OPera’s prolific growth around the world is getting stunted by unprecedented nemesis that is touching many of its platforms. About a week ago, equity research house, Hindenburg reported that Google may be aiming to take down Opera’s lending platforms, OKash and OPesa for flouting its Play store lending rules.

Opera operates lending apps in India, Kenya and Nigeria, and stipulates 30 days for loan repayment which goes contrary to the newly introduced Google rules of 60 days.

The trouble started as soon as Google introduced the new rule. According to Hinderburg Research: “Instead of disclosing to investors that its “high-growth” microfinance segment could be imperiled by these new rules, Opera immediately raised $82 million in a secondary offering without disclosing Google’s changes to investors.”

The sharp move signaled a suspicion that the research tried to unravel. The cover up of the new rules from investors is suggesting a financial vacuum that the company is trying to fill without getting investors alarmed.

Opera started as a browser and was gaining users until recently, after its IPO and new management, a serious decline started taking effect, owing mainly to competition. Google’s Chrome and Apple’s Safari become popular among computer and mobile phone users, resulting in significant decline in the popularity of Opera Browser users.

“When a new management team takes over a declining business, it can become race against the clock to cash out. This is what we think is going on at Opera, a company based around a once-popular web browser that is now seeing its userbase erode.” Hindedburg

In the 2019 Q3 report, there was a notable decline of 22.6%, from $76 million to $59 million in Opera’s year-on-year gross profit. The cash flow in nine months of 2019 that ended in September 30, yielded $24.5 million negative in operating cash flow, compared to $21.7 million for the same period in the past year.

But at the same time in 2019, there was the introduction of the Fintech segment of Opera. The OPay and lending platforms appeared to have shot the revenue up to 42.5%. The Fintech apps are operational in Africa and Asia, and were widely embraced in the beginning since it offers cheap loans and those who need it were many in countries where they were functional.

But that’s exactly where the problem lies. A former Opera employee told Hindenburg Research that the loans are given to people who can’t afford their basic needs.

“Most Kenyans, they are low income earners. And apparently most of them don’t have enough for their families.”

In Nigeria, the story isn’t different. OPay lends N8,000 on the condition that the loanee pays back N9,440 in a space of two weeks. That’s 18% interest in two weeks, and 468% interest in a year, a predatory practice that blatantly violates Google’s lending rules, and most of those taking soft loans are not aware of it. Even if they are, it wouldn’t change anything since the banks don’t offer a better alternative.

However, the lack of alternative from the banks doesn’t trump the reality that most of the people seeking these loans may not be able to pay back in two weeks. Then it creates two situations for OPay; more money or bad debt.

Hindenburg had alleged that Opera’s lending apps lure prospective customers with enticing loan rates that appear compliant with Google’s policy, but the apps manipulate the potential borrowers once they fill in their details by either denying them or granting them a short term loan instead.

Though Opera refuted Hindenburg Research claims, it did not provide alternative facts to back up its own claims. In a statement, the company said the report is full of errors: “The Hindenburg’s report is full of numerous errors, unsubstantiated statements, and misleading conclusion and interpretations regarding the business of and events relating to the company.”

Alejandro Vizquez, Opera’s Communications manager told BusinessDay: “The report mentioned is from a firm that specializes in making short calls, often sensational in nature, with their conclusions being designed for that single purpose.”

In November 2019, Opera’s chief financial officer, Frode Fleten Jacobsen, said the company’s average loan length was about two weeks, and the measure has been adopted to curtail exploitative practices by those who seek loans. The Google’s policy stipulating a sixty days period of repayment was updated in October last year.

Since Hindenburg published their findings, Opera’s shares have been pushed 22% lower.

Information is the new currency of this era. For African youths, the issues are many on different fronts. There is the issue of lack of access to relevant information that could help transform their lives and dreams. On another hand, there are a lot of distractions that could make them lose focus while searching for information especially on the internet. Whether they like it or not, the new age is the age of information and it is the coin spent in advancing careers or getting other opportunities. Welcome to the era of information explosion.

