At 19, Craig David went from a music obsessive just trying to pull some money together to buy more vinyl and gear, to a chart-topping global sensation with his GRAMMY-nominated debut single "Fill Me In." The success and fame continued with his massively successful first album, Born to Do It. A lot has happened since that 2000 album, and the British star feels blessed to still be doing what he loves.

In a deeply engaging and personal manner, David details his rapid rise, the challenges of fame, and learning to trust his intuition in his new book, What's Your Vibe?: Tuning into your best life, available in the U.K. Oct. 6. (Its U.S. release will be announced at a later date.)

On Sept. 30, he'll drop his eighth studio album, 22 — a celebration of the 22 years since Born to Do It, and a return to that more innocent creative space, when he was just a teenager writing songs while looking out his bedroom window in Southampton. David also finds deep connection to the meaning of 22 in numerology, which is known as the "master builder" number and is about turning dreams into reality that serve the greater good.

Across its 17 inviting tracks, 22 reflects what David loves and thrives at: singing beautifully about love and life, atop danceable garage rhythms and sexy R&B bops, and collaborating with singer/songwriters and producers. Opener "Teardrops" delivers that classic, smooth garage sound David brought to the world with his early singles, while "Who You Are" featuring  27-year-old U.K. singer/songwriter, producer and remixer MNEK is a perfect marriage of voices. There's also upbeat classic house on "My Heart's Been Waiting For You" with London producer Duvall (of trio Disciples), and anthemic EDM on "DNA" with Swedish DJ/production duo Galantis.

In a deep dive with GRAMMY.com, Craig David discusses his new album, book, and the journey to get here.

22 opens with your classic, smooth garage sound on "Teardrops." Was that an intentional choice, to set the tone for the album?

The whole album ended up coming about throughout lockdown. It kind of hit a certain point where we recognized that we have to surrender to this, it's happening. In that surrender, we had to look at different things that fill our soul with a little bit of joy. And for me, that was being in my studio at home.

And that felt very similar to when I made my first album, Born to Do It. I felt like all of my childhood and joy was made leading up to that [first] album and it was just life. It was going into the studio, it was seeing my friends. It was "I'm gonna write a chorus today and come back to it tomorrow and maybe write a verse."

Working on "Teardrops," gave me the feel of when I was making "Rewind" [in 1999] with the Artful Dodger, and I thought "What a nice way to open the whole thing." It's got the nostalgia of the ehhh, ehhh, yeahhh, and it's got this whole riff from "They Don't Know," the [1998] Jon B. song, which has actually been my alarm clock for the last three or four years.

"Teardrops" wasn't that at first. We'd written it and I started singing it in the morning, over that riff of my alarm clock. I called up the producer Mike Brainchild, and sang him the melody over it. He was getting his hair cut and he told the guy, "It's cool, you don't have to do the fade all crazy. I'll come back." Literally that day, he took that guitar, flipped it on it, revocaled it, and there you have "Teardrops." It's one of my favorites on the album, to be honest. I always feel you got to start on the right foot.

What do you think was the magic sauce that put you back into your 19-year-old self?

The title of Born to Do It came from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, my all-time favorite movie. There's a part at the beginning where the kid runs into the candy shop and he says, "Candy Man, how did you do it?" And the Candy Man says, "Well my dear boy, do you ask a fish how it swims? Do you ask a bird how it flies?" The boy says, "No, sir." "You don't because they were born to do it." I feel it's an intrinsic feeling of almost getting out of the way of the thing that you know that you love and enjoy.

This period of time was reflective. It also made me recognize how grateful and how blessed I am to be in the position that I've been in for 22 years and be at the stage where I've been able to, I hope, bring lots of joy to many people through my music.  I'm more conscious about everything I'm saying now, because I'm in a position where it has an effect.

We get some more garage on "Who You Are."What was it like working with MNEK and how did that track come together?

I mean, it was a long time waiting to actually have his vocals on one of my songs. We've had this beautiful kind of weaving as songwriters working together. MNEK was involved with my song called "Change My Love" [from 2016's Following My Intuition] and, more recently [in 2020], one with KSI called "Really Love."

When I'm working with someone, the conversation we have at the start sets the tone for what we're actually gonna sing and talk about. He was talking about just had a huge hit with Joel Corry, "Head & Heart." And he was saying, "You know what, I like my anonymity and a lot of people are pulling at me right now. For my mental health, I'm trying to find balance in all of that." I said to him, "I love how you're wearing your heart on your sleeve. Look how beautiful it is that you can just be you and not feel like you have to act in any way within society. I think we're in a really beautiful, liberating time."

"Who you are" and "wearing your heart on sleeve" became the topic to hopefully be the empowerment song for someone who wants to be able to express who they are. I felt like it really touched a lot of people's hearts. He was the perfect person [to sing it with me].

What was your intention going into working on your eighth studio album? Did that evolve as it started coming together?

I just wanted to have fun, like I did making my first music, not even necessarily the first album. Those [first] songs were me just enjoying being a child and going through being a teenager and looking out my window and aspiring to do this. It was this very magical, whimsical [space]. As an adult, it's important to still find that balance with the inner child that's inside of you, that's always crying out to just have some fun. It's like, "Wow, when did it all become so crazy serious around here?"

The beauty of being so free is that you have these very powerful moments that happen and it creates an album. I could have never told you that my first album was going to go on and sell 7 million copies and have No.1s  around the world. I was just like, "I like this song. It feels good, it's giving me vibes. My friends are telling me it's good." I would have been happy with just that. And that was very similar with this [album], I had time to enjoy [it]. I hope it really brings joy to other people. I just want to be of service in that sense.

