At GRAMMY House NYC, Women Shape The Future Of Music

With additional reporting by John Ochoa.

The vibes are high, the stage is set, and the doors to the inaugural GRAMMY House NYC are officially open. For the first time ever, the Recording Academy is bringing its groundbreaking GRAMMY House pop-up experience to New York City — and GRAMMY.com is bringing you along for every unforgettable moment.

Live from SECOND in Manhattan, GRAMMY.com is diving deep into the weekend with real-time updates, behind-the-scenes access, and front-row perspectives from GRAMMY House NYC. Over the next two days, we are giving fans exclusive access to this immersive celebration of music, culture, and community, spotlighting the powerful voices shaping the future of the music industry — from women in music and LGBTQIA+ voices to Black music creators and independent artists.

For the uninitiated, GRAMMY House NYC is a dynamic, inclusive space that brings music makers, culture shifters and industry leaders together to celebrate music’s vibrant, diverse tapestry and the visionaries shaping the sounds of tomorrow. Launched during GRAMMY Week 2023 in Los Angeles, days ahead of the 2023 GRAMMYs, GRAMMY House is now taking over NYC for the first time, starting today.

Whether you’re looking for key takeaways from thought-provoking panels, recaps of dynamic performances from next-gen artists, or an inside look into this one-of-a-kind cultural moment, GRAMMY.com has you covered.

Stay locked in here all weekend as we provide real-time updates of all the can’t-miss moments, inspiring conversations, and magical performances — straight from the inaugural GRAMMY House NYC, the house where every voice belongs.

GRAMMY House NYC partners include United Airlines, A2IM (American Association of Independent Music), M·A·C Cosmetics, the Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC), Chef Laurent Tourondel’s event venue SECOND, and VOSS Water.

 —John Ochoa

8:15 p.m. ET

To celebrate the final night of the GRAMMY House NYC, the first-ever completely queer artist showcase from the Recording Academy took place. Trailblazing drag performer, actress, singer, and activist Peppermint — and the showcase’s host — opened the show with an electrifying lip sync performance of a Janet Jackson classic into her 1997 hit “Together Again,” which included everything from energetic choreography to an outfit change.

Before introducing the first act of the night, Peppermint took a minute to share how honored she was to be here, and that she was “grateful that we are able to be in a space where we are being recognized by GRAMMY House and the Recording Academy and have our own community here.”

New York-based multi-hyphenate Talia Goddess arrived on stage, before reveavling that she was feeling under the weather and asked the crowd for all of their energy for the next song, “Personal”. She led the crowd to dance and get rowdy. Goddess then jumped into a slower, Caribbean-influenced rhythmic track that she dedicated to anyone who’s ever been in love. Goddess then switched up the vibe into a more sultry moment. Picking the pace back up, she treated the crowd to a pop dance track with a steady beat. To wrap up her slot, she performed an original, which she shared was “a love letter to New York, the birthplace of hip-hop,” highlighting her talent to wax lyrical on the mic.

The next performance came from Brooklyn-based queer synth-pop artist Bentley Robles. Dressed in a pair of banana-yellow dungarees, Robles turned things up, treating the crowd to incredible tunes, backed up with a full dance routine alongside backing dancers who were sporting matching yellow tanks and leather trousers. Before jumping into his next song, Robles shared that his parents were from Mexico and acknowledged the protests going on nationwide, saying, “The world is f—ed up, guys.” He then told the crowd that just for a moment, they could let loose. Wrapping up his set, he encouraged the crowd to “keep being you”.

To close out the night and bring the inaugural GRAMMY House NYC to an end, Tampa-born, GRAMMY-nominated R&B singer/songwriter Destin Conrad kicked off his set with “Mr. E.” The vulnerable “Make It Up” followed after, with Conrad explaining that the track was about “feeling inadequate in a situationship I was in.” Staying within that slow and sultry R&B vibe, Conrad hit crisp runs and maintained a tight flow.

