Showbiz by PS Exclusive. The Grammy season is in full swing. Alongside the publication of the submissions lists for the 2027 Grammy Awards, the Academy has also completed its first round of voting. During this round, members voted to determine the nominees across 100 categories. We spoke with several of them to learn more about their voting patterns and find out which of this year's favorites they are supporting.
To protect the anonymity of our sources, we will not be identifying their profiles.
As a reminder, during the first round of voting, Academy members cast ballots in 16 categories: the six General Field categories (Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist, Producer of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year), as well as 10 genre categories of their own choosing, selected from the fields in which they have expertise. Members could vote for up to five different entries in each category, choosing from the list of eligible submissions.
The most coveted category of them all is Album of the Year. Several voters mentioned Raye and her album This Music May Contain Hope as one of their picks. Other names that came up included Olivia Rodrigo, Rosalía, Kehlani, and Zara Larsson. Across the Big Six, the overall tendency was to support some of the biggest names of the season — artists who have reached new career highs while delivering masterful albums and highly acclaimed hits.
When it comes to Best New Artist, opinions among Academy members appear to be more divided. Of the several voters we spoke to, only two revealed their favorites. Both, however, are likely to have another opportunity to support their picks in the next round, as it is difficult to imagine Ella Langley and Sienna Spiro missing out on nominations. The two artists were described in different ways, but our sources agreed on one thing: both are making quality music within their respective niches and simply cannot be overlooked.
We also asked about what is shaping up to be one of the season's biggest potential rivalries: Olivia Rodrigo vs Olivia Dean. Those who expressed a preference unanimously sided with Olivia Rodrigo. One voter, meanwhile, told us they were unaware that the two artists were considered frontrunners and had voted for neither.
As for the Grammy legends expected to compete for a substantial number of nominations this year, our question specifically mentioned Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift. Our sources were unanimous in their willingness to support Bruno Mars in genre categories, although none mentioned him among their picks in the Big Six. At the same time, none of the voters we spoke to reported supporting Taylor Swift's submissions.
Several of our sources from the Hip-Hop Field expressed support for projects by Cardi B, Don Toliver, and Nas. One voter even took the time to scroll through the entire submissions list in search of additional options for their ballot, eventually finding room for Baby Keem. A similar approach in the Pop categories resulted in votes for Jade, Ariana Grande, Raye, and Zara Larsson. A voter in the R&B category also singled out Beyoncé.
Of course, such a small sample from the Academy's global membership of approximately 17,000 people is nowhere near enough to constitute meaningful statistics. Still, we won't pass up an opportunity to get inside the minds of the industry professionals who ultimately decide the fate of the world's biggest music award. The nominees will be announced on November 16, and until then, all we can do is wish the best of luck to everyone eagerly awaiting that moment.
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