As a youth advocate, my concerns have always been about how youths in Africa would be assisted in getting relevant information to lift them off the social and economic obstacles on their way to achieving their potentials. In this light, I believe in providing specific and direct information to them in order to cut off distractions. This is why I have made this collection of links and websites that could give the needed information and safe them from information overload. This piece takes any youth who cares to read around three websites that could give them the information they need to advance their careers through scholarships, competitions, fellowships and grants.

#OYA Opportunities. This is a platform that provides information on different opportunities that come in form of scholarships, academic conferences, competitions, student exchange programmes and entrepreneurship events. The platform describes itself as “a connecting link between youngsters and organizations that have information that would assist them add colour to their dreams.” It is a global platform that curates important information on different aspect of life and makes such available to the youths to leverage on. It assists organisations to make available opportunity information to their desired targets.

#Opportunities for Africans. This platform makes opportunities that are meant for Africans available to young African youths. It curates opportunities for Africans by both continental and  global organizations. The website prides itself as forum that connects Africans to opportunities around the world. From job vacancies, scholarship opportunities, fellowship and student exchanges to grants information and others meant for Africans, OFA is the right platform to find them. One unique thing about this platform is that it is specific and direct with the information provided.

#Opportunities Desk. As a desk, the website warehouse opportunities for youths to leverage on. The platform puts information on jobs, grants, fellowship and competitions. It also provides a chance for beneficiaries to share their experience with subscribers. It also features an OD Person of the Month. This person must have been a past beneficiary and his life, career and job would be chronicled.

For the 62nd annual Grammy awards 2019, held in Los Angeles on January 26, Nigerian singer Burnaboy was nominated for his song, African Giant, in the Best World Music Album category.

As support and prayers trailed him from Nigeria and Africa as a whole to the event, there was high hope he would emerge the winner. Alas, he didn’t, though he got close. There was pride in his loss to his Beninese counterpart, Angelique Kidjo, who has won the award for the fourth time now. Kidjo dedicated her Grammy to Burnaboy and paid a heartwarming tribute to Nigerian singer, saying that he is changing Africa.

“Four years ago on this stage, I was telling you that new generation of artists coming from Africa are going to take you by storm,” she said. “And the time has come. This is for Burnaboy. Burnaboy is among those young artistes that come from Africa that is changing the way our continent is perceived and the way African music has been the bedrock of every music.”

Other Grammy nominated artists who embraced the occasion also won in different categories. Below is a compendium of winners.

Best Rap Album
Revenge of the Dreamers 3, Dreamville
Championships, Meek Mill
IGOR, Tyler the Creator (winner)
The Lost Boy, YBN Cordae
I Am > I Was, 21 Savage

Best Comedy Album
Quality Time, Jim Gaffigan
Relatable, Ellen DeGeneres
Right Now, Aziz Ansari
Son of Patricia, Trevor Noah
Sticks & Stones, Dave Chapelle (winner)

Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“Brand New Man,” Brooks & Dunn featuring Luke Combs
“I Don’t Remember Me (Before You),” Brothers Osborne
“Speechless,” Dan + Shay (winner)
“The Daughters,” Little Big Town
“Common,” Maren Morris featuring Brandi Carlile

Best Pop Solo Performance
“Spirit,” Beyoncé
“Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish
“7 Rings,” Ariana Grande
“Truth Hurts,” Lizzo (winner)
“You Need to Calm Down,” Taylor Swift

Best Pop Vocal Album
The Lion King: The Gift — Beyoncé
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go — Billie Eilish (winner)
Thank U, Next — Ariana Grande
No. 6 Collaborations Project — Ed Sheeran
Lover — Taylor Swift

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Boyfriend” — Ariana Grande & Social House
“Sucker” — Jonas Brothers
“Old Town Road” — Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus (winner)
“Señorita” — Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Sì — Andrea Bocelli
Love (Deluxe Edition) — Michael Bublé
Look Now — Elvis Costello & The Imposters (winner)
A Legendary Christmas — John Legend
Walls — Barbra Streisand

