sharing. No matter what the situation is, especially if it comes to composition. The reason why I feel so comfortable writing with people is because, with composition, you don't have to get perfect right then on the spot. You can get something close, and it's just inspirational and it can take you to the next place. I am lucky enough that most of the time I get my part right the first day or maybe the first hour, usually. But if a person calls me back, as some have, and said, "You know what, Nile? That's close, but I was thinking more like this," I go, "Oh, okay, cool."

In today's world, a lot of the recordings that we do, we're not necessarily in the same room at the same time. In the old days, we were always in the same room at the same time. Now, I record in my hotel rooms all the time. I always have a recording studio with me.

For either COWBOY CARTER or Renaissance, was that the situation for your work?

With Renaissance, they had already gotten to a certain place; Renaissance was almost like Daft Punk. So Daft Punk had been working on Random Access Memories and on the track that wound up becoming "Get Lucky" for eight years; Dream had told me that many of the songs that he's done, he's worked on for years. And so he'll play me an idea and I’ll jump on it.

What happened with "Cuff It" was a situation like that. I came in near the end on that one, as opposed to "Levi's Jeans," where I was actually at the beginning. It started with guitar and whatever Dream and I did.

That speaks to your ability to just have that great idea and know how to fit yourself in. You can come in at the beginning, you can come in at the end and provide that flourish that makes the song a bop.

The point I was really making was that I feel like I can always add at any point during the process.

I'm on the new Coldplay record. So Coldplay, I happened to walk in the studio and they just asked me to join the circle, like, Whoa, hey, great. So I had my guitar walked in and started playing. That's unusual in today's world because rarely is the band there, and I happened to have my guitar. That was just a very sort of freak occurrence, and it wound up being cool.

The thing that makes my life exciting is the fact that I always feel like I'm ready. I drag my guitar with me everywhere. If somebody wants to write or perform, I'm down. I learned years ago to not be afraid of failing or making a mistake or having people criticize it, because that's sort of what music is all about. You definitely want to touch people's hearts, you want to get some kind of emotional response; most of the time you want them to like it. Certainly I've written a protesty type of song or two, and it was designed for the person that I was writing it about not to like it. However, I wanted it to be internalized.

You've worked on an incredible number of classic songs over the years that it's hard to pick something in particular to ask you about. Off the top of your head, is there a song that you played on or that you composed, that you produced that makes you smile?

There's been so, so many, but I would have to say probably the most shocking and successful was "Let's Dance" with David Bowie.

When David asked me to produce Let's Dance, he and I had just met. We just bumped into each other at a club and started talking, and I was amazed at his knowledge of jazz artists and composers and arrangers. He was deep into it; we tried to sort of one up each other, going more and more avant-garde, like, "Yeah, well, have you heard so-and-so's record?" "Well, but have you heard 17 West by Eric Dolphy?" I mean, we were really just going at it man.

He then called me and realized, okay, you're the guy I want to produce my next album. I go to his house in Switzerland, and he comes into my bedroom and says, "Now darling, I think this is a hit." And he starts playing a song that sounds very much like a folk song, and that wasn't what we agreed we were going to do, but he was really into it. He said, "I call it 'Let's Dance.'"

I said, "Man, I come from dance music. Let me do an arrangement." And basically, I restructured the whole thing. I had never heard "Let's Dance" until we went to the recording studio the following day and played it. Of course, as an arranger, you can hear it in your head sort of, but I write for an ensemble. When we did the demo, we didn't have a keyboard player. It was just two guitars, very James Brown style.

I said, "David, I want you to sing what you sang in the bedroom and sing it over this music." It really worked. When you hear the "Let's Dance" demo, you can hear how much fun he's having; you're going to hear that he likes it. Obviously, it's the biggest record of his career, but he thought that my arranging skills on a song called "Ricochet" were far superior to "Let's Dance," and he couldn't understand why people didn't like that more. And I thought, Wow, how weird is that?

Usually when I finish a record, I'm on to the next project. If you look at my discography, you'll see that. How could I possibly? The day I finished "Like a Virgin," the very next day I was in the studio with Mick Jagger.

You've worked with so many multi-hyphenate talents and big personalities. Who has been among the most fascinating people that you've worked with?

I certainly know Beyonce's got an incredible work ethic. The first time we ever worked together, we were doing a show where I was the music director for VH1, a television special for Diana Ross. And man, Beyonce was there when she had the group, and they worked so hard. But it was a television show, and usually you do work hard. You only have a certain amount of hours to get things right.

