By Armando

Music legends Queen, Neil Diamond and Tina Turner are set to be the honored with the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. They will join Hal Blaine, Emmylou Harris, Louis Jordan and the Meters as recipients of the award which “celebrates performers who have made outstanding contributions of artistic significance to the field of recording.”

“This year’s Special Merit Awards recipients are a prestigious group of diverse and influential creators who have crafted or contributed to some of the most distinctive recordings in music history. These exceptionally inspiring figures are being honored as legendary performers, creative architects and technical visionaries. Their outstanding accomplishments and passion for their craft have created a timeless legacy,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy.

Other honorees include Bill Graham, Seymour Stein, and John Williams for the Trustees Award, while Tony Agnello and Richard Factor will be the Technical Grammy Award recipients.

A special award presentation ceremony and concert which will celebrate the Special Merit Awards honorees will be held this summer. The Grammy Awards will be held at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on January 28.

Queen, led by the late Freddie Mercury, is one of the world’s best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of 150 million to 300 million records, including classic rock hits “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions.” Often to as “The Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Tina Turner’s hit-making career spans decades, once as a member of the Ike & Tina Turner husband-and-wife musical duo with then husband Ike Turner, leading up to global success as a solo artist. In 1983, Tina launched “What’s Love Got to Do with It” which would become her signature hit single.

Singer-songwriter Neil Diamond scored numerous hits during the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s including “Sweet Caroline,” “America” and “Heartlight.” He wrote for chart hits for the Monkees and later hit no.1 with his own single “Cracklin’ Rosie” (1970).

By Niy Birden

Let it be known: Paloma Faith is ready to make her mark as an R&B popstar. Maybe not quite like Bruno Mars aesthetically, but with the same musical foundation and performance attitude.

And this time, it is imperative for our best interests that we pay complete attention.

With 4 albums in the game and more than 20 years as a performer, it is really quite a surprise that she hasn’t gotten up to the ranks such as her other fellow female British performers, like Adele and other singer songwriters. Even though her sound and imagery were quite literally similar to a circus act (which makes sense considering that she was a magician’s assistant), she had the full package: chops, dance skills, and the looks. But somehow, she was heavily overlooked.

Not anymore.

Debuting at number one on the UK Albums Chart and selling over 40,000 copies, this is her first UK charting album.

The Architect, Paloma’s newest album, is a statement that is finding a unique spot amongst the 2017 album releases in the mainstream R&B and pop world.

It is a joyful surprise in many ways. With the album title being released in 2016 after a statement about her hiatus following her childbirth, many people did not expect to hear from our friendly singer from across the pond for quite some time.
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