Michelle Obama responds to Grammy Award nomination after 'meaningful, exhilarating year'

She joins the likes of fellow Grammy nominees Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift
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Megan C. Hills21 November 2019

Michelle Obama is many things: a lawyer, former First Lady, best-selling author and mother - though musician is not one of them. That’s why when the Grammy award nominations were released yesterday, some were confused that her name was in the running for one of its golden statues.

The Grammy Awards for the most part honours musical artists and those who help create music, with stars including Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift nominated for 2020.

While Obama may not have released a chart-topping dance track, she was however nominated for the category Best Spoken World Album thanks to her audiobook for her memoir Becoming.

Getty Images

Obama addressed the news on her Twitter account yesterday, writing, “So thrilled to receive a Grammys nomination! This past year has been such a meaningful, exhilarating ride.”

“I’ve loved hearing your stories and continuing down the road of becoming together,” she continued. “Thank you for every ounce of love and support you’ve shared so generously.”

She is set to compete against the Beastie Boys, John Waters’ Mr Know-It-All, Sekou Andrews & The String Theory and Eric Alexandrakis’ I.V. Catatonia: 20 Years as a Two-Time Cancer Survivor.

Obama actually surprised fans when she made an appearance at the Grammy Awards this year, supporting her friend Alicia Keys who she called "one of the most genuine and thoughtful people I know". She gave a speech at the show in which she revealed that "music has always helped me tell my story", continuing, "Whether we like country, or rap or rock, music helps us share ourselves — our dignity and sorrows, our hopes and joys."

"It allows us to hear one another, to invite each other in. Music shows us that all of it matters, every story within every voice, every note within every song," she finished.

Michelle Obama at the Grammy Awards
Getty Images

She was joined onstage by Keys, Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith and Jennifer Lopez.

Becoming has sold over 11.5 million copies internationally since being published in November 2018, with a sold out book tour of over 30 cities across the world. More recently, she is set to join Oprah Winfrey on her Oprah’s 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus tour, which will feature fellow celebrities including Lady Gaga, Gayle King and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.

Her husband, former president Barack Obama, has also previously won the award twice - first in 2006 for an audiobook recording of his novel Dreams of My Father and his 2008 follow up The Audacity of Hope.

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