I have to say Madonna. The thing that was so incredibly special about Madonna was her work ethic. It was like her taking power back or control or something. All the musicians were my musicians, we’re working at my recording studio, the place that I called home and christened the Power Station. And she went out of her way to be the boss. It was like, "Madonna, it's cool. We know we're working for you."

But it was incredible; she worked so hard. No matter how early I got to the studio, she would always be there before me. So I called my doorman and asked them one day, I say, "Does Madonna call here and ask you guys has Mr. Rogers left so she can make sure she gets to the studio first?"

She would work out early in the morning, she'd swim and then go to the recording studio and get there before me. The studio's literally 10 blocks from my house.

It seems like you've done a lot with K-pop recently, and you're just finished your first concert in Korea. What excites you about Korean music?

What’s great about K-pop is that a lot of the artists that I work with like sort of sophisticated R&B-styled music. So I get to do interesting arrangements and very sort of old school R&B  guitar playing, and they really appreciate it, man.

I had a big record last year with LE SSERAFIM called "Unforgiven." And then I just did G-Dragon, and he was so cool. It’s almost like I couldn't play enough guitar parts, no matter whatever I did. It was like, "Okay, cool. No, no, no, do some more. Do some more." So I just playing and playing, which I like to do anyway.

Coming to America is my favorite movie of all time, hands down. And when I learned that you did the Soul Glo jingle, my mind was blown. Why didn't we know about this?

I got that job because the person who was in charge of music at Paramount Pictures at the time, I used to do television commercials for him. His name was Steve Adele, and I used to play classical guitar for him, play Spanish guitar for a coffee brand called Savarin Coffee, and the character was El Exigente. And I used to play El Exigente's theme music.

But Coming to America, I composed everything. That's me singing and playing on all of the music that's spilling out the tenements and stuff like that. I did everything like the full orchestral score and the funny, interstitial stuff. And Soul Glo, the commercial.

I learned a lot from [director] John Landis about scoring film. He was saying that even when you're writing funny songs, you have to treat it like it's totally serious. And so then of course, since then, I've done "Beavis and Butt-Head" and all sorts of stuff that was supposedly really silly, but of course I write it in character. When I did Beavis and Butt-Head, and I wrote "Come to Butt-Head" with Mike Judge. I've done quite a few films where I had to do comedic songs, Soul Glo just happens to be one of the best ones.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on Aug. 23, 2024 and was updated on Feb. 4, 2025 to reflect Carpenter’s wins at the 2025 GRAMMYs.

Sabrina Carpenter is the first to admit that it's taken her a bit of time to find her way to the top of the music industry. She even likens herself to the tortoise in the fable "The Tortoise and the Hare" — even if she didn't want to believe the metaphor growing up.

"Something that my mom always said to me as a little girl that really annoyed me was that I am the tortoise… throughout my life, [I was] being told, 'Sabrina, you're the tortoise, just chill,'" Carpenter recalled while accepting the Variety Hitmakers Rising Artist Award in December 2023. "In moments of frustration and confusion it can feel like a letdown, but it turns out it's actually a very good thing."

It's been a very good thing for Carpenter, indeed. A decade since the release of her debut single, the singer/songwriter is now one of pop's new reigning queens — and a GRAMMY-winning one at that.

At the 2025 GRAMMYs, Carpenter’s chart-topping sixth album, Short n’ Sweet, was awarded Best Pop Vocal Album. It was one of two victories for the star, as she also took home Best Pop Solo Performance for the album’s viral hit "Espresso." The wins — as well as a highly entertaining performance of "Espresso" and "Please Please Please" — capped off a major breakthrough year for Carpenter, who earned six nominations in total including all four General Field Categories (Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist).

As Carpenter celebrates her first GRAMMY wins, take a deep dive into her decade-long journey to pop stardom.

Growing up, Carpenter filled the sounds of her family home in Pennsylvania with covers of songs like Adele's "Set Fire To The Rain" and "Picture to Burn" by future Eras Tour companion Taylor Swift (more on that later). After submitting videos for a singing contest spearheaded by Miley Cyrus, Carpenter would get her first taste of success. Placing third, she caught the eye of Hollywood Records, who signed her following the competition.

Simultaneously, Carpenter also began pursuing acting, landing guest spots on series like "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" in 2011 and joining "The Goodwin Games" in 2012. In 2014, she landed a lead role in the Disney Channel series "Girl Meets World," a spin-off of the beloved '90s series "Boy Meets World," which served as a breakthrough moment for the burgeoning star — and a catalyst for her music career.

