SOCAN members Joni Mitchell, Allison Russell, and K’naan were each honoured at the The 66th Grammy Awards, the televised portion of which was broadcast Feb. 4, 2024, live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
In an earlier, non-televised Grammy ceremony that day, Mitchell earned the Best Folk Album award for Joni Mitchell At Newport [Live], and then – in her first-ever Grammy performance – sang a moving version of “Both Sides Now” on the broadcast, backed in part by her Joni Jam colleagues, including Allison Russell on clarinet and backing vocals.
Russell herself earned a Grammy, also presented in the non-televised ceremony, for “Eve Was Black,” selected as the Best American Roots Performance of the year.
In a pleasant surprise for many Grammy viewers, K’naan received the Best Song for Social Change Award for his 2023 single “Refugee,” during a Special Merit Awards event held Feb. 3, the day before the two main ceremonies.
In another pleasant surprise, SOCAN member Celine Dion – who’s been battling the debilitating effects of stiff-person syndrome for a little over a year – appeared on the Grammy stage to present the final award of the broadcast, Album of the Year, to Taylor Swift. (This makes Swift the only person in music history who’s ever won the Album of the Year Grammy Award four times.)
Seven other SOCAN members, while not directly winning a Grammy Award, contributed to winning recordings. K’Naan’s “Refugee” was co-written by SOCAN member Gerald Eaton (aka Jarvis Church) and Steve McEwan (N/A). On the Best R&B Album, Victoria Monét’s JAGUAR II, the song “Party Girls” (featuring Buju Banton) is co-written by Yonatan Ayal (of Chiild). On the Best Global Music Album winner I Told Them… by Burna Boy, Kevin Ekofo and Harper Gordon co-wrote “I Told Them” (featuring GZA), while Adrian Eccleston co-wrote “Tested, Approved & Trusted.” MIDO (Mohamed Elkhalifa) and CVRE (Chris Kim) are both co-writers on Lecrae’s Churches Clothes 4, which won Best Contemporary Christian Music Album.
Though not a SOCAN member, Canadian conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin won as part of the Best Opera Recording, for Blanchard: Champion.
SOCAN congratulates our Grammy-winning members on this huge achievement!
Access the full list of all 2024 Grammy nominees and winners.