The GRAMMY Museum and the Recording Academy have announced the launch of the second annual Quinn Coleman Memorial Scholarship.

The program is designed to continue razing barriers within the music industry by providing Black college students professional development experiences that will ready them for future full-time employment.

Established in 2021, the program was named in honor of the late music executive and DJ Quinn Coleman, who tragically passed away at the age of 31 in 2020. Following his passing, his family established the Quinn Coleman Memorial Scholarship through the GRAMMY Museum to help keep his legacy alive.

The Recording Academy's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team will judiciously select currently enrolled college students across the country who aim to pursue careers in the music industry or other related creative fields.

Five interns will be chosen to collaborate closely with the GRAMMY Museum, Recording Academy and affiliated chapters.

Additionally, each intern will receive two $1,000 scholarships for tuition, a $500 stipend for interview preparation, two $250 stipends for books and equipment, and funding to invest in personal portfolios — in addition to a spring internship at the Recording Academy or Latin Recording Academy.

"I'm thrilled to see Quinn's legacy continue with another year of Quinn Coleman Scholars. With the help of the GRAMMY Museum and the Recording Academy, we are excited to welcome the next class of students passionate about music inclusion, excellence, and dedication," said Debra Lee, Founder of Leading Women Defined and Former Chairman & CEO of BET Networks.

The scholarship application opens on Tues. Sept. 5, and will close on Fri. Oct. 6. Selected scholarship recipients will be announced on Tues. Oct. 17.

To apply for the scholarship, visit here. To learn more about the Quinn Coleman Memorial Scholarship, visit here. For more information on the GRAMMY Museum, visit here.

Watch Highlights From The Recording Academy's Inaugural New Member Welcome Week: CEO Harvey Mason jr. Chats With Keke Palmer, Membership & Advocacy, DEI & Much More

Since its inception, the Recording Academy has remained committed to inspiring and supporting the next generation of music creators and professionals via ongoing music education initiatives. Now, we're taking that commitment to the next level. 

Today, the Recording Academy proudly launched GRAMMY GO, a new online initiative offering innovative, industry-focused courses tailored for music creators and industry professionals from all backgrounds and experience levels. Launched in partnership with leading online learning platform Coursera, GRAMMY GO is the Academy's first-ever creator-to-creator platform that offers practical courses focusing on real-time industry developments and taught by leading music professionals and creators. 

Geared toward emerging and established members of the industry alike, GRAMMY GO taps into the Recording Academy's esteemed membership base and distinguished creator network to offer users a singular online learning experience informed by current-day industry dynamics. This unique approach sets GRAMMY GO apart from other online learning platforms.

"As an organization that comprises more than 20,000 of the world's most creative music professionals, we feel there is a massive source of knowledge that we believe is part of our mission, as an Academy, to help disseminate," Recording Academy President Panos A. Panay said in an exclusive interview. "We also view it as part of our purpose to use the Academy to help elevate other creatives and help them develop the skills they need to succeed in an ever-evolving industry. We bring a different orientation and a mission-driven purpose to what we're doing with GRAMMY GO."

"We're responding to what the needs are in the moment and across the industry," Jonathan Mahoney, Vice President of Online Learning for Grammy Global Ventures, adds. "We aim to explore the industry's needs, and then we'll build our offerings to answer those needs in real-time. That's one of the key differentiators fueling GRAMMY GO."

GRAMMY GO also accelerates the Recording Academy's ongoing global mission, while also reinforcing its commitment to music education — two core pillars that define the future of the Academy.

GRAMMY GO launches with "Building Your Audience for Music Professionals," a wide-spanning industry course taught by international music/marketing executive Joey Harris and featuring firsthand knowledge from past GRAMMY winners Jimmy Jam and Victoria Monét and 10-time GRAMMY nominee Janelle Monáe. The second GRAMMY GO course, "Music Production: Crafting An Award-Worthy Song," launching later this summer, will focus on sharpening technological and audio skills for music producers of all levels. Taught by Howard University professor and GRAMMY nominee Carolyn Malachi, the upcoming specialization will include appearances by GRAMMY winner CIRKUT, three-time GRAMMY winner Hit-Boy, artist and celebrity vocal coach Stevie Mackey, five-time GRAMMY nominee and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr., and 15-time GRAMMY winner Judith Sherman. Enrollment and pre-enrollment for both courses are now open.

