Get to know the 8 Best New Artist nominees at the 2024 Grammys

NOAH KAHAN

Kahan, (pronounced “Kahn” or “Kahn” – he says one of the two “a’s” is silent and lets you choose which one), is a 27-year-old guitar-playing singer-songwriter. He began recording his own music ten years ago and had some modest pop success. But he really took off when he returned to his Vermont roots during COVID and moved back toward the folk/bluegrass music that he truly loved.

This led to much greater success and some collaborations with Post Malone, who added a verse to Kahan’s Stick Season song “Dial Drunk.” Kahan is one of several artists this year who has been very open about past and ongoing struggles with mental health, and has recently launched a campaign to raise one million dollars in support of mental health organizations. Like Gracie Abrams, Best New Artist is Kahan’s only nomination this year.

JELLY ROLL

At 38, Jason Bradley DeFord, AKA Jelly Roll, is the oldest solo nominee on this year’s New Artist list. He has been releasing music, often in collaboration with other singers, for more than a decade, and it seems a little bit odd to refer to him as a new artist. However, the rules on eligibility are fungible, and his 2023 release Whitsitt Chapel constituted a huge step forward. A fire & brimstone collection of country rock and rap focused on DeFord's personal demons struck a huge chord in the country community and beyond.

Jelly Roll recently testified before Congress about the opioid epidemic, urging them to take action. He discussed his past – serving time in prison for theft and drug dealing, as well as the people he has known who have fallen victim to fentanyl. It was an inspired testimony that gives a small sense of the passion and power he brings to his music. In addition to New Artist, Jelly Roll is nominated for his soulful duet with Lainey Wilson “Save Me.”