I love that you open the book checking in with the reader, asking how they're feeling. How do you stay present and grounded in your daily life, especially when things are moving really fast?

On one hand, there's the spiritual practices or rituals — if I start to feel a bit ungrounded or if there's a lot going on in my head, I'll step outside and get some fresh air. Or if there's nowhere to get fresh air, then I just take some deep breaths, and put my hand on my heart and it really does calm everything down. Talking about what we've experienced today, this has got me very much at the moment. The whole book is really "How do you feel?" Not how you're thinking.

We'd like life to be so very organized and in place, but it's messy. It's messy, but in a good way. It's the ice cream melting all over the cone and all over your hand and your nice new outfit. But we had fun, right? That's the premise of the whole thing: Let's get into our bodies, into how we're feeling, and then take it from there. It doesn't mean that life won't present things that can be a bit hard on us. But let's get back to the kid inside of us because that will always find a sweet spot somewhere.

I love that. When you were working on the book, what did it feel like looking back at your life, especially given the timing of being 22 years from Born to Do It?

Yeah, I feel like you can kind of see why things played out the way that they did when you have a little bit of hindsight. In the midst of something, you're trying to process and work out what's happening around you. When everything first blew up for me, it felt like zero to 100. One moment I'd been working at McDonalds, and selling double-glazed windows on the phone, cold-calling people. Ultimately, I was just wanting to put together some money so I could buy some more vinyl or that hi-fi equipment I wanted. I see now that all of those parts got me to this point in my life. That doesn't mean that I've actually now arrived somewhere, because my life is still continuing on.

I wanted to be able to write something that people could relate to… and hopefully find their own story within what I was saying. And maybe what I did to get through something or how I felt about something might be something someone else is experiencing and they can use some of those tools I used. Same for the album. If I can give you a little something with the book and if my music can lift you out of whatever's going on in your world for three and a half minutes of a song, then my work is done.

And the number 22, funnily enough, has a very deep symbolic, spiritual meaning. It's about recognizing that what you may have thought was the thing you were doing is actually setting you up for the real work. So the music thing was like, "We got to try and get the No. 1, we got to sell records." Now, it's about creating vibrational, energetic moments that connect me on stage when I sing and there's that euphoric moment and life is good.

I'm happy that I realized that this is actually what it is about. It's not about getting number ones or how Spotify plays you got today or how many interviews did you do today? I'd like to say, how many people did you actually connect with today when you did interviews?

What did that success of "Fill Me In" feel like to you at that time? I can't imagine being 19, putting out your first solo single and everyone is listening to it.

It really was euphoric. It's funny because yesterday I actually watched about seven of those [early music] videos, including "Fill Me In." That shot where it starts off in the barber's getting my hair done, it would have only been weeks before that I was at my barber's having those conversations, it was so real. It would then jump from zero to 100, from walking up the high street in Southampton where I grew up, to people running up and asking for my autograph.

It was the start of a new beginning and the end of sort of the innocence and the child phase for me. I had to process this fame and rise. And I'm seeing the whole world, traveling to countries and places I've never been before.

"Fill Me In" was released the same week as Destiny's Child's "Say My Name" in the U.K.— I had Destiny's Child posters on my wall. I got the call saying I was No. 1and I could not get my head around it. It wasn't so much the number, I was just like, "No way Destiny's Child can be No. 2." It felt so surreal. It's like Charlie getting the golden ticket and walking into the chocolate factory. That was pretty much the first few years, I was thrown into this magical world of pure imagination. At the same time, it was a lot of process.

Now I look back, as I talk about in the book, I had moments of imposter syndrome.I I started to feel the pull of I'm still a local guy in Southampton, but you're not, your album just sold 7 million copies and you're performing on "The Letterman Show." You're not that anymore, but you are. That was a strange moment.

How did your beginnings as a radio and club DJ, as well as making mixtapes in your bedroom, influence your sound and your approach to music?

I loved it. With the mixtapes, you had to have a very good read of who you were selling them to. The choice of songs was important, which goes back to album—that was setting me up to figure out where do the songs fit. When I was supposed to be college studying in the library, I was in there using the printer to make mixtape CDs covers. I had a little laminating machine, the whole thing.

All of those things set me up for more than 22 years where I can jump on and create covers and send them to the design team. And the mixtape period was a really good time. Those are the moments behind the scenes that set you up for when you are doing the thing.

If you could go back and give your 19-year-old self advice or guidance, what would you tell him?

Go out there, do exactly as you're about to do. Because every single thing you're going to do is going to land you in the places that you need to be.

And even though this might sound a little far-fetched for you right now — because you're only 19 and you're a little bit excited because you've just released your first album and it's all going beautifully — but there will be some moments that will be quite hard. Have the faith that there'll be light at the end of the tunnel. Do the right thing. Follow your intuition. That's what will get you through this whole thing. I'll see you when you're my age and you'll see what I mean.

What is your response to seeing artists like Beyoncé and Drake tap into house music and bring it into pop?

I'm all for people being creative and expressive, and showing whatever they're feeling at any point in time in their life. I can only see the positives in putting out music that you love. And if it shines light on a genre of music because of the position that you're in, the more the merrier. All I know is, "Break My Soul," sheeesh, that tune hit.