In an exclusive interview below, Panay and Mahoney discuss the benefits and vision behind GRAMMY GO and the Recording Academy's year-round mission to bring music education and industry knowledge to creators and professionals around the world.

Learn more about GRAMMY GO and enroll now to the "Building Your Audience for Music Professionals" and "Music Production: Crafting An Award-Worthy Song" courses.

Music education is at the core of the Recording Academy's year-round mission. How does GRAMMY GO expand on this core mission?

Panos A. Panay: Learning and community are key components of the Academy. The organization has been dedicated to learning and building communities around learning and creating since its inception. GRAMMY GO is a piece in a puzzle that helps complete the picture. It creates a seamless arc between the offerings and initiatives across the Academy as a whole: from the GRAMMY Museum at the K-12 audiences through GRAMMY U's efforts with emerging professionals and creatives and all the way through the work we do with Advocacy, MusiCares, DEI, the Latin Recording Academy, Membership, and the annual GRAMMY Awards.

GRAMMY GO is now the connective tissue that can create a bridge between all these initiatives across our wider organization. We aim to use it as a platform to both complete the loop and help close any gaps that may have existed. GRAMMY GO is meant to work harmoniously with everything across the Academy so that it collectively makes the organization even more impactful. 

Music creators and professionals already have several online education options available to them. What will set GRAMMY GO apart from these other platforms?

Panay: As an organization that comprises more than 20,000 of the world's most creative music professionals, we feel there is a massive source of knowledge that we believe is part of our mission, as an Academy, to help disseminate. We also view it as part of our purpose to use the Academy to help elevate other creatives and help them develop the skills they need to succeed in an ever-evolving industry.

We are entering the online music education space because we believe that there is often a gap between the more academic-oriented educational platforms that exist and the more practical-oriented knowledge for professionals to develop their careers or, even more importantly, to expand their careers in the industry. Our offerings, as a part of our partnership with Coursera, are geared toward both aspirants as well as professionals who are looking to take the next step in their careers.

The specializations are designed as learning platforms, to be taught by practitioners who are thriving in the music industry on a daily level today. What we're doing is driven by our purpose and the role that we want to be playing in both the industry and society at large as the Recording Academy.

GRAMMY GO on Coursera includes courses taught by Recording Academy members and featuring past GRAMMY winners and nominees. What does this access to the Recording Academy membership and network add to the GRAMMY GO experience?

Jonathan Mahoney: This is the Recording Academy's first creator-to-creator platform. The instructors are people who are thriving in their careers; they're doing it every day. We've got Carolyn Malachi, who's a Howard tenure track professor, but she's also an active producer who's constantly in the studio working. Joey Harris knows intimately how to succeed in the industry. He's taking his real-time knowledge and applying it to the lessons he's passing along. I see GRAMMY GO as a mentorship for and by the music community.

Panay: The Recording Academy is an organization developed by, ran by, and dedicated to the well-being of creatives. Beyond our celebration, advocacy, support, and inspiration for creatives, it's also our job to help give them the toolkits that they need to continue to succeed today. So we're taking that peer-to-peer model and applying it to the creator-to-creator model. 

Tell me more about the GRAMMY GO partnership with Coursera

Panay: Coursera is a leader in the online education space. By joining forces, we're bringing what the Academy does to a broader, global audience. Of all the partners out there, we felt Coursera best reflected our values and our approach and was the best partner for us to activate the mission of the Academy on a global level.

Imagine I'm an emerging artist or industry professional; let's say I'm a GRAMMY U member in college. Now imagine I'm an established member of the industry who's entering the 10th year of my professional career. Is GRAMMY GO for me?

Panay: Yes. I've been in the music business for 30-plus years, and I can tell you: The learning does not stop. When I completed the first GRAMMY GO specialization, there's impactful stuff that I learned. It's easy to put your head down as a professional, and you're working all day, every day. But lift your head up periodically, take stock and ask yourself, "How do I sharpen my skills? How do I invest in my skills so that I can continue to evolve at the highest possible level?" In that sense, we feel absolutely sure what we're developing is applicable to everyone.