Just before the show debuted, Carpenter released her debut single, "Can't Blame A Girl for Trying," the title track to her debut EP that arrived a month later. While the four-track EP was the typical output of a teenage Disney star — bubblegum pop sounds with digestible, family-friendly lyricism — it showed off her youthful timbre and offered themes that would become prevalent later in Carpenter's songwriting: love, heartache, and navigating life.

A year later, she released her debut album, Eyes Wide Open. A mix of pop with folk and country influences — a soundscape that remains on Short n' Sweet — Carpenter's debut showed maturity and growth following Can't Blame A Girl For Trying; songs like "Eyes Wide Open" and "We'll Be the Stars" showed a more introspective side, reflecting on the pressures of being in the spotlight and the journey of finding her identity. Eyes Wide Open also hinted that Carpenter was beginning to hone her songwriting skills, penning four of the 12 tracks.

It would be on her 2016 sophomore album, EVOLution, where Carpenter would find confidence as a songwriter, co-writing all but one song on the 10-track project. In turn, the lyrics reflected her growing sense of self and a new perspective on past themes, like embracing non-romantic forms of love in "All We Have is Love," being there for a struggling friend in "Shadows," and learning to assert boundaries in "Space."

EVOLution transitioned Carpenter out of the teen pop aesthetic into a more sophisticated sound, experimenting with dance-pop and techno sonics. Genre versatility would become a throughline of sorts for Carpenter, and EVOLution foreshadowed the multifaceted musicality that was to come.

After "Girl Meets World" came to an end at the beginning of 2017, Carpenter was ready for reinvention. Much like Britney Spears' Britney and Cyrus' Can't Be Tamed before her, as Carpenter grew into an adult, she felt like she needed to shed the Disney-fied image that has become a rite of passage for teen stars. Thus began the Singular era.

Released in 2018 and 2019, respectively, Singular: Act I and Singular: Act II featured songs that were more risqué and mature in nature. A far cry from her tamer work of the past, the R&B track "Hold Tight" is equal parts sultry and evocative with Carpenter singing, "Wanna keep you in, wanna keep you in right/ Wanna feel your skin, wanna feel it on mine."

As she noted in an interview with Billboard, Singular: Act I  was a natural progression for a girl now in her late teens — even if it was against the squeaky-clean image of her beginnings.

"I was known as a fictional character on television with lines that were written for her with an attitude that was portrayed in a way by other people. So for a lot of people, their first impression of me was as a 13-year-old girl [singing] the kinds of songs that she should be singing," she said. "Then, flash forward to 19, and people are asking why I am not singing about the same things that I did when I was 13, as if that's normal."

One of the more notable Singular tracks is from Act I, "Sue Me." Sneakily disguised as a story about a romantic relationship, the song is Carpenter's response to being sued by her ex music managers: "That's my shape, I made the shadow/ That's my name, don't wear it out though/ Feelin' myself can't be illegal." Its tongue-in-cheek and snarky nature would inevitably embolden Carpenter to continue writing more confessional songs with attitude, whether she's responding to media scrutiny in "because i liked a boy" from 2022's emails i can't send, or warning a suitor to be careful in Short n' Sweet's "Please, Please, Please."

Singular: Act I and Act II further helped demonstrate different facets of Carpenter's musicality, with the former leaning into pop tendencies and the latter embracing an R&B flair. And as her final albums with Hollywood Records, she used Singular: Act I and Act II to indicate that she wasn't going to let any sort of previous perceptions hold her back. Their coming-of-age themes showcased Carpenter as an artist coming into her own — regardless of whether listeners wanted to keep her in the Disney box or not.

While the world was going through a period of change amid the COVID-19 pandemic, so was Carpenter. She signed with Universal Music Group's Island Records in 2021, and soon she would be able to fully introduce the world to who Sabrina Carpenter is as an artist.

As she noted herself to Variety earlier this year, her 2022 LP, emails i can't send, "marked the beginning of a really freeing and artistic time for me." Once again, she co-wrote every song on the album; this time, though, she only had one co-writer for each track, and even wrote two songs solo ("emails i can't send" and "how many things") — proving that she was more assured as a songwriter than ever.

As a result, Carpenter's knack for confessional songwriting is on full display. emails i can't send represents a reflective time capsule of sorts; one that brings the curiosity of her earlier work with the perspective and wisdom of a young adult. Her growing fame meant there was more attention on her personal life, and emails i can't send allowed her to reclaim her narrative and express her side of the story.