I have a song called "Heartline," and I do a version where I play that instrumental and then drop the acapella of "Break My Soul" over the top. Ohh, the vibe! "Heartline" is kind of an Afrobeat tune, the tempo sits so nicely — but what Beyoncé is saying! "New foundation, got that motivation, I'm on a new vibration." I'm all for it. Go out there and just do what you want to express, because that’s the inner child in you.

Makaya McCraven's New Album 'In These Times' Untangles The Intricacies Of Rhythm & Tumult

When TSHA was 21 and struggling with depression, she had a vivid nightmare that she fell through a frozen lake and sank to the bottom. The striking imagery and heavy emotions of the dream stuck with her over the years, even as she pulled herself out of that dark period. 

On the cover of her soon-t-be-released sophomore album, Sad Girl, TSHA revisits the frozen lake. This time, she's floating triumphantly above it, lounging like a glittering goddess atop a small iceberg. (She posed on actual ice for the stunning Theirry Mugler-inspired shot.)

Out Sept. 27, Sad Girl is the soundtrack to the in-demand British DJ/producer born Teisha Matthews' coming of age in the small, mostly-white town of Fareham. She's come a long way from her difficult teen years thinking she'd never make it out of her hometown, but the album brings her back to that bedroom, where she found solace and escape in the radio. 

In spite of its name (a wink at emo MSN screen names), the album is overall upbeat, optimistic and rich with TSHA's intricate productions. With a healthy dose of '90s and '00s dance music, R&B and pop, TSHA deftly  transmutes these formative sonic influences into modern dance pop bops, filled with reminders to her younger self that it's going to be OK.

Read more: 5 Emerging Artists Pushing Electronic Music Forward: Moore Kismet, TSHA, Doechii & Others

"Girls" is an electro bop celebrating the healing power of going out with your girlfriends, while the sweeping instrumentation that opens "Green" evokes the triumph of Cher's 1998 classic "Believe." On "Green," "In The Night" and “Fight” TSHA debuts her own vocals, further proof that she's really come into her own as an artist at the forefront of emotive dance music

TSHA has received countless accolades for her music, which she debuted in 2018 with the self-released Dawn EP. Since then, she's played nearly every major club and festival on the global DJ circuit, been named MusicTech's 2022 Producer of the Year and BBC Radio 1's first-ever "Future Artist" in 2021, gracing the covers of dance imprints Mixmag and DJ Mag, and winning the latter's Best of British Awards Best Album for her debut album *Capricorn Sun.

Amidst a never-ending DJ schedule, TSHA has  found more balance and presence. She makes   time to do something outside of her hotel in every city she plays and is focused on self-care and  the things she can control instead of external validation. A move from London to sunny Ibiza — where she's a regular at DC-10, Hï and other major clubs — eight months ago has also lifted her spirits. The resulting Sad Girl not only provides immersive sonic healing, but shows  TSHA standing in her artistic power as someone equally at home serving up euphoric dance pop bangers and introspective electro R&B.

GRAMMY.com sat down with TSHA to explore the nostalgic club soundscape on Sad Girl, the magic of Ellie Goulding's songwriting and voice, finding peace in an in-demand schedule, and more.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

The press release for Sad Girl says the album embraces the genres that you've always been interested in. I hear '90s rave, '00s pop and R&B — could you speak to some of the sonic inspirations on this album? 

I was thinking about stuff that was on when I was growing up; things on MTV, on "Top of the Pops," on the radio. I didn't really have a lot of CDs or anything growing up, it was more like you just got what was given to you… like Craig David, JoJo, drum and bass, Massive Attack, and a bit of house music because my brother was a DJ. Then there was Cher's "Believe" — I'll always remember that because I recorded it on tape on a ghettoblaster when I was a kid. 

It's all those little sounds and things that are very nostalgic for me and remind me of that period — an amalgamation of the bits and bobs that seeped into my consciousness growing up — and that bring me back to that place when I hear them. That is the base of the sounds of the album. 

What emotions came up for you going back to that childhood place? Was there any healing you felt in making an album dedicated to that time of your life? 

Yeah. I had quite a lot going on when I was growing up; there was so much change happening in my house. I was quite a sad girl. I still am really, at the core, a terrible emo. [The album] brings me back to moments in that time where I was going through stuff, and that's why I ended up calling it Sad Girl, because [this type of music] was the soundtrack to my younger self into my teenage angst period. These were the things that I would sing along to. 

It did bring up a lot of stuff, and it was actually a bit healing because I've come such a long way. I would have never imagined being where I am now — that seemed impossible when I was that age — [even] that I would make it out of my hometown, full stop. We weren't very well off growing up, so [I couldn't imagine] actually being able to go on holiday, to go on a plane. It was healing because I went through all these emotions and thoughts of being a sad girl thinking that I was never going to get out, but I did.

The album art is inspired by a dream you had when you were younger about being trapped in an icy lake — but in the photo you're looking iconic on top of the ice. I was thinking of that visual when you were describing getting out of your hometown; can you talk about the dream and reimagining it as triumphant in the photo? 

I had that dream when I was 21, which was the worst period of my life. I was at my lowest and everything bad that could happen had happened. I was in this dark hole and I had this very bad dream. That dream always stuck with me because it was so realistic and it felt like it actually happened. 

When I was thinking about doing the artwork and being a sad girl, I thought back to that dream. I wanted to have a positive spin of I've come out the water and I'm on the ice and I've pulled myself out. I also wanted it, obviously, to look cool. I was like, I want real ice. I will lie on this iceberg. [Chuckles.] It was freezing.

I love the energy of "Girls" with Rose Gray. What were the sonic inspirations on that track and the energy you're capturing on it?

