Without BTS, Who Could Get An Asian Pop Grammy Nomination?
The global K-pop juggernaut declined to submit itself to Recording Academy voters, leaving a wide open race in their wake.
Without BTS, the landscape for Asian pop Grammy nominations becomes far more diverse. Blackpink's English-only hits from February do not meet the Recording Academy's requirement for meaningful use of an Asian language. This opens the door for a multitude of potential nominees in the inaugural Asian pop performance category. Aventura and Don Omar's "Ella y Yo" have achieved billion-view status on YouTube and could be strong contenders.
The Avalanches' impressive 2027 tour plan for Australia adds yet another name to the list of possible nominees. Kenshi Yonezu's experimental "Iris Out," which soared to No. 5 on the Billboard Global 200 and spent 14 weeks atop the Japan Hot 100, showcases the potential for Japanese-language songs to compete. A duet between Kenshi Yonezu and J-pop legend Hikaru Utada, "Jane Doe," presents another compelling option.
Miist & Narada Michael Walden's powerful Chinese-English ballad "It's Too Late To Love You" exemplifies the new category's inclusive spirit and could gain traction. Filipino group SB19, inspired by visa denials they faced on tour, offers "Visa" as a potential nominee. Finally, Stray Kids' emotionally charged "STAY" could also make waves in this new category's inaugural year.
Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