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical
Jack Antonoff
Dan Auerbach
John Hill
Finneas (winner)
Ricky Reed

Best R&B Album
1123 — BJ The Chicago Kid
Painted — Lucky Daye
Ella Mai — Ella Mai
Paul — PJ Morton
Ventura — Anderson .Paak (winner)

Best Urban Contemporary Album
Apollo XXI — Steve Lacy
Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) — Lizzo (winner)
Overload — Georgia Anne Muldrow
Saturn — Nao
Being Human In Public — Jessie Reyez

Best R&B Performance
“Love Again” — Daniel Caesar & Brandy
“Could’ve Been” — H.E.R. & Bryson Tiller
“Exactly How I Feel” — Lizzo & Gucci Mane
“Roll Some Mo” — Lucky Daye
“Come Home” — Anderson .Paak & André 300 (winner)

Best Traditional R&B Performance
“Time Today” — BJ The Chicago Kid
“Steady Love” — India.Arie
“Jerome” — Lizzo (winner)
“Real Games” — Lucky Daye
“Built For Love” — PJ Morton & Jazmine Sullivan

Song of the Year
“Always Remember Us This Way,” Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey and Lori McKenna (Lady Gaga)
“Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell (Billie Eilish) (winner)
“Bring My Flowers Now,” Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth and Tanya Tucker (Tanya Tucker)
“Hard Place,” Ruby Amanfu, Sam Ashworth, D. Arcelious Harris, H.E.R., and Rodney Jerkins (H.E.R.)
“Norman Fucking Rockwell,” Lana Del Rey and Jack Antonoff (Lana Del Rey)”
“Lover,” Taylor Swift (Taylor Swift)
“Someone You Love,” Tom Barnes, Lewis Capaldi, Pete Kelleher, Benjamin Kohn, and Sam Roman (Lewis Capaldo)
“Truth Hurts,” Steven Cheung, Eric Frederic, Melissa Jefferson & Jesse Saint John (Lizzo)

Best R&B Song
“Could’ve Been” — Dernst Emile Ii, David “Swagg R’celious” Harris, H.E.R. & Hue “Soundzfire” Strother, Songwriters (H.E.R. Ft. Bryson Tiller)
“Look At Me Now” — Emily King & Jeremy Most, Songwriters (Emily King)
“No Guidance” — Chris Brown, Tyler James Bryant, Nija Charles, Aubrey Graham, Anderson Hernandez, Michee Patrick Lebrun, Joshua Lewis, Noah Shebib & Teddy Walton, Songwriters (Chris Brown Ft. Drake)
“Roll Some Mo” — David Brown, Dernst Emile Ii & Peter Lee Johnson, Songwriters (Lucky Daye)
“Say So” — Pj Morton, Songwriter (Pj Morton Ft. Jojo) (winner)

Best Rock Performance
“Pretty Waste” — Bones UK
“This Land” — Gary Clark Jr. (winner)
“History Repeats” — Brittany Howard
“Woman” — Karen O & Danger Mouse
“Too Bad” — Rival Sons

Best Rock Song
“Fear Inoculum” — Danny Carey, Justin Chancellor, Adam Jones & Maynard James Keenan, Songwriters (Tool)
“Give Yourself A Try” — George Daniel, Adam Hann, Matthew Healy & Ross Macdonald, Songwriters (The 1975)
“Harmony Hall” — Ezra Koenig, Songwriter (Vampire Weekend)
“History Repeats” — Brittany Howard, Songwriter (Brittany Howard)
“This Land” — Gary Clark Jr., Songwriter (Gary Clark Jr.) (winner)

Best Rock Album
Amo — Bring Me The Horizon
Social Cues — Cage The Elephant (winner)
In The End — The Cranberries
Trauma — I Prevail
Feral Roots — Rival Sons

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
The Lion King: The Songs, various artists
Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, various artists
Rocketman, Taron Egerton
Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, various artists
A Star Is Born, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper (winner)

