The year is 2020. The 62nd Grammy Awards are live, and the Best New Artist award is about to be announced. The nominees feature music artists from a variety of genres, and a win would help promote the career of said winner. Black Puma, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, Maggie Rogers, ROSALÍA, Tank And The Bangas and Yola were all up for Best New Artist. After constantly refreshing the list of award winners, my heart dropped when Maggie Rogers’ name did not appear next to Best New Artist.
After my heart returned to its assigned space, I started to ponder the what-ifs and hows of why Rodgers did not win. Her sound is new! She’s fresh! She’s a hard worker! But when I started to ponder why I thought she deserved it, I thought about how she’s puts activism in the foreground of her shows. Turns out, the singer who “Give(s) a Little” gives a lot of access to others at her shows.
Along with the typical merch booth that travels with artists on tours, Rogers takes a step above and has both Planned Parenthood and HeadCount.org booths at her shows. Fans can learn about promoting healthcare rights in their state at the Planned Parenthood booth, or can register to vote at the HeadCount.org booth. Rodgers also promotes sustainability, as she has donned a reusable water bottle on the red carpet for both the 2019 Billboard Women Music event and the 2020 Grammys.
The Grammy Awards are a big deal. Winning a Grammy, whether it be their first or their 10th, can be a highlight in an artist’s career. However, that sacred statue is not the end-all-be-all. The artist’s use of their platform can have an impact that lasts way longer than the impact of a Grammy win. Maggie Rogers utilizing her platform to create change is more impactful, and arguably way more important, than any trophy.
Midge Mazur is a junior studying photojournalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Midge? Tweet her @meeyahnah.