Mahoney: We built this content with everyone in mind, including our Recording Academy membership, when we decided to make this our launch offering. We thought deeply about what would be appealing to our members. These initial offerings may work for our members, but at the same time, anyone can benefit from them.

Panay: If you've been a practitioner or a professional in some field, there is always a benefit to having somebody help you think about what you're doing instinctively in a very different way. Especially for creatives, things are so natural to them that they don't always stop to think about their own process. And sometimes you need somebody to help you unlock those different or unexplored perspectives. That's what GRAMMY GO offers.

Everybody can gain from more improvement; nobody is immune to growth. You could be Michael Jordan, but you still have a coach Phil Jackson on the sidelines to help you improve. If you're competitive, then every 1% improvement matters because that's your edge.

GRAMMY GO is like your coach in your pocket.

Panay: I like that.

Talk to us about some of the GRAMMY GO specializations being offered through Coursera. What are some of the future specializations going to focus on? And how are you selecting these forthcoming courses?

Mahoney: We're building content in an agile way so that we're responding to what the needs are in the moment and across the industry. We're taking a hard look at what we're going to build, but also how we're going to build it. We really want to be agile and quick and create valuable content that is also timely. We aim to explore the industry's needs, and then we'll build our offerings to answer those needs in real-time. That's one of the key differentiators fueling GRAMMY GO.

Panay: What distinguishes GRAMMY GO from a traditional academic institution is that we're nimble and we're able to adjust and adapt based on the various market dynamics that we, as the Recording Academy, have a front-row seat at witnessing. That's our approach: How do we use our immersion into the industry as a great gauge for the skill gaps that may exist? And how do we quickly move to fill that gap by tapping into our Academy membership?

Right now, there is complete equality around talent distribution yet complete asymmetry around the skills that are needed to help that talent reach its highest possible level. Our mission as an organization focuses on embracing and elevating all creators, irrespective of who they are, what language they speak, what passport they carry, or what music they perform.

What are some of the most valuable lessons or takeaways that users will learn from GRAMMY GO?

Mahoney: The "Building Your Audience" course is about finding your authentic self, building your brand identity around that authentic self, and figuring out who are your comparable inspirations and taking their lessons and teachings to use in your practice. 

With the "Music Production" offering, the lessons will vary for each user. If you're a beginner or completely new to music production, you're going to come away with the knowledge to be able to cut your first track. The whole goal of the "Music Production" offering is that you start out with nothing and you end up with a demo track that you can release or socialize. Now, if you are coming in as an intermediate and you've done something in the past, you'll focus on refining your craft, making it better, and enhancing it to the next level.

Panay: No matter who you are, no matter where you are — both in your journey or even your geographic location — you will get access to practical skills and impactful knowledge; there is something there that's worth investing your time and energy on. Learn as much as you want, learn on your own time, learn for however long you have, whether it's five minutes or five hours or five days. These offerings will take you from wherever you are in your journey to the next level.

Stay Connected To The Recording Academy With The My Academy Hub App: Access Key Deadlines, View Membership Information, Browse Official Academy Events & More

Are you tapped into the GRAMMY Museum’s ongoing slate of live events happening in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles? If not, you should be.

The interactive, educational museum dedicated to the history and winners of the GRAMMYs has four terrific events coming up — ones that allow you to get into the minds and hearts of those who make our musical culture turn.

See below for a list of GRAMMY Museum in-person public programs happening in April 2024:

Wednesday, April 3, 2024
7:00 p.m.
Reel To Reel: La Santa Cecilia Featuring a Film Screening & Conversation
Mexican American band La Santa Cecilia will have a special screening of the film "Alma Bohemia" and talk about their creative process with producer Sebastian Krys.

Thursday, April 4, 2024
7:00 p.m.
Reel To Reel: The Greatest Hits Featuring a Film Screening & Panel Discussion
A special screening of "The Greatest Hits" will be held with a post-screening panel discussion about the making of the film featuring Ryan Lott of Son Lux, director Ned Benson, and music supervisor Mary Ramos. All ticket buyers will receive a Greatest Hits double LP vinyl.