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
Avengers: Endgame, Alan Silvestri
Chernobyl, Hildur Guðnadóttir (winner)
Game of Thrones: Season 8, Ramin Djawadi
The Lion King, Hans Zimmer
Mary Poppins Returns, Marc Shaiman

Best Song Written for Visual Media
“The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy,” Randy Newman (Chris Stapleton, Toy Story 4)
“Girl in the Movies,” Dolly Parton and Linda Perry (Dolly Parton, Dumplin’)
“I’ll Never Love Again” (Film Version), Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey & Aaron  (winner)

Raitiere (Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born)
“Spirit,” Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Timothy McKenzie & Ilya Salmanzadeh (Beyoncé, The Lion King)
“Suspirium,” Thom Yorke (Thom Yorke, Suspiria)

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling) 
Beastie Boys Book (Various Artists) — Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, Scott Sherratt & Dan Zitt, producers
Becoming — Michelle Obama (winner)
I.V. Catatonia: 20 Years As A Two-Time Cancer Survivor — Eric Alexandrakis
Mr. Know-It-All — John Waters
Sekou Andrews & The String Theory — Sekou Andrews & The String Theory

Best Instrumental Composition
“Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Symphonic Suite” — John Williams, composer (John Williams) (winner)
“Begin Again” — Fred Hersch, composer (Fred Hersch & The WDR Big Band Conducted By Vince Mendoza)
“Crucible For Crisis” — Brian Lynch, composer (Brian Lynch Big Band)
“Love, A Beautiful Force” — Vince Mendoza, composer (Vince Mendoza, Terell Stafford, Dick Oatts & Temple University Studio Orchestra)
“Walkin’ Funny” — Christian McBride, composer (Christian McBride)

Best Remixed Recording
?“I Rise (Tracy Young’s Pride Intro Radio Remix),” Tracy Young (Madonna) (winner)
“Mother’s Daugher (Wuki Remix),” Wuki (Miley Cyrus)
“The One (High Contrast Remix),” Lincoln Barrett (Jorja Smith)
“Swim (Ford. Remix),” Luke Bradford (Mild Minds)
“Work It (Soulwax Remix),” David Gerard C Dewaele and Stephen Antoine C Dewaele (Marie Davidson)

Best Music Video
“We’ve Got to Try,” The Chemical Brothers
“This Land,” Gary Clark Jr.
“Cellophane,” fka twigs
“Old Town Road (Official Movie),” Lil Nas X featuring Billie Ray Cyrus (winner)
“Glad He’s Gone,” Tove Lo

Best Music Film
Homecoming, Beyoncé (winner)
Remember My Name, David Crosby
Birth of the Cool, Miles Davis
Shangri-La, various artists
Anima, Thom Yorke

Best Dance Recording
“Linked,” Bonobo
“Got to Keep On,” The Chemical Brothers (winner)
“Piece of Your Heart,” Meduza featuring Goodboys
“Underwater,” Rüfüs Du Sol
“Midnight Hour,” Skrillex and Boys Noize featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Best Dance/Electronic Album
LP5, Apparat
No Geography, The Chemical Brothers (winner)
Hi This Is Flume (Mixtape), Flume
Solace, Rüfüs Du Sol
Weather, Tycho

Best Country Solo Performance
“All Your’n,” Tyler Childers
Girl Goin’ Nowhere,” Ashley McBryde
“Ride Me Back Home,” Willie Nelson (winner)
“God’s Country,” Blake Shelton
“Bring My Flowers Now,” Tanya Tucker

Best Country Song
“Bring My Flowers Now,” Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth and Tanya Tucker (Tanya Tucker) (winner)
“Girl Goin’ Nowhere,” Jeremy Bussey and Ashley McBryde (Ashley McBryde)
“It All Comes Out In the Wash,” Miranda Lambert, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, and Liz Rose (Miranda Lambert)
“Some of It,” Eric Church, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde, and Bobby Pinson (Eric Church)
“Speechless,” Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers, and Laura Veltz (Dan + Shay)

