TOP FOUR ARTISTS THAT GOT NOMINATED FOR THE 2026 GRAMMYS AWARD
Four: Mutt by Leon Thomas III
“MUTT,” released August 8, 2024 as the lead single from Leon Thomas III’s sophomore album of the same name, is a soul- and R&B-inflected ballad. Lyrically, the song uses the metaphor of a “mutt” — an unrefined, possibly flawed but sincere creature — to reflect on love, self-acceptance, vulnerability and the willingness to take chances on connection even after heartbreak; Thomas has said the inspiration came from seeing similar traits between himself and his own dog, mixing themes of innocence, imperfection, and emotional honesty. It has garnered over 333M streams on spotify and over 29M views on YouTube. The song wasn’t just a fan favorite — it broke commercial ground for Thomas by becoming his first top-10 entry on the Billboard Hot 100, eventually peaking at number 6. On R&B-specific charts, “MUTT” climbed to No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as well as dominating in Adult R&B Airplay and Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, marking a major breakthrough for Thomas — his first chart-topping single as a lead artist. Critics and commentators have praised “MUTT” for blending emotional depth, authentic storytelling and a hybrid sound that bridges vintage soul/rock-influences with modern R&B sensibilities, positioning Thomas as a voice reviving a more organic, heartfelt strain of R&B.
BIOGRAPHY
Leon Thomas III
Leon Thomas III was born on August 1, 1993 in Brooklyn, New York, into a family deeply rooted in music: his mother was a vocalist, his grandfather a jazz- and opera-singer, and his stepfather a guitarist who played for legendary acts — all of which exposed young Leon to a wide variety of musical styles from a very early age.
Three: Man I Need by Olivia Dean
“Man I Need,” released on 15 August 2025 as the third single from Olivia Dean’s second album The Art of Loving, is a vibrant pop-soul song that blends elements of R&B, gospel, and jazz. Garnering over 441M streams on spotify and over 27M views on it’s Official Music Video on YouTube, the song is a direct, honest statement about knowing one’s worth in love and not being afraid to ask for what you deserve — Dean sings about wanting clarity, wanting to be loved plainly and confidently, without games or ambiguity, and asking a lover to show up as the person she needs. Chart-wise, “Man I Need” became a breakout global hit: it hit number one on several national charts including in the UK — becoming Dean’s first No. 1 single there — and topped Spotify’s Top Songs Debut Global chart on its release weekend. The song entered the UK Official Singles Chart at #8 within 48 hours of release, and eventually helped her shatter records, as soon after release she became the first female solo artist ever to have four singles simultaneously in the UK Top 10. Its success also extended internationally, making it one of her biggest breakouts to date, and it helped cement “Man I Need” as a defining track of her evolving sound.
BIOGRAPHY
Olivia Dean
Olivia Dean (full name Olivia Lauryn Dean) was born on 14 March 1999 in Haringey, London, England. She is a singer and songwriter who plays vocals, piano and guitar, and has been active professionally since around 2017.
Two: Gabriela by KATSEYE
Released on June 20, 2025 as the second single off KATSEYE’s second EP Beautiful Chaos, is a song called “Gabriela,” it is a Latin-pop / contemporary pop song with R&B undertones, produced by Andrew Watt and John Ryan. “Gabriela” channels the familiar “other woman” narrative: it’s a dramatic, emotionally charged call-out to another woman threatening a relationship, drawing frequent comparisons to a modern, Gen-Z twist on the classic vibe of Jolene. It has garnered over 478M streams on spotify and over 58M views on it’s Official Music Video on YouTube. Commercially, “Gabriela” has done strong: it charted in the top ten of several national singles charts, reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 (becoming the group’s highest-charting track there to date), and peaked at #16 on the Billboard Global 200. The song also earned a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards — a major nod to its impact and to KATSEYE’s rising profile. The accompanying music video leans into telenovela-style storytelling (fitting for the Latin-pop flavor), starring actress Jessica Alba, who plays a powerful CEO presiding over a dramatic boardroom showdown between the group members — a visual metaphor for the song’s themes of rivalry, jealousy, and heartbreak. Overall, “Gabriela” blends drama, vulnerability, and bold confidence — musically and visually marking a more mature, globally-conscious phase for the group.
BIOGRAPHY
KATSEYE
KATSEYE is a six-member multinational girl group formed in 2023 via the reality competition show The Debut: Dream Academy, jointly managed by record labels HYBE and Geffen Records. The members — Sophia, Manon, Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae — come from diverse cultural backgrounds, which the group has leveraged to position themselves as a global pop act rather than a conventional single-nation girl group.
One: Ordinary by Alex Warren
“Ordinary,” released on February 7, 2025 through Atlantic Records as the lead single from Alex Warren’s debut studio album You’ll Be Alright, Kid, is a chamber-pop love ballad co-written by Warren alongside Adam Yaron, Cal Shapiro and Mags Duval. The song explores the feeling of being lifted out of mundane, everyday life by a love that makes everything feel extraordinary — ordinary becomes sacred when shared with someone special. It has garnered over 1.3B streams on spotify and over 220M views on it’s Official Music Video on YouTube. Upon release “Ordinary” exploded commercially, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200 chart, and reaching No. 1 in more than 20 countries worldwide. In the UK it became the longest-running number-one song of the 2020s so far by an American male solo artist — cementing its status as a global smash. The song’s mass appeal was helped by its emotional honesty, its romantic, almost spiritual imagery (Warren described the love in the song as “rare for this generation”), and its relatability to listeners who felt longing, love, or redemption.
BIOGRAPHY
Alex Warren
Alex Warren was once known as a content-creator: before his musical breakthrough, he gained attention on social media and was affiliated with influencer-collectives such as Hype House. He endured a difficult childhood — losing his father when he was young, and later facing hardship including homelessness after being forced out by his mother at age 18. Alex Warren reinvented himself, embracing vulnerability and emotional sincerity in his songwriting and positioning himself as a serious singer-songwriter rather than “just another influencer.”