Monday, April 8, 2024
7:30 p.m.
A Conversation With The Drums Moderated by Jason Kramer
New York-based indie pop artist The Drums will talk about the creative process of his latest album Jonny, his career, and more.

Tuesday, April 23, 2024
7:30 p.m.
Spotlight: Tenille Townes Moderated by Erin Osmon
Nashville-based rising artist Tenille Townes will talk about her latest project As You Are and will perform.
For more information and ticket links to programs, visit here — and we’ll see you on site in L.A.!

Music History From Coast To Coast: 10 Hall Of Fames To Visit This Spring

"I don't know what we're doing in this Star Wars room."

So uttered Beth Ditto, the singer for the dance-punk band Gossip, on a cool Wednesday evening in Brooklyn during early spring. She was referring to the angular, futuristic venue, National Sawdust, a beloved Williamsburg music space with world-class sound. The crowd burst into hysterics — for the umpteenth time.

The event was part of the GRAMMY Museum's "A New York Evening With…" series, where beloved artists open up in a Q&A, take audience questions, and perform a few tunes. Generally a mellow affair punctuated by the occasional chuckle, Ditto's iteration of "A New York Evening With…" had the air of a stand-up set.

Compounding the humor was moderator T. Cole Rachel, whose byline has appeared in New York Times Magazine, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork and many other outlets — simply because he was Ditto's polar opposite. Ditto was a riot in full makeup, tangerine hair and a zebra print dress ("I got this from Target!" she crowed). Rachel, on the other hand — patient, bearded and prosperous-looking, clad in reasonable browns and olive greens — played the straight man.

The cheerfully long-suffering Rachel patiently steered the interview through a barrage of idiosyncratic, drawled jokes; self-ridicule; evaded queries; and wild gesticulations. "Beth is one of the funniest people I know," Rick Rubin, who produced their first new record in 12 years, Real Power, told The New York Times this year, also calling DItto "a naturally great singer."

The small Brooklyn audience may have been in a galaxy far, far away (actually, it's five minutes from Whole Foods). But from the jump, Ditto was preoccupied with inner space — and Gossip fans bought the ticket to take the ride.

"I'm very nervous, because we're doing this together and we're good friends," Ditto announced at the outset. "I have been struggling personally with what it's like to not be face-to-face with people, and how much division there is between people I know who love each other very much, and who are on the same side of things." Whatever she was specifically referring to, this "A New York Evening With…" event was a refresher in raw conversation in good faith.

In indie circles, Ditto is something of a folk hero, slaying dragons of queerphobia and fatphobia; Rachel noted seeing an early Gossip show, where the audience was permeated with queerness. Which is one thing to see in 2024, and entirely another 20-something years ago. But Ditto isn't the type to preach; her strength is humor wrapped in brutal honesty.

Ditto's quick with a self-directed fat joke, and she's open about her ADHD diagnosis. This meant the audience was continually swept up in humorous ways: a squeaking chair or crackling beer can would invariably bring the conversation to a halt, and prompt some variation on "You OK? Wherever you are?"

The Q&A touched on the band's history and 12-year break, as well as the revolutionary influence of artists like Cyndi Lauper and the B-52s. ("Ohhhh my god!" she shrieked to the question from the audience, "Have you ever seen an alien or ghosts?"

But Ditto's lovably scattered demeanor and palpable nerves rendered the Q&A uber-casual — basically a warm-up to the music. Instruments and amps sat onstage; members of Gossip were to pick them up and rock out. As soon as Ditto was out of talking mode and into rocking mode, any awkwardness melted away: she's known to be a livewire performer.

"I know that I joke a lot," Ditto drawled beforehand, in a moment of vulnerability. "To my bandmates, and to all the people who are on tour with us, and who have been here — there's so many people, not only y'all, and all my friends, I just want to say, thank you. I'm just really grateful." A round of applause.