Carpenter's candidness struck a chord with listeners, and upon the release of emails i can't send in July 2022, it was clear Carpenter was on a new trajectory. The album debuted at No. 23 on the Billboard 200, which marked her highest entry on the chart to date (as of press time); the 2022 stretch of her Emails I Can't Send Tour sold out in less than a day. And once  "Nonsense" was released as a single that November, her place as a rapidly rising star was solidified.

"Nonsense" was initially written as a means to an end after Carpenter was writing a sad song and had writer's block. Now, the track is the epitome of Carpenter's lyricism, weaving together her wit and humor with an infectious hook. First gaining traction on TikTok because of its catchiness, it's become a beloved part of Carpenter's canon thanks to her inventive and bespoke outros during her live shows. It's since become a tradition for fans to check to see what outro she created for each performance, adding to the fan fervor.

Carpenter further satiated fans' taste for her cheeky lyricism in March 2023, when she released emails i can't send fwd:, the deluxe version of her album, which featured a new track called "Feather." She took the playful, flirting energy of "Nonsense" and infused "Feather" with buoyant, airy production that mimics the feeling of self-liberation after moving on from a relationship. Earning Carpenter her first pop radio No. 1, "Feather" proved that the singer's audacious style was taking hold — and it set the stage for an even bigger 2024.

After her own extensive — and very sold out — tour in support of emails i can't send, Carpenter's rising star status was further confirmed by pop's current queen, Taylor Swift. The singer earned a coveted opening slot on Swift's monumental Eras Tour in Mexico, South America, Australia, and Asia.

Just after her last Eras Tour show in March 2024, Carpenter hinted that her own new era was beginning. "I'm starting to feel like I've outgrown the songs I'm singing," she admitted to Cosmopolitan, "which is always an exciting feeling because I think that means the next chapter is right around the corner."

That chapter began with "Espresso," which dropped a day before her debut Coachella performance. Doubling down on the playful, self-assured vibe of "Nonsense," the song immediately hinted that big things were coming for Carpenter, debuting at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No. 3.

Upon announcing her sixth album, Short n' Sweet, Carpenter released "Please Please Please." Combining her now-signature playful, carefree lyricism with an airy, disco-tinged sound, "Please Please Please" didn't just present Carpenter as a confident superstar —  it became her first Hot 100-topping smash.

Carpenter has referred to Short n' Sweet as the "hot older sister" of emails i can't send. "It's my second 'big girl' album; it's a companion but it's not the same," she explained to Variety, to whom she also admitted she feels a "sense of separation" from her work prior to emails. "When it comes to having full creative control and being a full-fledged adult, I would consider this a sophomore album."

It's apt, then, that her Short n' Sweet collaborators — including songwriters Julia Michaels, Amy Allen and Steph Jones — are largely the same as the team from emails i can't send. "I've really honed in on the people that I love making music with," she told Rolling Stone in June 2024.

As "Espresso" and "Please Please Please" indicated, Carpenter's knack for infectious and edgy lyrics isn't just the throughline across Short n' Sweet — it's become the epitome of both her artistry and her stardom. Her signature style ultimately helped her earn six nominations at the 2025 GRAMMYs, and shone through in both her performance and her heartfelt acceptance speech for Best Pop Vocal Album.

Just like her metaphorical friend the tortoise, Carpenter's long but steady journey has clearly paid off. As she's figured out who she is on her own terms, she's manifested the bonafide superstardom she's always imagined.

"I never had the plan B, and it wasn't even a thought in my mind that it wouldn't work out," she told Rolling Stone last year. "I just always knew it was about not if it would happen but when it would happen."

For Carpenter, every chapter of her artistry has built on the last; she's refused to rest on her laurels and continuously pursued new directions. She's creating work that wholeheartedly reflects her, and growing a loyal fan base because of it. Her first GRAMMY-winning album might be named Short n' Sweet, but her time as a pop superstar will be anything but.

From Beyonce’s first Album Of The Year win for COWBOY CARTER to Best New Artist Chappell Roan, the 2025 GRAMMYs were full of high notes in the heart of Los Angeles. Music’s Biggest Night paid tribute to L.A. and the greater Southern Californian music communities affected by wildfire devastation and raised significant funds for MusiCares Fire Relief.

Host Trevor Noah’s opening monologue echoed words of unity and resilience amongst community members, artists and first responders alike. 

“It’s often said that in the darkest times the best of humanity shines through, and the people of Los Angeles right now are a perfect example of that,” Noah reflected. 

Backstage at the Recording Academy’s media center and press room, GRAMMY U spoke with several GRAMMY winners as they stepped off stage to discuss the vital role music plays in uplifting their communities during difficult times. 

