Blue Ivy Carter has become one of the youngest Grammy nominees in history. The eight-year-old daughter of Beyoncé and Jay-Z was added to the nominees for best music video for her mother’s “Brown Skin Girl” on Friday (Dec. 11). She wasn’t listed when the nominations were announced on Nov. 23, but it’s not uncommon for adjustments to be made in the weeks following the announcement.
Blue Ivy will turn nine on Jan. 7 — 24 days before the 63rd annual Grammy Awards. The talented youngster won an NAACP Image Award for outstanding duo, group or collaboration for “Brown Skin Girl” on Feb. 21, and a Soul Train Award for video of the year for that video on Nov. 29. She shared both of those awards with her mom, Saint Jhn and WizKid.
Leah Peasall of The Peasall Sisters is the youngest Grammy nominee (and winner) as one of the credited artists on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, which was the 2001 winner for album of the year. Leah was just eight at the time. Leah and her sisters Hannah, 11, and Sarah, 14, provided the singing voices for “the Wharvey Girls,” the daughters of the character played by George Clooney. They sang “In the Highways” and “Angel Band.”
Deleon Richards is the youngest performer to receive an individual nomination; she was nominated at 8 1/2 years old for a 1985 award for best soul/gospel performance, female for her album Deleon.
Jay-Z and Beyoncé, of course, are Grammy royalty. Jay-Z this year tied Quincy Jones as the most-nominated person in Grammy history, with 80 nods. Beyoncé this year tied Paul McCartney as the runner-up, with 79 nods.
The Recording Academy confirmed Blue Ivy’s nomination by quoting Grammy rules that “in order for a featured artist to be recognized as a nominee, 1) the artist must be credited and recognized as a featured artist; and 2) there must be significant performance and artistic contribution by the featured artist beyond what might be considered merely accompaniment.” In the Academy’s view, she meets those tests.
The other nominees for best music video are Future featuring Drake’s “Life Is Good,” Anderson .Paak’s “Lockdown,” Harry Styles’ “Adore You” and Woodkid’s “Goliath.”