“We’re blessed to be able to come to GRAMMY House and perform and do things,” the singer told the crowd after acknowledging the current state of the world. Picking up the vibe with “Party Wit U,” a jazzier and more uptempo track and the singer’s last song of the night, Conrad had the crowd singing the chorus of “All I wanna do / Party with you.”

3:15 p.m. ET

The second panel of the day and final chat of the first-ever GRAMMY House NYC, the Artist to Advocate: Forging Tomorrow’s Music Landscape panel explored how artists can use their platform to spotlight critical issues facing both the music industry and the overall world while driving meaningful change. The panel featured Brooklyn rapper, MC and host Torae Carr, singer/songwriter KIRBY and Michelle Lewis, moderated by the Recording Academy’s Chief Advocacy & Public Policy Officer Todd Dupler.

Here are two key quotes from the conversation.

Find Your Voice & Speak Out

“Do it scared. Sometimes you just gotta throw caution to the wind and overstep your trepidation and just get out there and start. You’ll learn as you go and meet like-minded people and people who will educate you on the things that you’re not as knowledgeable about. But it starts with the heart, passion, care, and just the want and need to make a change.” — Torae Carr

On Creating Boundaries

“I want to do my part. But I also know that doing my part doesn’t mean I can’t set a boundary on when I take a pause and make sure that I’m strong enough to say this today, versus saying it because I feel like there’s an audience that wants to hear me talk about [it].” —KIRBY

 —Anagricel Duran

1:13 p.m. ET

Backstage at the GRAMMY House NYC Photo Room, GRAMMY.com spoke with Laila! to learn more about her creative process.

“I just jump to whatever I feel like I want to do next. It’s fun. I know I can do so many things, so I try to incorporate it all in as much as I can,” she said of her multifaceted approach to songwriting, performing and producing all of her own music. “Sometimes I just want to sit at the piano and sing, or chop up samples on the [sampler] or make beats on my computer or just write in my journal. I am always bouncing around, so it just depends on the day.”

She noted that her creativity is not limited to one source. “I think I’m just really blessed, and [I] feel like God put me here to do this and have fun, sing, dance, and everything.”

Reflecting on her conversation at the Rhythm & Soul panel, Laila! later shouted out some of the next-gen Black creatives who inspire her.

“There’s so many people that inspire me. But I would say the next generation [is] me and Liim,” she said, confidently. “We just made a song last night in the studio, and it’s really fire. He’s just really talented. I feel like we’re definitely the next up. Also, my friend Opraah; he’s also really talented.”

 —John Ochoa

Folashade Omosheyin, Coordinator, Communications at the Recording Academy, attends GRAMMY House NYC on Friday, June 13, 2025 | Photo: Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

12:17 p.m. ET

A true triple threat, Laila! took the stage at GRAMMY House NYC after speaking on the Rhythm & Soul panel. She opened her set with “R U Down?,” a cool, sexy R&B jam that shows off both her vocal prowess and sleek production skills. She doubled down on her singer/producer duality in her performance of “SINK 2 RISE,” in which she confidently and proudly shouted, “I made this beat, what! I made this beat, what! I made this beat, what!” A smooth, vibey cut, both the song and her performance dripped in swagger and sauce. Later in her set, she hopped on the keyboards for a dreamy performance of “Better Days” and then shifted the vibe with “Could Be,” during which she brought out a sampler and cut up some live beats and samples.

—John Ochoa

11:19 a.m. ET

The Rhythm & Soul panel, presented by the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective, kicked off the second and final day of the inaugural GRAMMY House NYC. The event featured Brooklyn-born R&B singer/songwriter and GRAMMY-nominated artist Stacey Barthe — who was featured on the late GRAMMY-winning L.A. rapper Nipsey Hussle‘s “Victory Lap” — and Brooklyn singer/songwriter and producer Laila! in a fireside chat discussing their careers, moderated by Billboard‘s Senior Director of R&B/Hip-Hop Carl Lamarre.

