Entertainment

Solange Just Scored Her First Grammy Nomination

by Caitlyn Callegari

They say that timing is everything, and that couldn't be more true than in a certain Knowles sister's case. And for once, this actually is not about the eldest one, who we affectionately know as Queen Bey. In fact, can I get a drum roll, please? This is big news. As it turns out, Solange has gotten her first Grammy nomination! She was nominated for Best R&B Performance for "Cranes In The Sky." I know, I know. I am over the moon for her, too. But the excitement is not only because this nomination is her first. It's also due to the nature of said nomination. You see, Solange got in just under the Grammy deadline wire, making this honor all the more epic.

There's something to be said about saving the best for last. As Gold Derby pointed out, Solange released A Seat At The Table on Sept. 30, 2016, which also happened to be the last day of the Grammy eligibility deadline. As specified on the Grammys site, "Recordings (albums/singles) must be available to the public nationwide as stand-alone purchases or streams between Oct. 1, 2015, and Sept. 30, 2016. Imports are not eligible." From someone who waited till the absolute last minute to hand in any assignment in her undergrad and post-grad careers, this eleventh hour submission is all the more impressive.

The "speak now, or forever hold your peace" aspect aside, it's important to note that Solange's nomination is also quite deserved. Gold Derby noted that A Seat At The Table was widely lauded and even surmised she could compete against Beyoncé for Album of the Year. On Monday, Vulture predicted that the singer could've clinched the major noms, too. They explained that, "Though an underdog, even Solange's A Seat at the Table isn't totally out of the question to be a serious disrupter in higher categories outside of R&B." While that unfortunately didn't come to fruition, it does show Solange and her music's potential.

Now that the singer is a bonafide Grammy-nominated artist, though, the world is her oyster. If her last minute grand entrance into the race garnered her a monumental first nomination, imagine what the future holds for her music. Besides, Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, is one of the first Grammys Beyonc é was both nominated for and won with Destiny's Child in 2000, which means that a nomination in a "smaller" category is still most definitely an amazing jumping off point.