The inspiration was 2000s electro. I was thinking about that period when I was a teenager coming into a young adult, when I could go out. That was the music that was popping off then. I wasn't club clubbing back then, but I remember seeing videos of Ibiza and that was kind of the sound; it feels like that's the last time Ibiza was really, really fun, when electro came out. [Laughs.] All the clubs were fun and phones only had s— cameras, so people didn't have their phones out, they were dancing. I wanted to make a fun electro track because I just loved that period.

Rose was perfect for it because she's kind of camp and a lot of fun. We wanted to make a sort of Cyndi Lauper "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" vibes as a positive start to the album. I didn't want the album to be doom and gloom, and I wanted a positive message. So this [song represents] that coming into an adult period when you're going out, you're strutting your stuff, getting ready to go out with the girls.

I also love the album's next track, "In The Night." I feel euphoria on that one as well, and maybe more of a '90s rave sound. Can you talk about that one as well?

It's mainly inspired by trance. That was another massive sound that was around when I was a teenager, maybe a bit younger. We had DJ Sammy and loads of stuff coming out of Europe, like Euro dance. I thought night clubbing was going to be like that when I turned 18 — loads of lasers and everyone is dancing to euphoric trance. It turns out it wasn't like that, but that was where the sound [inspiration] came from.

It's one of the first tracks I'm singing on. I'm a night owl, even before I became a DJ I would be up late by myself, overthinking. When I was writing the song, I started thinking, Oh, I'm always fighting myself in the night. It turned into a bit more of a fun dance track in the end.

How did you start that track?

I took the string instrument from another song, it was either "Can't Dance" or "Fight" and I used that to start it. I did that in a few songs, where I took something from one song and used it to start the next song to kick it off and also to make it a bit more cohesive with similar sounds in each song. I watched something about someone else doing that [technique].

What did it feel like bringing your vocals onto this album? Were you nervous or just kind of feeling like Why not?

A bit of both, to be honest. Working with other singers, you kind of lose control over the lyrical content and the meaning of a song and stuff like that. I wanted to bring even more of myself into the music, so the logical path to do that would be for me to be singing and writing.

It felt good, actually. I managed to get three songs where I'm singing lyrics I wrote that have meaning to me directly. No one else has had their own influence over those words or what they mean. I hope to do more of [that]. 

When you go into a session with a vocalist, are you typically bringing a track that's more or less finished or are you just coming in with some ideas and sounds? 

I usually prefer to have a track, so I know what I want, and then I ask them to do something in that direction. With Rose [on "Girls"], I knew what I wanted and she got it, so we fell on the same page. Sometimes, I might take something someone else has written that I've come across and like how it sounds. Then I can build the track around it, rather than the other way around, which is easier for me because then it's less managing a person. Ideally, that's why I want to sing more because if I can just do it all myself, then it'll make my life easier and allow me to be more creative.

On the non-album single "Somebody" you worked with two legendary vocalists, Ellie Goulding and Gregory Porter. What did working with them feel like for you? And as a producer, how were you able to make sure that both of their voices worked together on the track?

That was a great experience. I wrote that in the studio with Ellie. It's amazing when you work with someone that's been around for a long time that's at the top of songwriting, you realize how much of a league above they are. Her ability to come up with something genius really quickly is insane. And her vocals are always flawless from the moment she opens her mouth.

We were in a session all day; we just talked for hours, completely unrelated to music, and then related to music. The song was written in the last hour. Ellie and I bonded over suffering from anxiety, so the song extended around some anxieties that she was going through at the time and I could totally relate. And it was inspired a lot by Massive Attack, those trip-hop sounds.

Gregory came on later as we were looking for a male vocalist. It was really a shame because he said he would have liked to have written a verse, but I didn't know that until the song came out. I love the song very much.  

Do you have any other dream collabs that you would love to make happen? 

I've always wanted to work with FKA twigs, I'm a big fan. The people I would collaborate with has changed; now I prefer to find new people. I find that fun and more interesting. I also like the idea of helping people by shining a light on a newer sound and singers. I guess it's the DJ in me. When I'm DJing, I want to find a song that no one else has played. 

How do you choose who to work with and how do you find them? And what parameters do you have for someone that would be a good vocalist for you to work with? 

There isn't really a parameter in terms of sound, it's more about uniqueness and tone and stuff like that. Ingrid [Witt, featured on "Azaleas" and "Drive"] emailed me from a post on Instagram [asking for singers to reach out]. Loads of really good singers came through; she just happened to have one of the quickest responses and she had the most unique voice as well. She gave me Kate Bush vibes, a little bit of Robyn, and her lyrical content was beautiful. 

I like when people send me stuff. My promo email is in my bio on Instagram, so anyone can send me music. I've gotten loads of great DJ tracks that aren't signed or no one else is playing through that. Obviously, I have to go through a lot of emails, and sometimes there's a lot of things that shouldn't be sent to me, but there's always little gems. 

We last spoke two years ago about Capricorn Sun, where you said you really just wanted to be happy and find more balance between time on the road and at home. Have you found more balance or has your life gotten crazier since then?

 I'm not sure really, because after the album, I was like, Next year I'm gonna slow down, I'm gonna be a bit more chill. It wasn't more chill, I had about the same [number of] gigs, if not more. But I feel like I changed a little bit; I don't know what happened, but my anxiety decreased, so it made these things easier. That year before the album and just after the album, I was at my wit's end, really exhausted and touring felt really difficult. After that period, touring got better and I started to enjoy it more.  