Here are three takeaways from the chat.

Evolve Creatively Without Being Boxed In

The conversation saw Barthe and Laila! dive deep into the topic of creativity.

“I take breaks. I only write when I am inspired to write,” Barthe said. “I can go a year without writing. My work is more intentional now. I want to be a part of things that resonate with me rather than be in everything.”

For Laila!, creativity and inspiration come in many shapes and forms.

“There’s so much I do. I am pretty versatile, but there are so many other things outside of music that I like and that inspire me, like film and moving images — so many things that I feel that music has set the stage for.”

Barthe reflected on the current state of the songwriter community, comparing the scene to what it was like when she was started her career. “The floodgates are open. Everyone has an opportunity now through the devices. There are no gatekeepers. There are no managers or A&Rs to keep you from doing it. It’s now just you and your fans,” she explained.

She also opened up about the early days of social media, reflecting on how Myspace was how she connected with various producers and people. Back then, she reflected, there was a lot more collaboration that felt like a sense of community. Barthe shared that she and her collaborators “were at each other’s studios, like it was always a constant community, and now a lot of kids are doing it alone and are self-sufficient, which I love.”

How The Music Industry Can Help Young Black Women Thrive

Discussing their creative process, both Laila! and Barthe agreed on their approach: “Shut up and let me do what I have to do.”

“Let me just try [different things] out without you saying anything,” Laila! explained.

Barthe agreed, sharing how she has previously dealt with situations in which many different people tried to give their opinions and tell her how she should be doing her work, whether it be in songwriting or production. But she stood her ground and continued to do and try things in her own way.

—Anagricel Duran

11:17 a.m. ET

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. is here to welcome the crowd to GRAMMY House NYC and introduce the Rhythm & Soul panel.

“We’re proud to be here at GRAMMY House New York — a house with purpose and impact, built to spotlight culture, creativity and community in meaningful ways. GRAMMY House isn’t just a place or an event space — it’s a place for all of you, for all music people, for all voices. It’s also a reflection of our commitment to evolving the Recording Academy into a more inclusive, representative and visionary institution,” he said.

That heartening energy is filling the room all weekend long at GRAMMY House NYC.

For Mason jr. and the Recording Academy, the Rhythm & Soul panel is an opportunity to honor Black Music Month and the creators who have shaped, led and redefined the sound of generations.

“The Black Music Collective plays a big role in that mission — driving equity, uplifting Black voices, and ensuring Black excellence is recognized and centered in the music industry,” he said.

The Recording Academy launched the Black Music Collective in 2020 to progress the inclusion, recognition and advancement of Black music and its creators and professionals within the Recording Academy and the music industry at large. The Black Music Collective is part of the Recording Academy’s DREAM (Diversity Reimagined by Engaging All Musicmakers) Initiative, a wide-spanning network of member resource groups spotlighting the cultural contributions of creators and music industry professionals.

—John Ochoa

11:15 a.m. ET

Ricky Lyon, Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) at the Recording Academy, opens the day with an uplifting speech celebrating the importance of DEI.

“In community and allyship, all are welcome,” Lyon said in his opening remarks, a touching reflection of the theme behind GRAMMY House NYC.

He also shouted out the importance and impact of Black Music Month, which is taking place this month and which, he reinforces, should be celebrated all year long at the Recording Academy and across the wider music industry.

—John Ochoa

10 a.m. ET

Doors are officially open for day two of GRAMMY House NYC. We kick off the day with the Rhythm & Soul panel, presented by the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective. Honoring Black Music Month, this conversation is an intimate fireside chat with singer/songwriter and producer Laila! and Stacey Barthe, moderated by Carl Lamarre, Billboard‘s Senior Director of R&B/Hip-Hop. This panel will spotlight the voices shaping the present and future of Black music, and explore how we can keep pushing culture forward. Stay tuned for some of the key moments and takeaways from this inspiring conversation later today.