Then, immediately, Ditto cracked a joke about hot rooms as a heavier person: "You get this little triangle where your butt was, and you wipe it off. Anyone else?" ("Wooo!" replied the audience.) "Every time I'm at the airport…" 

And with that, Ditto blasted off, as Gossip laid down a four-on-the-floor groove for their 2009 Music For Men cut "Love Long Distance." When life on Earth is a Death Star for those of different sizes or sexualities — punk rock is the hyperspace button.

Coheed And Cambria Discuss Their History, Perform Vaxis II Songs To Rapt Audience At The GRAMMY Museum's "A New York Evening With…" Series

The GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles is setting the stage for an immersive exploration into the world of Korean pop music over the next two years. Starting April 10 through June 10, the Museum will host its inaugural K-pop-focused pop-up display, "KQ ENT. (ATEEZ & xikers): A GRAMMY Museum Pop-Up," set against the vibrant backdrop of its 3rd floor red carpet gallery.

This limited-time exhibit shines a spotlight on ATEEZ and xikers, two dynamic boy groups under the banner of Seoul-based KQ Entertainment, a leading South Korean record label and entertainment agency. Highlighting a pivotal moment, ATEEZ is slated to be the first K-pop boy group to grace the stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival during the exhibit's run.

Michael Sticka, President/CEO of the GRAMMY Museum, expressed his enthusiasm for the genre, stating, 

"Korean pop music stands as a monumental phenomenon in the music and cultural landscape. Over the next two years, we're excited to delve into the world of K-pop through specialized exhibits and programming, starting with this pop-up featuring exclusive items from xikers and ATEEZ, who are set to make history at Coachella."

“Korean pop music is one of the greatest phenomena in the history of recorded music and culture. The GRAMMY Museum plans to celebrate the world of K-pop, its much-deserved success, and worldwide chart-breaking artists by curating dedicated exhibits and programming over the next two years. We look forward to launching this series with exclusive outfits and props from xikers and ATEEZ, who are making history at Coachella this year.” 

KQ Entertainment's CEO, Kyu Wook Kim, shared his pride in K-pop's global influence and the recognition of ATEEZ and xikers by the GRAMMY Museum, emphasizing the importance of breaking musical boundaries worldwide with K-pop. 

"The global spread of K-pop is truly remarkable and it is a great honor to see ATEEZ and xikers represent K-pop music at the GRAMMY Museum," said Kim. "Witnessing our artists’ hard work and dedication being recognized on such a large scale by the GRAMMY Museum is truly a privilege and fills us with so much pride. We aim to continue to do our best to work with our artists to break boundaries in music on the global stage with K-pop." 

ATEEZ and xikers, in their statements, expressed honor and excitement for their inclusion in the GRAMMY Museum's exhibit. 

ATEEZ highlighted the significance of showcasing elements of their music creation. "It’s an honor to have pieces from our latest music release displayed at the GRAMMY Museum, where so many wonderful artists have left a piece of their musical history. There are so many elements involved in the process of our music creation and we’re excited to be able to share some of it through our music video outfits and props,” said ATEEZ.

Reflecting on the opportunity to present their artistic vision alongside revered artists, xikers noted, "We’re so grateful for the opportunity to have our pieces displayed alongside our labelmate and seniors ATEEZ, as well as so many amazing artists that we’ve grown up listening to. Though it’s only been a little over a year since our debut, we’re so happy to take part in this opportunity at the GRAMMY Museum and hope that everyone has fun looking at all the interesting outfits and props that have helped create the xikers world in the music video of our latest release.” 

The exhibit will showcase an array of highlights, including:

• ATEEZ’s iconic outfits from their 2023 album "THE WORLD EP.FIN : WILL," featured in the "미친 폼 (Crazy Form)" music video.

• A collection of props from the "미친 폼 (Crazy Form)" video.

• xikers' outfits from their 2024 EP "HOUSE OF TRICKY: Trial And Error," showcased in their "We Don’t Stop" music video.

• An assortment of props from xikers’ initial mini-albums, including JUNGHOON’s outfit from their debut EP "HOUSE OF TRICKY: Doorbell Ringing," worn during their "도깨비집 (TRICKY HOUSE)" performance.

• For those interested in attending, further details and ticket reservations can be found on the GRAMMY Museum’s website.

For more information regarding ticket reservations for the exhibit, please visit HERE. 

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