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Behind The Board: AG On Connecting With The Vocal, Breaking Into Sync & More

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The songwriter/producer/mix engineer also talks about how music saved her life, why music for picture is more artist-driven than the industry realizes, and some of her favorite projects
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Mar 23, 2020 - 3:55 pm

"Any song that I hear...  it's the vocal," said songwriter/producer/engineer AG from her studio in Los Angeles. "That's the point of entrance for most people. If an artist can get though that and if I can help them arrive at an incredibly honest vocal that will connect with people, that, to me, is the whole ball game."

AG has applied her vocal-first approach to an impressive catalog of work, including collaborations with Larkin Poe, Snow Patrol, Natalie Imbruglia, Deap Vally, Aloe Blacc, KYGO, Robert Delong, Warpaint, MORGXN and more, plus a long list of syncs and in-episode song placements.  In the latest edition of Behind The Board, AG talks about how music intervened in her life just in time.

Behind The Board: AG

"Early on I realized that music was going to save me, and it has saved me so many times in my life," she said. "I always knew I was kinda different for many reasons, and I think that music was where I always felt like I belonged, so i was like, 'if I don't do this, I'm going to die [laughs]... I have to figure it out because this is what I know I'm meant to do, and I just have to figure out how I'm going to make money.'" 

AG was able to foray her skills into music for tv/film, a move many music makers attempt though few succeed. As a woman in the industry, AG recognizes the margin for error was even smaller. 

"I sort of fell into the sync world, and I just had a knack for it," AG said, adding, "Granted, I had to get good at it very quickly, because women don't have permission to suck."

Drawing upon her expereince and success in music, both as making her own and working with a wide array of different artists, AG carved her own lane i the sync world, recognizing that, even in the world of sync, there are certain artists who have a sound that naturally lends itself to syncing to picture. Her work can be heard in trailers for films and shows such as "The Handmaid’s Tale," A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood, Highwaymen, ad campaigns for brands such as Cadillac, Guess, Ford, and the Olympics, in television shows including "Grey’s Anatomy," "Riverdale" and Blacklist" and in films such as Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw and The Last Witch Hunter.

Watch the video above to hear AG discuss some of her favorite projects, including collaborations with Christina Perri, MILCK and more.

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Behind The Board: Jozzy On "Old Town Road," Learning From Her Mentors Timbaland And Missy Elliott & More

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Jahaan Sweet

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Behind The Board: Jahaan Sweet On Working With Boi-1da, Drake & What Makes A Great Record

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Hear how this producer went from playing in jazz band and at church to producing some of the biggest artists in music, such as Drake, Eminem, The Carters and more...
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Mar 30, 2020 - 2:17 pm

Producer Jahaan Sweet has crafted records with the likes of Kehlani, Drake, Eminem, The Carters, Ty Dolla $ign, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, and more. We tracked him down in Los Angeles to hear more about his journey in the latest episode of Behind The Board. Take a look:

Behind The Board: Jahaan Sweet

Playing blues in his middle school jazz band led to paid church gigs on sundays. Once a friend showed him GarageBand, and his parents got him a laptop, Sweet's fire had been ignighted. Sweet's first serious step toward his successful studio career was to attend GRAMMY Camp in 2010, where he learned more about how to make a career making music. As a burgeoning musical force, he began to develop his own style of collaborating with artists in the studio.

"In my eyes, my thing is more so to help make whatever vision [the artists] have come to life. I'm not too forceful," Sweet said. "I just go into everything with an open mind and ready to do whatever is going to sound the best and make the artist the most comfortable."

Early in his career, he linked up with mentor Boi-1da, where he was able to pick up how to be the most efficient in the studio, not getting stuck on any one idea too long. Their partnership worked and yeilded big time production credits, including work with Sweet's favorite rapper, Drake. Along the way, he developed a special ear for what makes a record connect with listeners.

Read More: GRAMMY Camp Alumnus Jahaan Sweet On Working With Drake, Eminem & His Mentor Boi-1da

"For me, it's whatever makes me feel the most is something I think is a great record, or if it takes me back," Said Sweet. "If people from different cultures, from different places on the earth, can feel the same emotion, that's what makes a great song."

Watch the video above to find out more about Jahaan's journey in the latest installment of Behind The Board.

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WATCH Behind The Board: Boi-1da On Beat Making, His Beginnings & Working With Drake

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Selena Gomez

Photo: Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images

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Selena Gomez Drops "Dance Again" Performance Video & Merch To Benefit MusiCares

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A portion of the proceeds from the merch sales will benefit the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Mar 26, 2020 - 2:00 pm

Pop superstar Selena Gomez treated fans to a brand new performance video for the song “Dance Again” from her new album, RARE. Have a look:

Gomez also introduced new “Dance Again” merchandise, pledging a portion of the proceeds to benefit the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund to help those in the music community affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Learn More: MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund

The Recording Academy and MusiCares established the fund last week, and have receieved a groundswell of support from artists and companies alike. 

Gomez released RARE, her third studio album, earlier this year. The singer/songwriter took to twitter to address the timing of her new video for "Dance Again" and deliver a message of unity and hope to her fans.

