ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
February 21, 2003
Grammy Girl Power
Avril Lavigne, Vanessa Carlton and Norah Jones are up for 2003 Grammy awards
 Avril Lavigne celebrates her Grammy nominations. |
A year ago, the names Norah, Avril, and Ashanti didn’t mean much to music fans, but these new young female artists are leading the pack of 2003 Grammy nominees! The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the organization whose members select Grammy Award winners, announced the nominees in January.
Young Stars Get Grammy Nods
Among the leading contenders for the music industry's top awards are Canadian teen sensation Avril Lavigne and young pop-jazz singer Norah Jones, who grabbed five nominations each. "I would have freaked out if I just had one. Now that I have five, I'm just trying to pinch myself," said Lavigne, 18.
Jones, 23, can get acceptance speech tips from her Dad – legendary Grammy Award-winning sitar player Ravi Shankar. Both stars are also nominated for best new artist along with Michelle Branch, John Mayer and Ashanti.
Music's hot young stars also dominate the Song of the year category. The nominees includ Avril Lavigne for "Complicated," Norah Jones for "Don't Know Why", and Vanessa Carlton for "A Thousand Miles." Big stars like Britney Spears, Pink and Justin Timberlake are also nominated for their pop performances.
Honoring Old and New
This year's awards could pit the music's youngest stars against older, more established stars. Bruce Springsteen's album "The Rising" which was inspired in part by the September 11 attacks, is nominated for Album of the Year. Springsteen is also nominated in four other categories. Sheryl Crow and Elvis Costello are also among the nominees.
"It's great to see established artists share nods with up-and-comers across the board," said Neil Portnow, President of the Recording Academy. Other multiple Grammy nominees include controversial rap star Eminem, Nelly, India.Arie, No Doubt and the Dixie Chicks.
Music industry experts say this year's Grammy's will be one of the most competitive in years. There are a record 104 categories, ranging from Latin jazz to rap. The winners will be announced at the Grammy Awards Show on February 23 in New York City.