—John Ochoa

Watch a recap of day one of the first-ever GRAMMY House NYC below:

10:14 p.m. ET

Backstage in the GRAMMY House NYC green room, Tiera Kennedy spoke about her experience as an independent artist.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned as an independent artist is that it’s all about finding your people,” she told GRAMMY.com. “Find the people that know more than you and can help you find your way and find your path, and just trust the process and trust yourself. Because I think there can be a lot of people that have opinions about who you should be as an artist. But at the end of the day, you have to be your most authentic self, and it’ll attract the right people.”

Speaking of her experience working with Beyoncé on Cowboy Carter, ​​Kennedy said she learned a lot about intentionality, from the project itself, the coinciding visionary tour, and the stories that Beyoncé tells through the songs.

“I think that is something that is so specific to Beyoncé, and it is why she is such a legend,” ​​Kennedy reflected. “So I’m definitely taking notes on that.”

—John Ochoa

9:21 p.m. ET

Tiera Kennedy closed the Celebrating Independent Voices in Music panel and the first night of GRAMMY House NYC, kicking off her set with a lovely rendition of her song “Keep Your Promises.” Known for her mix of R&B, country and gospel, Kennedy enchanted the crowd with an acoustic version of her song “Somebody Like You.” The 26-year-old Alabama native — who was a featured vocalist on Beyoncé‘s GRAMMY-winning album Cowboy Carter — kept the theme of love going with her third song of the night, “Better Than Me.” Kennedy then played what she called her “version of a truck song,” “Found It In You,” a smooth track featuring her bright vocals and a crisp guitar.

After a bit of a tease, Kennedy made her way back to the stage to treat the crowd to an encore with a performance of her track “Last Call,” which closed out both her set and the night.

—Anagricel Duran

Tiera Kennedy performs at the Celebrating Independent Voices in Music showcase, in Collaboration with A2IM, at GRAMMY House NYC on Friday, June 13, 2025 | Photo: Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

9:04 p.m. ET

Two-time Latin GRAMMY nominee Diana Burco stepped up to the stage, igniting the dance floor with her song “Sola,” which featured a vibrant accordion, keys and her velvety voice. “I feel super honored to be here with all of you today and to be a part of the GRAMMYs,” she told the crowd before jumping into her song “Cumbiecitas Elegantes,” a slower jam, followed by “Las Rotas.” She then dedicated her final song of the night, “Amores Del Río,” to her father Thomas, who shared the “beautiful music from my country, Colombia,” Burco said from the stage.

—Anagricel Duran

8:30 p.m. ET

Kasey Tyndall — the North Carolina-born singer/songwriter who got her start singing with Keith Urban and is a 2023 CMT Next Women of Country honoree — took to the stage after, starting off with “Crystal Methodist,” which highlights her blend of country and rock and roll with a soulful sound. She followed up with her track “Karma,” which she considers one of her “favorites right now” and which was inspired by her wondering what karma would be like if it were a woman. Her third song of the night, “Not As I’ve Done,” was dedicated to her 2-year-old daughter. Packed with beautiful chords and Tyndall’s soft yet raspy voice, the track was reminiscent of a sentimental country song Miley Cyrus would cover.

To wrap up her set, she played “Middle Man” followed by her last song of the night, “Jesus & Joan Jett,” a blazing country song that saw the crowd participate, singing an anthemic “hell yeah” and “amen.”

“[Being an independent artist is important to me because], honestly, it takes a village to be able to be independent and have such a great label partner, and I have such great management,” Tyndall told GRAMMY.com about her experience as an independent artist backstage at GRAMMY House NYC. “It takes everybody, and I think that’s the key to success: having the right people in your corner that are in it to win it with you and to go through all the hard stuff with you.”