"It feels a little strange releasing something so lighthearted in the middle of such a heavy time for our world, but I also think it’s a good reminder that we will get through this together," Gomez tweeted.

Learn more about how you can donate to or apply for assistance via the Recording Academy's and MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Learn more about the financial, medical and personal emergencies services and resources offered by the Recording Academy and MusiCares. 

Read More: Selena Gomez On Her Fetish For Remixes, Cheese & The Late '60s

GRAMMYs

Leslie Ann Jones

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Behind The Board: Leslie Ann Jones On Skywalker Sound, Recording For 'Halo' & Working With Artists

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The GRAMMY-winner talks life at Skywalker, what she tells all young aspiring studio professionals, her favorite recording projects and more...
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Mar 16, 2020 - 1:20 pm

Five-time GRAMMY-winning engineer Leslie Ann Jones runs the show at Skywalker Sound and, in the latest episode of Behind The Board, takes us inside her world and the path her career has taken to becoming one of the most accomplished and respected studio professionals in her field.

Behind The Board: Leslie Ann Jones

Since 1997, Jones has been behind the board at Skywalker Sound, and as Director of Music Recording & Scoring, she is responsible for the administration of the studio's world-class scoring stage. 

"Our job here is to provide the space and the environment so that the artists who come here can be creative," Jones said about Skywalker Sound. "We have everything laid out and ready to go. They can walk in the door, you can push record, and they can have a great time."

She names her work on the wildly successful game Halo and specifically recording guitar parts with Steve Vai as some of her favorite recent projects.

But Jones also finds the time to produce and engineer plent of other projects as well. In fact, she picked up her fifth career GRAMMY earlier this year with a win for Best Engineered Album, Classic for her work on Kronos Quartet's Riley: Sun Rings. While the work she does can be very technical, her key to success is in working with people, which came from what she says is the best advice she received when she was starting out her career.

"You're going to be spending a lot of time with people, so learn how to get along with them," she said. 

Find out what she tells up-and-coming studio professionals, when she realized recording music could become a real career for her and more in the episode above.

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Where Do You Keep Your GRAMMY: Leslie Ann Jones

GRAMMYs

Nile Rodgers

Photo: Jill Furmanovsky

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WATCH: Nile Rodgers & CHIC Record "Hey Jude" At Abbey Road For New Alzheimer's Benefit Project 'Music Moments'

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The Alzheimer's Association new multi-genre collection features 10 songs from 10 artists, including Sting, Joan Jett, Lee Ann Womack, Jason Isbell and more...
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Mar 13, 2020 - 1:00 am

Today marks the release of Music Moments, an exciting and powerful new project featuring new recordings, unreleased tracks and exlusive interviews benefitting the Alzheimer's Association. To celebrate it's release, GRAMMY.com has your exclusive premiere of a special video featuring Nile Rodgers & CHIC recording "Hey Jude" at Abbey Road Studios. Take a look:

In the clip from Music Moments, Rodgers reveals why he chose the classic Beatles song to record for the project and recounts his very personal connection to Alzheimer's, as so many people in his family members, including his own mother and aunt, have suffered from the disease. 

"I chose 'Hey Jude' as my song becuase I would sing it to my Aunt because she had Alzheimer's," Rodgers says in the behind-the-scenes clip. "Every time we went to visit her, we'd sing 'Hey Jude' and she would sing every lyric with us."

The project highlights how music marks the most important moments like these and raises awareness for Alzheimer’s by driving the publlc conversation about the disease.

Produced by the Alzheimer’s Association and GRAMMY-winning music supervisor Randall Poster Music Moments also features Sting, Anthony Hamilton, Jason Isbell, Joan Jett, Lee Ann Womack, Brett Eldredge, Sharon Van Etten and The Head and the Heart, all honoring the personal, emotional connection between music and life’s most important moments that we would never want to lose to Alzheimer’s and all other dementia.

Each of the 10 artists involved recorded a new track with great personal significance. For instance, Sting, a 17-time GRAMMY Award winner, performs Otis Redding's “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay.” According to a statement, Sting expains, "the song perfectly captures a pivotal moment during his adolescence when he realized that, much like the ships coming and going from the river nearby, he would have to leave his hometown in order to chase his dreams of becoming a musician."

The collection was created to champion the fight for a world without Alzheimer’s disease. It is available in two parts, both a compilation album and a behind-the-scenes video series, full of powerful performances and heartfelt storytelling.

“The Alzheimer’s Association knows that we all have experiences with music that are significant and meaningful,” said Michael Carson, chief marketing officer, Alzheimer’s Association. “The Music Moments album, and the stories behind the songs, set the stage for sharing experiences and fueling important conversations. Ultimately, these conversations are critical to reducing stigma about Alzheimer’s and all other dementia. We are relentless in our pursuit to increase awareness and advance the cause.”

Fans are encouraged to join the conversation about Alzheimer's by sharing their own music moments on social media as part of the project using #MyMusicMoment. Music Moments is now available on all major streaming platforms, and you can find more information about the project and the cause on the organation's website.

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