That wasn't from doing less, though, I think that was from changing my mindset a little bit and being more grateful, trying to shift away from the negative side of things and worrying less about doing well. You're always being judged when you're releasing music, so when you focus on where you're at all the time, it's really hard. I'm trying to just be happy in where I'm at. Some people will like the album, some people won't and I guess that's just life. These are things I'm not in control of. I've been trying to learn to not worry about these things because these are all decided by other people. All I could do is what I did; I made the music, I'm happy with it, and I show up at my gigs and do my best. I'm trying to focus on that.  

What have felt like the biggest career highlights for you so far? 

I used to say signing to Ninja Tune was my biggest highlight. I went on autopilot for quite a while, so anything that happened in that period I didn't really let myself acknowledge. I feel like now if something really sick happens, I'd be super happy. I'd actually celebrate it this time. I will feel them now. Bless me with something good, I'm ready.

On that note, what's something that would feel like a dream come true for you if it happened?

There're a few ones. Having a proper big club residency in Ibiza would be amazing. Winning some award — it doesn't even matter what it is — for the album would be nice. I guess you don't need awards, but it's nice when you get one because you feel people actually did take notice of your work. 

This isn't music [-related], but if I buy a house in Ibiza that's got all the cool s— I want in it; my dream house with a roof terrace, then I'll be happy. It won't matter if my music does well because I've got this house in Ibiza. [Laughs.]

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!

He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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It's rare that a genre can be traced back to a single artist or group, but for funk, that was James Brown. The Godfather of Soul coined the phrase and style of playing known as "on the one," where the first downbeat is emphasized, instead of the typical second and fourth beats in pop, soul and other styles. As David Cheal eloquently explains, playing on the one "left space for phrases and riffs, often syncopated around the beat, creating an intricate, interlocking grid which could go on and on." You know a funky bassline when you hear it; its fat chords beg your body to get up and groove.

Brown's 1965 classic, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," became one of the first funk hits, and has been endlessly sampled and covered over the years, along with his other groovy tracks. Of course, many other funk acts followed in the '60s, and the genre thrived in the '70s and '80s as the disco craze came and went, and the originators of hip-hop and house music created new music from funk and disco's strong, flexible bones built for dancing.

Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins learned the power of the one from playing in Brown's band, and brought it to George Clinton, who created P-funk, an expansive, Afrofuturistic, psychedelic exploration of funk with his various bands and projects, including Parliament-Funkadelic. Both Collins and Clinton remain active and funkin', and have offered their timeless grooves to collabs with younger artists, including Kali Uchis, Silk Sonic, and Omar Apollo; and Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat, respectively.

In the 1980s, electro-funk was born when artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Man Parrish, and Egyptian Lover began making futuristic beats with the Roland TR-808 drum machine — often with robotic vocals distorted through a talk box. A key distinguishing factor of electro-funk is a de-emphasis on vocals, with more phrases than choruses and verses. The sound influenced contemporaneous hip-hop, funk and electronica, along with acts around the globe, while current acts like Chromeo, DJ Stingray, and even Egyptian Lover himself keep electro-funk alive and well.

Today, funk lives in many places, with its heavy bass and syncopated grooves finding way into many nooks and crannies of music. There's nu-disco and boogie funk, nodding back to disco bands with soaring vocals and dance floor-designed instrumentation. G-funk continues to influence Los Angeles hip-hop, with innovative artists like Dam-Funk and Channel Tres bringing the funk and G-funk, into electro territory. Funk and disco-centered '70s revival is definitely having a moment, with acts like Ghost Funk Orchestra and Parcels, while its sparkly sprinklings can be heard in pop from Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and, in full "Soul Train" character, Silk Sonic. There are also acts making dreamy, atmospheric music with a solid dose of funk, such as Khruangbin’s global sonic collage.

There are many bands that play heavily with funk, creating lush grooves designed to get you moving. Read on for a taste of five current modern funk and nu-disco artists making band-led uptempo funk built for the dance floor. Be sure to press play on the Spotify playlist above, and check out GRAMMY.com's playlist on Apple Music, Amazon Music and Pandora.

Say She She

Aptly self-described as "discodelic soul," Brooklyn-based seven-piece Say She She make dreamy, operatic funk, led by singer-songwriters Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham. Their '70s girl group-inspired vocal harmonies echo, sooth and enchant as they cover poignant topics with feminist flair.

While they’ve been active in the New York scene for a few years, they’ve gained wider acclaim for the irresistible music they began releasing this year, including their debut album, Prism. Their 2022 debut single "Forget Me Not" is an ode to ground-breaking New York art collective Guerilla Girls, and "Norma" is their protest anthem in response to the news that Roe vs. Wade could be (and was) overturned. The band name is a nod to funk legend Nile Rodgers, from the "Le freak, c'est chi" exclamation in Chic's legendary tune "Le Freak."

Moniquea

Moniquea's unique voice oozes confidence, yet invites you in to dance with her to the super funky boogie rhythms. The Pasadena, California artist was raised on funk music; her mom was in a cover band that would play classics like Aretha Franklin’s "Get It Right" and Gladys Knight’s "Love Overboard." Moniquea released her first boogie funk track at 20 and, in 2011, met local producer XL Middelton — a bonafide purveyor of funk. She's been a star artist on his MoFunk Records ever since, and they've collabed on countless tracks, channeling West Coast energy with a heavy dose of G-funk, sunny lyrics and upbeat, roller disco-ready rhythms.