—Anagricel Duran

8:10 p.m. ET

To wrap up the first night of the inaugural GRAMMY House NYC, the Recording Academy, in collaboration with A2IM, presented the Celebrating Independent Voices in Music showcase, which featured four independent artists, including aron!, Diana Burco, Kasey Tyndall, and Tiera Kennedy. The showcase highlighted the genre diversity and artistic spectrum within independent music.

Aron! opened the showcase. His music blends 1940s jazz charm with modern pop melodies. Kicking off his set, he treated the crowd to a cozy performance of “cozy you,” a smooth track that captures the warmth and intimacy of love. The sweet and slower “i think about you lots” followed shortly after and was preceded by “Table for two,” a fiery jazz number with a passionate guitar line reminiscent of the kind you would hear in a flamenco song. He then played “Eggs In The Morning,” a softer track.

To close his set, he played “Tandem Bike,” a song that leans more toward the nostalgic 2000s pop of Jack Johnson and Colbie Caillat, but still had his signature jazz flair in the form of a bumping bassline.

—Anagricel Duran

3:19 p.m. ET

Sponsored by the Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC), the Sonic Shift: Music, Tech & Connection panel, the second of the day, saw singer/songwriter Juliet Ivy, songwriter and producer Will Wells, and stage sound designer Peter Hylenski join entertainment journalist and panel moderator Gia Peppers to discuss technology within the music landscape.

Here are two key takeaways from their chat:

“Always On Call” Technology

Hylenski discussed the issues caused by easily accessible technology for those working within the music industry. He shared how turnaround time has been cut short and projects tend to be expected to be revised and resent in a shorter timeframe. He also mentioned how everyone is technically “always on call” because of the email apps on our phones.

Wells stressed that it is still important to honor the craft in music. He recognized that it has become very easy to fix mistakes, with creators being able to do things in multiple takes. But sometimes, he says, you have to remember to honor the craft and have your mind set to try and get the perfect take on the first go.

AI, Creativity & The Future Of Music

Juliet Ivy discussed her worries surrounding artificial intelligence (AI).

“[AI] opens up accessibility and makes a lot of things easier that would’ve taken longer to learn,” she said. “It makes the process faster and much more efficient. But the one thing that I want to be conscious about with using AI is not relying on it to make the art for you, not relying on it to be creative for you, because it eliminates the struggle that comes with making music, and some of the most magical stuff comes from sitting there and dealing with that struggle.”

—Anagricel Duran

12:48 p.m. ET

GRAMMY.com ran into Divinity Roxx after she moderated the Women Shaping the Future of Music. She told us about the biggest lessons she took away from the event.

“The biggest takeaway was that we need women in the room, championing other women, inspiring other women, so that they know what’s possible and they know they have somebody in their corner looking out for their best interest, because that’s what women do when they’re in the room,” she told GRAMMY.com backstage at GRAMMY House NYC. “They bring all of themselves, they bring their compassion, they bring their love, they bring their expertise. And when you have another woman in the room who you’re able to pour it into her and help her elevate, so let’s just continue to elevate each other.”

Continuing the spirit of the Women Shaping the Future of Music fireside chat, she reflected on the women in music who have inspired her.

“I have to say Beyoncé,” she said. “The queen continues to inspire us all. Every single thing that she does inspires us and reminds us of what’s possible, leaning into our power, our empowerment, and having had the opportunity to work for her and with her, I’m leaning into that empowerment.”

—John Ochoa

Divinity Roxx (L) and JoJo (R) attend the Women Shaping the Future of Music panel, presented by the Recording Academy’s Women In The Mix, at GRAMMY House NYC on June 13, 2025, in NYC | Photo: Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

12:45 p.m. ET

Backstage at GRAMMY House NYC, GRAMMY.com caught up with Goldie Boutilier for a quick chat about her performance at the Women Shaping the Future of Music fireside chat.

“‘Cowboy, Gangster, Politician’ is a song I released two EPs ago, and it’s like my little baby. It’s changed my life,” she said of her setlist. “It has over 16 million streams on Spotify, so I now understand what it’s like to have a popular song and what that does for your career as a musician. It’s given me so much confidence.

“And ‘The Ways I Punish Myself’ is a very vulnerable song. It’s basically a grocery list of the ways that I punish myself. It’s so relatable for both men and women. One of my friends — he’s actually in the Hells Angels — said to me, ‘Goldie, “The Ways I Punish Myself.” That hits.’”

Reflecting on the theme of the Women Shaping the Future of Music fireside chat, Goldie Boutilier also reflected on the women in music who have inspired her. “The first person that comes to mind is Tina Turner, because she had such a rebellious soul. Her voice, the way she moved around, and her charisma are an inspiration for me. Another one of my inspirations is Oprah. I’ve been wanting to meet her since I was 7. It’s definitely on my bucket list. I just want to sit down and talk to her. “

—John Ochoa

12:10 p.m. ET

Special guest Goldie Boutilier hits the GRAMMY House NYC stage to deliver a dynamic, charismatic performance of her catchy originals “The Actress, Interlude,” “The Ways I Punish Myself” and “Cowboy, Gangster, Politician.” Leading playful call-and-response chants, she beguiled the crowd with her quick wit, punchy humor and dazzling songs.

“To be in the room with the most powerful women in the music industry, I’m just so grateful,” she reflected in a touching, personal note.

—John Ochoa

A packed room for the Women Shaping the Future of Music panel, presented by the Recording Academy’s Women In The Mix, at GRAMMY House NYC on Friday, June 13, 2025 | Photo: Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

11:17 a.m. ET

We kick off the first day of festivities with the Women Shaping the Future of Music fireside chat, presented by the Recording Academy’s Women In The Mix. Moderated by two-time GRAMMY-nominated American recording artist, producer, composer and musician Divinity Roxx, the conversation featured platinum recording artist JoJo and Phylicia Fant, the head of music industry partnerships at Amazon Music and JoJo’s former publicist.

Here are two quick takeaways from the conversation.

Women Supporting Women

Opening up about working and collaborating together, Fant discussed how she was paired with JoJo when the latter was only 12 years old after Fant’s boss — the head of publicity at Universal — said that she would be the one to help her have her big break. Speaking about having Fant as a publicist, JoJo shared that she was a “once-in-a-lifetime spirit and person to work with,” recalling a moment early in her career in which Fant had a chat to check in on JoJo, similar to something an elder sibling would have done, she said.

The trio discussed the importance of music executives being there to support artists — especially women — and how they can champion inclusive storytelling in the arts. Fant explained that executives need to think about an artist’s narrative-building and look at their long-term career by asking, “How do we continue to foster a career that allows her [JoJo] to lead this global icon that she is today?”

Women Are The Future

JoJo also took the time to share some of the female artists she believes are driving change within media and the music industry, citing the likes of Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish as artists who are “girls of this generation who are carving their own way forward.”

“They’re not falling into the tropes of what my generation was told, ‘That as a female artist, this is who you are and you can take it or leave it,’ and we were taking it. They’re demanding more for themselves, and they’re saying, ‘These are my boundaries. These are my expectations in business.’ They go about creating their own life, their own way, moving forward, and I think that’s really awesome.”

—Anagricel Duran

9:48 a.m. ET

Dr. Chelsey Green, the newly elected Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Recording Academy, is in the house. Here she is posing in the GRAMMY House NYC Photo Room, looking stylish as ever.

—John Ochoa

Dr. Chelsey Green, Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Recording Academy, attends GRAMMY House NYC on June 13, 2025, in New York City | Photo: Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for the Recording Academy

8:30 a.m. ET

The Recording Academy social girlies — and Logan — are giving us a sneak peek of GRAMMY House NYC before doors open. Loving the energy — and the dance moves!

—John Ochoa