Best Country Album
Desperate Man, Eric Church
Stronger Than the Truth, Reba McEntire
Interstate Gospel, Pistol Annies
Center Point Road, Thomas Rhett
While I’m Livin’, Tanya Tucker (winner)

Best Rap Performance
“Middle Child,” J. Cole
“Suge,” DaBaby
“Down Bad,” Dreamville featuring J.I.D, Bas, J. Cole, EARTHGANG & Young Nudy
“Racks in the Middle,” Nipsey Hussle featuring Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy (winner)
“Clout,” Offset featuring Cardi B

Best Recording Package
Chris Cornell — Barry Ament, Jeff Ament, Jeff Fura & Joe Spix, art directors (Chris Cornell) (winner)
Anónimas & Resilientes — Luisa María Arango, Carlos Dussan, Manuel García-Orozco & Juliana Jaramillo-Buenaventura, art directors (Voces Del Bullerengue)
Hold That Tiger — Andrew Wong & Fongming Yang, art directors (The Muddy Basin Ramblers)
i,i — Aaron Anderson & Eric Timothy Carlson, art directors (Bon Iver)
Intellexual — Irwan Awalludin, art director (Intellexual)

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
Woodstock: Back To The Garden – The Definitive 50th Anniversary Archive — Masaki Koike, art director (Various Artists) (winner)
Anima — Stanley Donwood & Tchocky, art directors (Thom Yorke)
Gold In Brass Age — Amanda Chiu, Mark Farrow & David Gray, art directors (David Gray)
1963: New Directions — Josh Cheuse, art director (John Coltrane)
The Radio Recordings 1939–1945 — Marek Polewski, art director (Wilhelm Furtwängler & Berliner Philharmoniker)

Best Album Notes
Stax ’68: A Memphis Story — Steve Greenberg, album notes writer (Various Artists) (winner)
The Complete Cuban Jam Sessions — Judy Cantor-Navas, album notes writer (Various Artists)
The Gospel According To Malaco — Robert Marovich, album notes writer (Various Artists)
Pedal Steel + Four Corners — Brendan Greaves, album notes writer (Terry Allen And The Panhandle Mystery Band)
Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection — Jeff Place, album notes writer (Pete Seeger)

Best Rap Song
“Bad Idea,” Chancelor Bennett, Cordae Dunston, Uforo Ebong & Daniel Hackett (YBN Cordae featuring Chance The Rapper)
“Gold Roses,” Noel Cadastre, Aubrey Graham, Anderson Hernandez, Khristopher Riddick-Tynes, William Leonard Roberts II, Joshua Quinton Scruggs, Leon Thomas III & Ozan Yildirim (Rick Ross featuring Drake)
“A Lot,” Jermaine Cole, Dacoury Natche, 21 Savage & Anthony White, (21 Savage featuring J. Cole) (winner)
“Racks in the Middle,” Ermias Asghedom, Dustin James Corbett, Greg Allen Davis, Chauncey Hollis, Jr. & Rodrick Moore (Nipsey Hussle featuring Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy)
“Suge,” DaBaby, Jetsonmade & Pooh Beatz (DaBaby)

Best Historical Album
Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection — Jeff Place & Robert Santelli, compilation producers; Pete Reiniger, mastering engineer (Pete Seeger) (winner)
The Girl From Chickasaw County – The Complete Capitol Masters — Andrew Batt & Kris Maher, compilation producers; Simon Gibson, mastering engineer (Bobbie Gentry)
The Great Comeback: Horowitz At Carnegie Hall — Robert Russ, compilation producer; Andreas K. Meyer & Jennifer Nulsen, mastering engineers (Vladimir Horowitz)
Kankyo Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980-1990 — Spencer Doran, Yosuke Kitazawa, Douglas Macgowan & Matt Sullivan, compilation producers; John Baldwin, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
Woodstock: Back To The Garden – The Definitive 50th Anniversary Archive — Brian Kehew, Steve Woolard & Andy Zax, compilation producers; Dave Schultz, mastering engineer, Brian Kehew, restoration engineer (Various Artists)

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? — Rob Kinelski & Finneas O’Connell, engineers; John Greenham, mastering engineer (Billie Eilish) (winner)
All These Things — Tchad Blake, Adam Greenspan & Rodney Shearer, engineers; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer (Thomas Dybdahl)
Ella Mai — Chris “Shaggy” Ascher, Jaycen Joshua & David Pizzimenti, engineers; Chris Athens, mastering engineer (Ella Mai)
Run Home Slow — Paul Butler & Sam Teskey, engineers; Joe Carra, mastering engineer (The Teskey Brothers)
Scenery — Tom Elmhirst, Ben Kane & Jeremy Most, engineers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer (Emily King)

Best Immersive Audio Album
Lux — Morten Lindberg, immersive audio engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive audio mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive audio producer (Anita Brevik, Trondheimsolistene & Nidarosdomens Jentekor) (winner)
Chain Tripping — Luke Argilla, immersive audio engineer; Jurgen Scharpf, immersive audio mastering engineer; Jona Bechtolt, Claire L. Evans & Rob Kieswetter, immersive audio producers (Yacht)
Kverndokk: Symphonic Dances — Jim Anderson, immersive audio engineer; Robert C. Ludwig, immersive audio mastering engineer; Ulrike Schwarz, immersive audio producer (Ken-David Masur & Stavanger Symphony Orchestra)
The Orchestral Organ — Keith O. Johnson, immersive audio engineer; Keith O. Johnson, immersive audio mastering engineer; Marina A. Ledin & Victor Ledin, immersive audio producers (Jan Kraybill)
The Savior — Bob Clearmountain, immersive audio engineer; Bob Ludwig, immersive audio mastering engineer; Michael Marquart & Dave Way, immersive audio producers (A Bad Think)

Best New Age Album
Wings — Peter Kater (winner)
Fairy Dreams — David Arkenstone
Homage To Kindness — David Darling
Verve — Sebastian Plano
Deva — Deva Premal

Best Bluegrass Album
Tall Fiddler — Michael Cleveland (winner)
Live In Prague, Czech Republic — Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Toil, Tears & Trouble — The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Royal Traveller — Missy Raines
If You Can’t Stand The Heat — Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen

Best Traditional Blues Album
Tall, Dark & Handsome — Delbert McClinton & Self-made Men (winner)
Kingfish — Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Sitting On Top Of The Blues — Bobby Rush
Baby, Please Come Home — Jimmie Vaughan
Spectacular Class — Jontavious Willis

Best Contemporary Blues Album
This Land — Gary Clark Jr. (winner)
Venom & Faith — Larkin Poe
Brighter Days — Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Somebody Save Me — Sugaray Rayford
Keep On — Southern Avenue

Best Folk Album
My Finest Work Yet — Andrew Bird
Rearrange My Heart — Che Apalache
Patty Griffin — Patty Griffin (winner)
Evening Machines — Gregory Alan Isakov
Front Porch — Joy Williams

Best Regional Roots Music Album
Good Time — Ranky Tanky (winner)
Kalawai’anui — Amy H?naiali’i
When It’s Cold – Cree Round Dance Songs — Northern Cree
Recorded Live At The 2019 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival — Rebirth Brass Band
Hawaiian Lullaby (Various Artists) — Imua Garza & Kimié Miner, Producers

Best Reggae Album
Rapture — Koffee (winner)
As I Am — Julian Marley
The Final Battle: Sly & Robbie Vs. Roots Radics — Sly & Robbie & Roots Radics
Mass Manipulation — Steel Pulse
More Work To Be Done — Third World

Best Children’s Music Album
Ageless Songs For The Child Archetype — Jon Samson (winner)
Flying High! — Caspar Babypants
I Love Rainy Days — Daniel Tashian
The Love — Alphabet Rockers
Winterland — The Okee Dokee Brothers

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
Mettavolution — Rodrigo y Gabriela (winner)
Ancestral Recall — Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah
Star People Nation — Theo Croker
Beat Music! Beat Music! Beat Music! — Mark Guiliana
Elevate — Lettuce

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
“Moon River” — Jacob Collier, arranger (Jacob Collier) (winner)
“Blue Skies” — Kris Bowers, arranger (Kris Bowers)
“Hedwig’s Theme” — John Williams, arranger (Anne-Sophie Mutter & John Williams)
“La Novena” — Emilio Solla, arranger (Emilio Solla Tango Jazz Orchestra)
“Love, A Beautiful Force” — Vince Mendoza, arranger (Vince Mendoza, Terell Stafford, Dick Oatts & Temple University Studio Orchestra)

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
“All Night Long” — Jacob Collier, arranger (Jacob Collier Featuring Jules Buckley, Take 6 & Metropole Orkest) (winner)
“Jolene” — Geoff Keezer, arranger (Sara Gazarek)
“Marry Me A Little” — Cyrille Aimée & Diego Figueiredo, arrangers (Cyrille Aimée)
“Over The Rainbow” — Vince Mendoza, arranger (Trisha Yearwood)
“12 Little Spells (Thoracic Spine)” — Esperanza Spalding, arranger (Esperanza Spalding)

Best Improvised Jazz Solo
“Sozinho” — Randy Brecker, soloist (winner)
“Elsewhere” — Melissa Aldana, soloist
“Tomorrow Is The Question” — Julian Lage, soloist
“The Windup” — Brandford Marsalis, soloist
“Sightseeing” — Christian McBride, soloist

Best Jazz Vocal Album
12 Little Spells — Esperanza Spalding (winner)
Thirsty Ghost — Sara Gazarek
Love & Liberation — Jazzmeia Horn
Alone Together — Catherine Russell
Screenplay — The Tierney Sutton Band

Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Finding Gabriel — Brad Mehldau (winner)
In The Key Of The Universe — Joey DeFrancesco
The Secret Between The Shadow And The Soul — Branford Marsalis Quartet
Christian McBride’s New Jawn — Brad Mehldau
Come What May – Joshua Redman Quartet

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Triple Helix – Anat Cohen Tentet
Dancer in Nowhere – Miho Hazama
Hiding Out – Mike Holober & The Gotham Jazz Orchestra
The Omni-American Book Club – Brian Lynch Big Band (winner)
One Day Wonder – Terraza Big Band

Best Latin Jazz Album
Antidote — Chick Corea & The Spanish Heart Band (winner)
Sorte!: Music By John Finbury — Thalma De Freitas With Vitor Gonçalves, John Patitucci, Chico Pinheiro, Rogerio Boccato & Duduka Da Fonseca
Una Noche Con Rubén Blades — Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra With Wynton Marsalis & Rubén Blades
Carib — David Sánchez
Sonero: The Music Of Ismael Rivera — Miguel Zenón

Best Gospel Performance/Song
“Love Theory”– Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, Songwriter (winner)
“Talkin’ ‘Bout Jesus” — Gloria Gaynor ft. Yolanda Adams; Bryan Fowler, Gloria Gaynor & Chris Stevens, Songwriters
“See The Light” — Travis Greene ft. Jekalyn Carr
“Speak The Name” — Koryn Hawthorne ft. Natalie Grant
“This Is A Move (Live)” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard; Tony Brown, Brandon Lake, Tasha Cobbs Leonard & Nate Moore, Songwriters

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
“God Only Knows” — for King & Country & Dolly Parton; Josh Kerr, Jordan Reynolds, Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone & Tedd Tjornhom, songwriters (winner)
“Only Jesus” — Casting Crowns; Mark Hall, Bernie Herms & Matthew West, songwriters
“Haven’t Seen It Yet” — Danny Gokey; Danny Gokey, Ethan Hulse & Colby Wedgeworth, songwriters
“God’s Not Done With You (Single Version)” — Tauren Wells
“Rescue Story” — Zach Williams; Ethan Hulse, Andrew Ripp, Jonathan Smith & Zach Williams, songwriters

Best Gospel Album
Long Live Love — Kirk Franklin (winner)
Goshen — Donald Lawrence Presents The Tri-City Singers
Tunnel Vision — Gene Moore
Settle Here — William Murphy
Something’s Happening! A Christmas Album — CeCe Winans

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Burn The Ships — for King & Country (winner)
I Know A Ghost — Crowder
Haven’t Seen It Yet — Danny Gokey
The Elements — TobyMac
Holy Roar — Chris Tomlin

Best Roots Gospel Album
Testimony — Gloria Gaynor (winner)
Deeper Roots: Where The Bluegrass
Grows — Steven Curtis Chapman
Deeper Oceans — Joseph Habedank
His Name Is Jesus — Tim Menzies
Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout (Various Artists) — Jerry Salley, producer

Best Latin Pop Album
#ELDISCO — Alejandro Sanz (winner)
Vida — Luis Fonsi
11:11 — Maluma
Montaner — Ricardo Montaner
Fantasía — Sebastian Yatra

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album
El Mal Querer – Rosalía (winner)
X 100PRE — Bad Bunny
Oasis — J Balvin & Bad Bunny
Indestructible — Flor De Toloache
Almadura — iLe

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)
De Ayer Para Siempre — Mariachi Los Camperos (winner)
Caminando — Joss Favela
Percepción — Intocable
Poco A Poco — La Energia Norteña
20 Aniversario — Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea

Best Tropical Latin Album
Opus — Marc Anthony (TIE)
A Journey Through Cuban Music — Aymée Nuviola (TIE) (winner)
Tiempo Al Tiempo — Luis Enrique + C4 Trio
Candela — Vicente García
Literal — Juan Luis Guerra 4.40

Best Engineered Album, Classical
Riley: Sun Rings — Leslie Ann Jones, engineer; Robert C. Ludwig, mastering engineer (Kronos Quartet) (winner)
Aequa – Anna Thorvaldsdóttir — Daniel Shores, engineer; Daniel Shores, mastering engineer (International Contemporary Ensemble)
Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 — Mark Donahue, engineer; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
Rachmaninoff – Hermitage Piano Trio — Keith O. Johnson & Sean Royce Martin, engineers; Keith O. Johnson, mastering engineer (Hermitage Piano Trio)
Wolfe: Fire In My Mouth — Bob Hanlon & Lawrence Rock, engineers; Ian Good & Lawrence Rock, mastering engineers (Jaap Van Zweden, Francisco J. Núñez, Donald Nally, The Crossing, Young People’s Chorus Of NY City & New York Philharmonic)

Producer Of The Year, Classical
Blanton Alspaugh (winner)
James Ginsburg
Marina A. Ledin, Victor Ledin
Morten Lindberg
Dirk Sobotka

Best Orchestral Performance
“Norman: Sustain” — Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic) (winner)
“Bruckner: Symphony No. 9” — Manfred Honeck, conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
“Copland: Billy The Kid; Grohg” — Leonard Slatkin, conductor (Detroit Symphony Orchestra)
“Transatlantic” — Louis Langrée, conductor (Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
“Weinberg: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 21” — Mirga Gra?inyt?-tyla, conductor (City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & Kremerata Baltica)

Best Opera Recording
“Benjamin: Lessons In Love & Violence” — George Benjamin, conductor; Stéphane Degout, Barbara Hannigan, Peter Hoare & Gyula Orendt; James Whitbourn, producer (Orchestra Of The Royal Opera House)
“Berg: Wozzeck” — Marc Albrecht, conductor; Christopher Maltman & Eva-Maria Westbroek; François Roussillon, producer (Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra; Chorus Of Dutch National Opera)
“Charpentier: Les Arts Florissants; Les Plaisirs De Versailles” — Paul O’Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors; Jesse Blumberg, Teresa Wakim & Virginia Warnken; Renate Wolter-Seevers, producer (Boston Early Music Festival Chamber Ensemble; Boston Early Music Festival Vocal Ensemble)
“Picker: Fantastic Mr. Fox” — Gil Rose, conductor; John Brancy, Andrew Craig Brown, Gabriel Preisser, Krista River & