Justin Tranter, Lucky Daye and More Attend Annual L.A. Nominees Grammy Brunch

This article first appeared on Billboard.com on January 18, 2020 by Gail Mitchell.

Saluting the Los Angeles music community and the 62nd Grammy Awards nominees was the singular mission during the Recording Academy/Los Angeles Chapter’s annual Nominees Celebration Saturday (Jan. 18). Held at Crustacean Beverly Hills, the brunch was the lead-in to 2020 Grammy Week — and the first Academy event since news broke on Jan. 16 regarding president/CEO Deborah Dugan being placed on administrative leave amid a formal allegation of misconduct.

The only business at hand during the four-hour brunch were brief remarks by Los Angeles Chapter executive director Qiana Conley and L.A. Chapter board president Evan Bogart.   

“All the Grammy nominees from the L.A. chapter, we have so much to celebrate today,” said Bogart before asking nominees in attendance to raise their hands for acknowledgement from the audience. “You’re here today because your peers, your collaborators, your mentors and your friends concluded that your work deserved to be recognized for its artistic merit.” Conley went on to thank the Academy’s brunch partners and sponsors (including Netflix and Triller), as well as various Academy executives, board members and staffers.

From there, the chill celebratory and networking vibe continued unabated as guests — including current Grammy nominees Lucky Daye and BJ the Chicago Kid, along with 2017 nominee/songwriter Justin Tranter — dined on garlic noodles, chicken, beef and mushroom satays, crab puffs and popcorn chicken. Among other guests spotted in the crowd: Concord Records president John Burk, Columbia co-head of urban music Phylicia Fant, songwriter/producer Darrell Brown, Village Studios CEO Jeff Greenberg, Grammy-winning singer Melanie Fiona, engineer/mixer/current Grammy nominee Neal Pogue (Tyler, the Creator) and wife/singer Cherokee, Decible Entertainment/Nice Life principal Larry Wade (Lizzo), Recording Academy VP, membership & industry relations Laura Segura Mueller, Social House and Kiana Ledé.

Musically underscoring the intimate atmosphere was a DJ set by Yung Bae. Guests were also treated to take-home gifts including Levi’s original trucker jackets and yoga mats.