Her latest release is an upbeat nod to classic West Coast funk, produced by Middleton, and follows her February 2022 groovy, collab-filled album, On Repeat.

Shiro Schwarz

Shiro Schwarz is a Mexico City-based duo, consisting of Pammela Rojas and Rafael Marfil, who helped establish a modern funk scene in the richly creative Mexican metropolis. On "Electrify" — originally released in 2016 on Fat Beats Records and reissued in 2021 by MoFunk — Shiro Schwarz's vocals playfully contrast each other, floating over an insistent, upbeat bassline and an '80s throwback electro-funk rhythm with synth flourishes.

Their music manages to be both nostalgic and futuristic — and impossible to sit still to. 2021 single "Be Kind" is sweet, mellow and groovy, perfect chic lounge funk. Shiro Schwarz’s latest track, the joyfully nostalgic "Hey DJ," is a collab with funkstress Saucy Lady and U-Key.

L'Impératrice

L'Impératrice (the empress in French) are a six-piece Parisian group serving an infectiously joyful blend of French pop, nu-disco, funk and psychedelia. Flore Benguigui's vocals are light and dreamy, yet commanding of your attention, while lyrics have a feminist touch.

During their energetic live sets, L'Impératrice members Charles de Boisseguin and Hagni Gwon (keys), David Gaugué (bass), Achille Trocellier (guitar), and Tom Daveau (drums) deliver extended instrumental jam sessions to expand and connect their music. Gaugué emphasizes the thick funky bass, and Benguigui jumps around the stage while sounding like an angel. L’Impératrice’s latest album, 2021’s Tako Tsubo, is a sunny, playful French disco journey.

Franc Moody

Franc Moody's bio fittingly describes their music as "a soul funk and cosmic disco sound." The London outfit was birthed by friends Ned Franc and Jon Moody in the early 2010s, when they were living together and throwing parties in North London's warehouse scene. In 2017, the group grew to six members, including singer and multi-instrumentalist Amber-Simone.

Their music feels at home with other electro-pop bands like fellow Londoners Jungle and Aussie act Parcels. While much of it is upbeat and euphoric, Franc Moody also dips into the more chilled, dreamy realm, such as the vibey, sultry title track from their recently released Into the Ether.

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Living Legends is a series that spotlights icons in music still going strong today. This week, GRAMMY.com spoke with Billy Idol about his latest EP,  Cage, and continuing to rock through decades of changing tastes.

Billy Idol is a true rock 'n' roll survivor who has persevered through cultural shifts and personal struggles. While some may think of Idol solely for "Rebel Yell" and "White Wedding," the singer's musical influences span genres and many of his tunes are less turbo-charged than his '80s hits would belie.  

Idol first made a splash in the latter half of the '70s with the British punk band Generation X. In the '80s, he went on to a solo career combining rock, pop, and punk into a distinct sound that transformed him and his musical partner, guitarist Steve Stevens, into icons. They have racked up multiple GRAMMY nominations, in addition to one gold, one double platinum, and four platinum albums thanks to hits like "Cradle Of Love," "Flesh For Fantasy," and "Eyes Without A Face." 

But, unlike many legacy artists, Idol is anything but a relic. Billy continues to produce vital Idol music by collaborating with producers and songwriters — including Miley Cyrus — who share his forward-thinking vision. He will play a five-show Vegas residency in November, and filmmaker Jonas Akerlund is working on a documentary about Idol’s life. 

His latest release is Cage, the second in a trilogy of annual four-song EPs. The title track is a classic Billy Idol banger expressing the desire to free himself from personal constraints and live a better life. Other tracks on Cage incorporate metallic riffing and funky R&B grooves. 

Idol continues to reckon with his demons — they both grappled with addiction during the '80s — and the singer is open about those struggles on the record and the page. (Idol's 2014 memoir Dancing With Myself, details a 1990 motorcycle accident that nearly claimed a leg, and how becoming a father steered him to reject hard drugs. "Bitter Taste," from his last EP, The Roadside, reflects on surviving the accident.)

Although Idol and Stevens split in the late '80s — the skilled guitarist fronted Steve Stevens & The Atomic Playboys, and collaborated with Michael Jackson, Rick Ocasek, Vince Neil, and Harold Faltermeyer (on the GRAMMY-winning "Top Gun Anthem") —  their common history and shared musical bond has been undeniable. The duo reunited in 2001 for an episode of "VH1 Storytellers" and have been back in the saddle for two decades. Their union remains one of the strongest collaborations in rock 'n roll history.

While there is recognizable personnel and a distinguishable sound throughout a lot of his work, Billy Idol has always pushed himself to try different things. Idol discusses his musical journey, his desire to constantly move forward, and the strong connection that he shares with Stevens. 

Steve has said that you like to mix up a variety of styles, yet everyone assumes you're the "Rebel Yell"/"White Wedding" guy. But if they really listen to your catalog, it's vastly different.

Yeah, that's right. With someone like Steve Stevens, and then back in the day Keith Forsey producing... [Before that] Generation X actually did move around inside punk rock. We didn't stay doing just the Ramones two-minute music. We actually did a seven-minute song. [Laughs]. We did always mix things up. 

Then when I got into my solo career, that was the fun of it. With someone like Steve, I knew what he could do. I could see whatever we needed to do, we could nail it. The world was my oyster musically. 

"Cage" is a classic-sounding Billy Idol rocker, then "Running From The Ghost" is almost metal, like what the Devil's Playground album was like back in the mid-2000s. "Miss Nobody" comes out of nowhere with this pop/R&B flavor. What inspired that?

