{"id":123284,"date":"2025-10-15T09:01:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T09:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/123284\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T09:01:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T09:01:15","slug":"2026-grammys-nominations-predictions-best-rb-song-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/123284\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Grammys Nominations Predictions: Best R&B Song, Performance"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tThere are five categories devoted to R&B housed in the R&B, rap and spoken poetry field at the 68th annual Grammy\u00a0Awards<\/a>. Here, we preview the performance and songwriting categories: best R&B performance, best R&B song and best traditional R&B performance.<\/p>\n

\t\tBest R&B Performance<\/strong>\t<\/p>\n

\n\tAs the eligibility period drew to a close on Aug. 30, three R&B songs emerged as near-definite locks for a best R&B performance nomination at next year\u2019s ceremony: \u201cMutt\u201d (Leon Thomas<\/a>), \u201cBurning Blue\u201d (Mariah the Scientist<\/a>) and \u201cFolded\u201d (Kehlani<\/a>). All three tracks dominated R&B radio, reinvigorated the culture and achieved ample crossover success, reaching the Hot 100<\/a>\u2018s top 25.<\/p>\n

\n\tBecause \u201cMutt\u201d was eligible (and submitted for consideration) at last year\u2019s ceremony, Thomas opted to vie for Grammy gold with a live version of the track sourced from his viral NPR Tiny Desk set<\/a>. Not only is \u201cMutt\u201d the biggest commercial success out of this crop of contenders (it hit No. 11 on the Hot 100 and recently entered the top 10 on Pop Airplay), but the song\u2019s chances of a nod are also bolstered by Thomas\u2019 overall momentum and goodwill from years of behind-the-boards work, as well as recent precedent. <\/p>\n

\n\tAt the 2025 ceremony, Muni Long won this category with a live version of \u201cMade for Me.\u201d With submissions across the R&B field, a best R&B song victory already under his belt (thanks to his work on SZA\u2019s \u201cSnooze\u201d) and a deft campaign, expect a particularly splashy nominations announcement morning for Thomas. After years of percolating outside of R&B\u2019s mainstream, Mariah the Scientist broke through in a major way with \u201cBurning Blue\u201d this year. The self-penned hit topped Rhythmic Airplay and gave way to the highest-charting album of Mariah\u2019s career, August\u2019s Hearts Sold Separately (No. 11 on the Billboard 200<\/a>). A nomination here would be Mariah\u2019s first in any Grammy category. <\/p>\n

\n\tKehlani\u2019s \u201cFolded\u201d is also peaking at the perfect time, and its throwback \u201900s feel has inspired unofficial remixes from past Grammy winners Brandy<\/a> and Toni Braxton<\/a>. Kehlani scored three nods at last year\u2019s ceremony, bringing her to five career nominations with zero wins. Coco Jones<\/a>, a seven-time Grammy nominee and previous winner here for \u201cICU\u201d in 2024, will probably snag the fourth spot with \u201cYou,\u201d a single from her Why Not More? LP.<\/p>\n

\n\tJustin Bieber<\/a>\u2018s \u201cYukon\u201d leads the next tier of contenders. The breakout SWAG hit topped Rhythmic Airplay and boasts songwriting and production credits from buzzy alt-R&B craftsmen Dijon, Carter Lang, and Sir Dylan, but it still faces an uphill battle. Bieber\u2019s \u201cPeaches\u201d scored R&B performance and song nods back in 2022, but that song featured two Grammy-nominated R&B stars (Daniel Caesar and Giveon) and topped the Hot 100. In comparison, \u201cYukon\u201d only reached No. 17. Can Bieber pull off another nod in this category by himself? <\/p>\n

\n\tOther second-tier contenders include SZA<\/a> (\u201cAnother Life\u201d), Summer Walker<\/a> (\u201cHeart of a Woman\u201d), Chris Brown<\/a> and Bryson Tiller<\/a> (\u201cIt Depends\u201d), and Giveon<\/a>, who submitted both his own \u201cTwenties\u201d and his Teddy Swims<\/a> duet, \u201cAre You Even Real.\u201d If R&B voters decide to ignore Bieber, look out for Chris and Tiller to snag that final spot off the strength of the Breezy Bowl XX tour<\/a>, the song\u2019s current upwards momentum and the glow of Brown\u2019s best R&B album victory at last year\u2019s ceremony. Of course, SZA could always be a namecheck nominee.<\/p>\n