Read on for insights from John Legend (Best Arrangement, Instrumental, or A Capella), St. Vincent (Best Rock Song, Best Alternative Music Performance, and Best Alternative Music Album), and Amy Allen (Songwriter of the Year). 

John Legend Speaks on How Music is the Gift that Keeps on Giving

John Legend won his thirteenth GRAMMY this year for Best Arrangement, Instrumental, or A Capella with collaborators Jacob Collier and Tori Kelly for “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” 

As an avid collaborator, the singer/songwriter comments on the importance of using music as a coping mechanism, especially during unprecedented circumstances such as the Los Angeles wildfires. 

“I feel so fortunate that we get to make music that really helps people heal, feel comforted during tough times [and] helps people feel inspired,” Legend said when asked how music uplifts his own communities. “It’s such a gift and I feel so fortunate that we are part of giving that gift to other people.”

St. Vincent Celebrates the Power of Music and Diversity

St. Vincent won three of four nominations in the categories of Best Rock Song, Best Alternative Music Performance, and Best Alternative Music Album. The now six-time GRAMMY winner opened the show alongside John Legend, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, and Brittany Howard for a special performance of Randy Newman’s “I Love LA.” 

“Music has saved my life every time I needed it to,” St. Vincent said.  

St.Vincent discussed the importance of empathy and celebrated the increasing visibility for the LGBTQAI+ and queer community. 

“That’s the unique power of music. Whether it’s listening to it or making records, music is the best thing I know of, besides love. That’s it, that’s all we got,” she shares.

Amy Allen Reflects During Historic Win for Female Songwriters

Amy Allen becomes the first woman to win Songwriter Of The Year since the category was introduced in 2023. Allen’s string of pop credits includes work with Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, and Justin Timberlake. This year, Allen was also nominated in the categories of Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best Song Written for Visual Media.

Allen expressed gratitude for being part of the Los Angeles music community after her attendance at the FireAid Benefit Concert. Hosted by Live Nation, the benefit concert took place at Kia Forum and Intuit Dome, and included performances from GRAMMY-winning artists Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, and Stevie Nicks.  

“Watching so many of the performers, especially Joni Mitchell, has been an inspiration to me. A really poignant message from one person decades ago can still continue to resonate and bring people together in hard times,” Allen said.  

She discussed how her music is influenced by generations of songwriters and singers. 

“[It reminds us] of our humanity and why coming together is so important. It makes me feel really, really excited to be part of the music community here.”

The 2025 GRAMMYs not only celebrated musical excellence but also highlighted the resilience of the Los Angeles music community in the wake of the recent wildfire disaster. Through reimagined programming and dedicated fundraising efforts, Music’s Biggest Night reinforced the power of music as a source of healing, unity, and support for those affected.

Watch highlights from the 2025 GRAMMYs on live.GRAMMY.com.

The 2025 GRAMMYs telecast has been reimagined to raise funds for MusiCares Fire Relief, a dedicated campaign to support the people affected by the recent wildfires in the Greater Los Angeles Area. Donate now.

Amy Allen was awarded Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical at the 2025 GRAMMYs, making history as the first woman to win in the Category.

"The child in me that started writing songs when I was little is screaming and crying and laughing at this moment," she said onstage at the Premiere Ceremony. 

The Maine native's speech also emphasized the progress songwriters have made in gaining recognition from the rest of the industry, noting the category is only in its third year. "Without us, there would be no songs," she said. "We are the engine that fuels the entire music industry." 

Read More: Meet Amy Allen, The Hitmaking Singer/Songwriter Behind Sabrina Carpenter's "Please Please Please" & More Pop Gems

Allen was one of four female nominees in the Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical Category this year, alongside Jessi Alexander, Jessie Jo Dillon and RAYE, as well as Edgar Barrera. She was nominated for her work on a string of hit songs, including Sabrina Carpenter's "Please Please Please" and "Espresso," which are currently nominated for Song Of The Year and Record Of The Year, respectively; she was also recognized for co-written tracks by Tate McRae, Olivia Rodrigo, Justin Timberlake, Leon Bridges, and Koe Wetzel. 

Allen was previously nominated for Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical at the 2023 GRAMMYs, where she also took home a golden gramophone for Album Of The Year for her contributions to Harry Styles' Harry's House. She's nominated in the Album Of The Year Category again this year for Carpenter's Short n' Sweet; she has four GRAMMY nominations in total at the 2025 GRAMMYs, and eight nominations overall.