5 LGBTQ Grammy Nominees You May Have Missed
Ben Platt, Wanda Sykes, and J Harrison Ghee are just a few of the LGBTQ artists nominated for Grammys this year who didn’t make headlines.
This year’s list of Grammy nominees features plenty of superstars who identify as part of the LGBTQ community, with artists like Miley Cyrus, Janelle Monáe, Brothers Osborne, and Troye Sivan all snagging chances to win a golden gramophone.
While much of the attention is focused on the biggest names, plenty of other LGBTQ nominees are among the lengthy – there are 94 categories – round-up of possible future winners.
For those who haven’t combed through the full list of nominees, here are five LGBTQ stars you may have missed who might win a Grammy in a few months.
Justin Tranter
One of the most sought-after songwriters in the music industry, Justin Tranter has a long line of hits to their credit, so the fact that they are nominated for Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical isn’t entirely shocking.
While it might not be a major surprise, it’s still a huge honor, and Tarnter took to social media to express that thought after their nomination. This year marks Tranter’s second trip to the Grammys, as they were nominated for Song of the Year for Julia Michaels’ “Issues” several ceremonies ago.
Tranter identified as a gay man for many years, but more recently, they have stated they are actually non-binary.
Shane McAnally
Tranter is one of two LGBTQ talents nominated for the newly-announced Songwriter of the Year category this year. Joining them is Shane McAnally, who is one of the most celebrated songwriters and producers in country music – and an extremely rare gay man who has found great success in the genre.
McAnally is not only nominated for Songwriter of the Year, but also Best Musical Theater Album for his Broadway hit Shucked. McAnally has already won three trophies, all for his work with Kacey Musgraves.
Ben Platt
Already a Grammy winner, Ben Platt has another shot at adding to his trophy shelf next year with a possible second Grammy. The actor is nominated for Best Musical Theater Album as a principal soloist – one of the main singers – from the show Parade. Platt was also nominated for his second Tony Award for his role, but he didn’t take that honor home.
The young talent has already earned both a Grammy and Tony for his work with Dear Evan Hansen, which turned him into a superstar.
J Harrison Ghee
J Harrison Ghee made history earlier this year when they won their first Tony Award, becoming one of the first non-binary artists to collect the highest honor in the theater world.
They snagged the prize of Best Actor in a Musical for their starring role in Some Like It Hot. Ghee is also nominated for the Best Musical Theater Album – which is unsurprisingly flush with LGBTQ stars – for the same production.
Wanda Sykes
After scoring more than a dozen Emmy nominations throughout her career, Wanda Sykes is now a Grammy nominee as well! The lesbian comedian is up for Best Comedy Album for her recent release I’m an Entertainer.
She earns her first chance to win a trophy with the CD, which was her latest in a long line of recorded shows. She’s up against Chris Rock, Trevor Noah, Sarah Silverman, and Dave Chappelle, who wins almost every time he’s up for the honor.
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