Jazmine Sullivan, the Vocal Beast, Celebrates Grammy Nominations With Rousing Four-Song Set

Before capturing her first pair of Grammys last year, R&B star Jazmine Sullivan was the female artist with the most nominations without winning, tied with Björk.

So, a year later at a pre-Grammy event, Sullivan joked with the audience as she sang songs from her critically acclaimed, Grammy-winning project, Heaux Tales.

“I think I won last year for best R&B…,” she said coyly with her mouth open. “I won? Did I win a…? I think I won…,” she continued, laughing as the crowd cheered her on.

Sullivan won best R&B album for Heaux Tales, her daring and bold album that explores feminism, sexuality, classism and body shaming. She also tied Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open” to win best R&B performance for “Pick Up Your Feelings,” which she performed to close her four-song set at the GREY GOOSE x GRAMMYs: Sound Sessions Brunch.

As the song started, she said: “We’re having a little church bop — that’s where it started!”

Sullivan, donning a bright red suit, was in high spirits — and performed like a vocal beast, also singing “Price Tags,” “BPW” and “Need U Bad,” her 2008 debut single that topped the R&B charts and was “produced by one of my good friends, The Missy Elliott,” Sullivan reminded the crowd.

“I’m so glad y’all not stuffy! Thank you for the energy. Thank you for the vibes,” she added. 

“I love ittttt,” she said and sang.

Insecure and Top Gun: Maverick actor Jay Ellis, model Jasmine Sanders, British singer-rapper Estelle, actress-singers Laura Marano, Amber Riley and Serayah, actress Lana Condor, The Real Housewives of Potomac castmember Candiace Dillard Bassett and more cheered Sullivan on Saturday on the rooftop of the Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles.

The event took place a day before the 2023 Grammys, where Sullivan is nominated for three awards, including best R&B song and best R&B performance for “Hurts Me So Good,” as well as best traditional R&B performance for “’Round Midnight,” her collaboration with multi-instrumentalist and Emmy-winning musical director Adam Blackstone.

The songstress got the loudest response from the audience ahead of and during her performance of “BPW.”

“So this next song, um, I wrote about how good my pussy was,” Sullivan said, blushing and turning away from the microphone. “I felt like it should be celebrated! So I just did it myself – I’m celebrating my own pussy!”

“Give yourself your props girl, you deserve it. We be working hard out here, whether it’s at a job or in the bedroom, baby,” she said. “We works hard.”