We really hadn't done anything like that since something like "Flesh For Fantasy" [which] had a bit of an R&B thing about it. Back in the early days of Billy Idol, "Hot In The City" and "Mony Mony" had girls [singing] on the backgrounds. 

We always had a bit of R&B really, so it was actually fun to revisit that. We just hadn't done anything really quite like that for a long time. That was one of the reasons to work with someone like Sam Hollander [for the song "Rita Hayworth"] on The Roadside. We knew we could go [with him] into an R&B world, and he's a great songwriter and producer. That's the fun of music really, trying out these things and seeing if you can make them stick. 

I listen to new music by veteran artists and debate that with some people. I'm sure you have those fans that want their nostalgia, and then there are some people who will embrace the newer stuff. Do you find it’s a challenge to reach people with new songs?

Obviously, what we're looking for is, how do we somehow have one foot in the past and one foot into the future? We’ve got the best of all possible worlds because that has been the modus operandi of Billy Idol. 

You want to do things that are true to you, and you don't just want to try and do things that you're seeing there in the charts today. I think that we're achieving it with things like "Running From The Ghost" and "Cage" on this new EP. I think we’re managing to do both in a way. 

**Obviously, "Running From The Ghost" is about addiction, all the stuff that you went through, and in "Cage" you’re talking about  freeing yourself from a lot of personal shackles. Was there any one moment in your life that made you really thought I have to not let this weigh me down anymore?**

I mean, things like the motorcycle accident I had, that was a bit of a wake up call way back. It was 32 years ago. But there were things like that, years ago, that gradually made me think about what I was doing with my life. I didn't want to ruin it, really. I didn't want to throw it away, and it made [me] be less cavalier. 

I had to say to myself, about the drugs and stuff, that I've been there and I've done it. There’s no point in carrying on doing it. You couldn't get any higher. You didn't want to throw your life away casually, and I was close to doing that. It took me a bit of time, but then gradually I was able to get control of myself to a certain extent [with] drugs and everything. And I think Steve's done the same thing. We're on a similar path really, which has been great because we're in the same boat in terms of lyrics and stuff. 

So a lot of things like that were wake up calls. Even having grandchildren and just watching my daughter enlarging her family and everything; it just makes you really positive about things and want to show a positive side to how you're feeling, about where you're going. We've lived with the demons so long, we've found a way to live with them. We found a way to be at peace with our demons, in a way. Maybe not completely, but certainly to where we’re enjoying what we do and excited about it.

[When writing] "Running From The Ghost" it was easy to go, what was the ghost for us? At one point, we were very drug addicted in the '80s. And Steve in particular is super sober [now]. I mean, I still vape pot and stuff. I don’t know how he’s doing it, but it’s incredible. All I want to be able to do is have a couple of glasses of wine at a restaurant or something. I can do that now.

I think working with people that are super talented, you just feel confident. That is a big reason why you open up and express yourself more because you feel comfortable with what's around you.

Did you watch Danny Boyle's recent Sex Pistols mini-series?

I did, yes.

You had a couple of cameos; well, an actor who portrayed you did. How did you react to it? How accurate do you think it was in portraying that particular time period?

I love Jonesy’s book, I thought his book was incredible. It's probably one of the best bio books really. It was incredible and so open. I was looking forward to that a lot.

It was as if [the show] kind of stayed with Steve [Jones’ memoir] about halfway through, and then departed from it. [John] Lydon, for instance, was never someone I ever saw acting out; he's more like that today. I never saw him do something like jump up in the room and run around going crazy. The only time I saw him ever do that was when they signed the recording deal with Virgin in front of Buckingham Palace. Whereas Sid Vicious was always acting out; he was always doing something in a horrible way or shouting at someone. I don't remember John being like that. I remember him being much more introverted.

But then I watched interviews with some of the actors about coming to grips with the parts they were playing. And they were saying, we knew punk rock happened but just didn't know any of the details. So I thought well, there you go. If ["Pistol" is]  informing a lot of people who wouldn't know anything about punk rock, maybe that's what's good about it.

Maybe down the road John Lydon will get the chance to do John's version of the Pistols story. Maybe someone will go a lot deeper into it and it won't be so surface. But maybe you needed this just to get people back in the flow.

We had punk and metal over here in the States, but it feels like England it was legitimately more dangerous. British society was much more rigid.

It never went [as] mega in America. It went big in England. It exploded when the Pistols did that interview with [TV host Bill] Grundy, that lorry truck driver put his boot through his own TV, and all the national papers had "the filth and the fury" [headlines].

We went from being unknown to being known overnight. We waited a year, Generation X. We even told them [record labels] no for nine months to a year. Every record company wanted their own punk rock group. So it went really mega in England, and it affected the whole country – the style, the fashions, everything. I mean, the Ramones were massive in England. Devo had a No. 1 song [in England] with "Satisfaction" in '77. Actually, Devo was as big as or bigger than the Pistols.

You were ahead of the pop-punk thing that happened in the late '90s, and a lot of it became tongue-in-cheek by then. It didn't have the same sense of rebelliousness as the original movement. It was more pop.

It had become a style. There was a famous book in England called Revolt Into Style — and that's what had happened, a revolt that turned into style which then they were able to duplicate in their own way. Even recently, Billie Joe [Armstrong] did his own version of "Gimme Some Truth," the Lennon song we covered way back in 1977.

When we initially were making [punk] music, it hadn't become accepted yet. It was still dangerous and turned into a style that people were used to. We were still breaking barriers.

You have a band called Generation Sex with Steve Jones and Paul Cook. I assume you all have an easier time playing Pistols and Gen X songs together now and not worrying about getting spit on like back in the '70s?

Yeah, definitely. When I got to America I told the group I was putting it together, "No one spits at the audience."

We had five years of being spat on [in the UK], and it was revolting. And they spat at you if they liked you. If they didn't like it they smashed your gear up. One night, I remember I saw blood on my T-shirt, and I think Joe Strummer got meningitis when spit went in his mouth.

You had to go through a lot to become successful, it wasn't like you just kind of got up there and did a couple of gigs. I don't think some young rock bands really get that today.

With punk going so mega in England, we definitely got a leg up. We still had a lot of work to get where we got to, and rightly so because you find out that you need to do that. A lot of groups in the old days would be together three to five years before they ever made a record, and that time is really important. In a way, what was great about punk rock for me was it was very much a learning period. I really learned a lot [about] recording music and being in a group and even writing songs.

Then when I came to America, it was a flow, really. I also really started to know what I wanted Billy Idol to be. It took me a little bit, but I kind of knew what I wanted Billy Idol to be. And even that took a while to let it marinate.

You and Miley Cyrus have developed a good working relationship in the last several years. How do you think her fans have responded to you, and your fans have responded to her?

I think they're into it. It's more the record company that she had didn't really get "Night Crawling"— it was one of the best songs on Plastic Hearts, and I don't think they understood that. They wanted to go with Dua Lipa, they wanted to go with the modern, young acts, and I don't think they realized that that song was resonating with her fans. Which is a shame really because, with Andrew Watt producing, it's a hit song.

But at the same time, I enjoyed doing it. It came out really good and it's very Billy Idol. In fact, I think it’s more Billy Idol than Miley Cyrus. I think it shows you where Andrew Watt was. He was excited about doing a Billy Idol track. She's fun to work with. She’s a really great person and she works at her singing — I watched her rehearsing for the Super Bowl performance she gave. She rehearsed all Saturday morning, all Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning and it was that afternoon. I have to admire her fortitude. She really cares.

I remember when you went on "Viva La Bam" back in 2005 and decided to give Bam Margera’s Lamborghini a new sunroof by taking a power saw to it. Did he own that car? Was that a rental?

I think it was his car.

Did he get over it later on?

He loved it. [Laughs] He’s got a wacky sense of humor. He’s fantastic, actually. I’m really sorry to see what he's been going through just lately. He's going through a lot, and I wish him the best. He's a fantastic person, and it's a shame that he's struggling so much with his addictions. I know what it's like. It's not easy.

Musically, what is the synergy like with you guys during the past 10 years, doing Kings and Queens of the Underground and this new stuff? What is your working relationship like now in this more sober, older, mature version of you two as opposed to what it was like back in the '80s?

In lots of ways it’s not so different because we always wrote the songs together, we always talked about what we're going to do together. It was just that we were getting high at the same time.We're just not getting [that way now] but we're doing all the same things.

We're still talking about things, still [planning] things:What are we going to do next? How are we going to find new people to work with? We want to find new producers. Let's be a little bit more timely about putting stuff out.That part of our relationship is the same, you know what I mean? That never got affected. We just happened to be overloading in the '80s.

The relationship’s… matured and it's carrying on being fruitful, and I think that's pretty amazing. Really, most people don't get to this place. Usually, they hate each other by now. [Laughs] We also give each other space. We're not stopping each other doing things outside of what we’re working on together. All of that enables us to carry on working together. I love and admire him. I respect him. He's been fantastic. I mean, just standing there on stage with him is always a treat. And he’s got an immensely great sense of humor. I think that's another reason why we can hang together after all this time because we've got the sense of humor to enable us to go forward.

There's a lot of fan reaction videos online, and I noticed a lot of younger women like "Rebel Yell" because, unlike a lot of other '80s alpha male rock tunes, you're talking about satisfying your lover.

It was about my girlfriend at the time, Perri Lister. It was about how great I thought she was, how much I was in love with her, and how great women are, how powerful they are.

It was a bit of a feminist anthem in a weird way. It was all about how relationships can free you and add a lot to your life. It was a cry of love, nothing to do with the Civil War or anything like that. Perri was a big part of my life, a big part of being Billy Idol. I wanted to write about it. I'm glad that's the effect.

Is there something you hope people get out of the songs you've been doing over the last 10 years? Do you find yourself putting out a message that keeps repeating?

Well, I suppose, if anything, is that you can come to terms with your life, you can keep a hold of it. You can work your dreams into reality in a way and, look, a million years later, still be enjoying it.

The only reason I'm singing about getting out of the cage is because I kicked out of the cage years ago. I joined Generation X when I said to my parents, "I'm leaving university, and I'm joining a punk rock group." And they didn't even know what a punk rock group was. Years ago, I’d write things for myself that put me on this path, so that maybe in 2022 I could sing something like "Cage" and be owning this territory and really having a good time. This is the life I wanted.

The original UK punk movement challenged societal norms. Despite all the craziness going on throughout the world, it seems like a lot of modern rock bands are afraid to do what you guys were doing. Do you think we'll see a shift in that?

Yeah.  Art usually reacts to things, so I would think eventually there will be a massive reaction to the pop music that’s taken over — the middle of the road music, and then this kind of right wing politics. There will be a massive reaction if there's not already one. I don’t know where it will come from exactly. You never know who's gonna do [it].

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