\n\tWho are some wild cards to keep an eye on? \u201cMake a Baby,\u201d a vocal masterclass of a duet between Grammy winners Tori Kelly<\/a> and Lucky Daye<\/a>, could surprise here, as could Alex Isley<\/a>\u2018s \u201cHands\u201d or Fridayy<\/a>\u2018s \u201cBack to You,\u201d both of which made inroads on R&B radio this year. Daye is also contending alongside Teyana Taylor<\/a> with \u201cHard Part,\u201d a standout from her Escape Plan album, which could benefit from her One Battle After Another-induced Oscar buzz. Kenyon Dixon has scored a nomination for best traditional R&B performance in three of the past five years, and this year, he\u2019s contending here with \u201cCircle of Love,\u201d alongside Terrace Martin and Robert Glasper. <\/p>\n

\n\tRavyn Lenae\u2019s monster hit \u201cLove Me Not\u201d is competing in the pop field, but if R&B voters want to show her some love, they can throw their support behind \u201cLove Is Blind\u201d in this category. Additionally, Cleo Sol<\/a> has only bolstered her cult following over the past year, and she could be rewarded with a nomination for \u201cFear When You Fly.\u201d Other dark horses in this race include \u201cWorst Behaviour\u201d (kwn<\/a> & Kehlani) and \u201cOverqualified\u201d (Durand Bernarr<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\t\tOur Fearless Forecast\t<\/p>\n

\n\tOur predictions are:\u00a0\u201cMutt (NPR Live)\u201d\u00a0(Leon Thomas), \u201cBurning Blue\u201d (Mariah the Scientist),\u00a0\u201cFolded\u201d\u00a0(Kehlani),\u00a0\u201cYou\u201d\u00a0(Coco Jones) and\u00a0\u201cCircle of Love\u201d\u00a0(Terrace Martin, Kenyon Dixon & Robert Glasper).<\/p>\n

\t\tBest R&B Song<\/strong>\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThe nominees for best R&B performance and song often overlap, but rarely do they align exactly. \u201cBurning Blue\u201d and \u201cFolded\u201d will likely reap bids in this category, and Thomas is also likely to pick up a nomination. Instead of \u201cMutt (NPR Live),\u201d the Billboard cover star<\/a> is contending with \u201cYes It Is,\u201d which hit No. 43 on Hot R&B\/Hip-Hop Songs. If Kehlani, Thomas and The Scientist are locks, who do the last two slots go to?<\/p>\n

\n\tThe past four winners in this category have been R&B songs that earned undeniable crossover success; Silk Sonic\u2019s \u201cLeave the Door Open,\u201d Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s \u201cCuff It\u201d and SZA\u2019s \u201cSnooze\u201d and \u201cSaturn\u201d all reached the top 10 of the Hot 100. With that in mind, Breezy and Tiller\u2019s \u201cIt Depends\u201d is probably a safe bet for a nod here. Both men have been previously nominated in this category, and \u201cIt Depends\u201d rode a viral dance trend to the Hot 100\u2019s top 30. Bieber\u2019s \u201cYukon\u201d also has a strong shot here, which allows R&B voters to honor not just the Canadian pop star, but also the new-age R&B savants that helped craft the song. <\/p>\n

\n\tBeyonc\u00e9 is this category\u2019s biggest winner, with five wins, and she\u2019s a credited songwriter on Taylor and Daye\u2019s \u201cHard Part,\u201d thanks to an interpolation of Jay-Z\u2019s \u201cFamily Feud.\u201d In Grammy Land, it\u2019s never a bad thing to have The Carters attached to your submission. SZA (\u201cChill Baby\u201d) and Coco Jones (\u201cOn Sight\u201d) get lots of love from R&B voters, but their submissions this year aren\u2019t nearly as strong as some of their past ones, so it wouldn\u2019t be too much of a shocker if either (or both) of them missed a nod here. Giveon could also show up with either \u201cTwenties\u201d or Swims\u2019 \u201cAre You Even Real,\u201d but likely not both.<\/p>\n

\n\tAt least one traditional-skewing R&B song makes it into this category each year, and this time around, that spot could go to \u201cMake a Baby\u201d (Kelly & Daye), \u201cWhere You Gonna Go\u201d (Eric Roberson <\/a>& BJ the Chicago Kid<\/a>) or \u201cCircle of Love\u201d (Terrace Martin<\/a>, Kenyon Dixon<\/a> & Robert Glaspe<\/a>r).<\/p>\n

\n\tAdditional songs to keep an eye on here include \u201cHeart of a Woman\u201d (Summer Walker), \u201cStare At Me\u201d (Jane Handcock & Anderson .Paak<\/a>), \u201cBlame U\u201d (Odeal<\/a>), \u201cLucid Girl\u201d (Thee Sacred Souls<\/a>), \u201cOut of My Hands\u201d (SiR<\/a> & Maeta<\/a>), \u201cLove Is Blind\u201d (Ravyn Lenae), \u201cYamaha\u201d (Dijon), and \u201cBaptized In Fear\u201d (The Weeknd<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\t\tOur Fearless Forecast\t<\/p>\n

\n\tOur predictions are:\u00a0\u201cYes It Is\u201d\u00a0(Leon Thomas), \u201cBurning Blue\u201d (Mariah the Scientist),\u00a0\u201cFolded\u201d\u00a0(Kehlani),\u00a0\u201cYukon\u201d\u00a0(Justin Bieber) and\u00a0\u201cIt Depends\u201d\u00a0(Chris Brown & Bryson Tiller).<\/p>\n

\t\tBest Traditional R&B Performance<\/strong>\t<\/p>\n

\n\tAiming to honor \u201crecordings that embody the classical elements of R&B\/soul music, distinguishing them from contemporary interpretations of the genre,\u201d the best traditional R&B performance Grammy doesn\u2019t always go to the most commercially successful song.<\/p>\n

\n\tLalah Hathaway<\/a>, who\u2019s tied with Beyonc\u00e9 as this category\u2019s biggest winner (with three wins each) and with Anthony Hamilton as the category\u2019s most-nominated artist (with five nods each), is a leading contender this year with her Ariza-assisted \u201cUptown.\u201d The song appears on an expanded edition of her Vantablack LP, which earned two nominations at last year\u2019s ceremony. Ledisi<\/a>, another previous victor in this category, appears on the ballot with \u201cLove You Too,\u201d which reached No. 14 on Adult R&B Airplay earlier this year. Between her soaring rendition of \u201cLift Every Voice and Sing\u201d<\/a> at the 2025 Super Bowl, her standout performance of \u201cBLKWMN\u201d<\/a> at this year\u2019s BET Awards, and the recent buzz from her new Dinah Washington tribute album, Ledisi is practically a shoo-in here.<\/p>\n

\n\tCoco Jones and Alicia Keys<\/a> have both earned a nomination here in the past, and their \u201cOther Side of Love\u201d duet should have little trouble making it to the final five. BJ the Chicago Kid is a three-time nominee here, so his Eric Roberson duet, \u201cWhere You Gonna Go,\u201d is a solid bet, as is Jon Batiste<\/a>\u2018s Andra Day<\/a>-assisted \u201cLean on My Love.\u201d Eric Ben\u00e9t<\/a> delivered a strong album cycle with The Co-Star and his India.Arie<\/a> duet, \u201cMust Be Love,\u201d reached No. 13 on Adult R&B Airplay. Keep an eye out for that one too.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd then there\u2019s the Leon Thomas question. He\u2019s contending here with \u201cVibes Don\u2019t Lie,\u201d a fan-favorite Mutt deep cut that may have missed some voters\u2019 radars. In past years, artists have been nominated (and even won) here when their albums dominate the overall conversation. In 2023, Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s Renaissance earned nine nominations and won four, including best traditional R&B performance for \u201cPlastic Off the Sofa.\u201d The following year, SZA\u2019s SOS also snagged nine nods, including a citation in this category for \u201cLove Language.\u201d If R&B voters go all in on Thomas this year, expect \u201cVibes Don\u2019t Lie\u201d to appear in the final lineup.<\/p>\n

\n\tAdditional potential nominees include \u201cCrybaby\u201d (SZA), \u201cHere We Are\u201d (Durand Bernarr), \u201cLucid Girl\u201d (Thee Sacred Souls), \u201cLet\u2019s Stay Together\u201d (Ann Nesby<\/a> & Calvin Richardson<\/a>) and \u201cWhen a Man Cries\u201d (Leon Bridges<\/a>).<\/p>\n


\n \"Billboard
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\tOur Fearless Forecast\t<\/p>\n

\n\tOur predictions are:\u00a0\u201cLove You Too\u201d\u00a0(Ledisi), \u201cOther Side of Love\u201d (Coco Jones & Alicia Keys),\u00a0\u201cLean On My Love\u201d\u00a0(Jon Batiste & Andra Day),\u00a0\u201cCrybaby\u201d\u00a0(SZA) and\u00a0\u201cVibes Don\u2019t Lie\u201d\u00a0(Leon Thomas).<\/p>\n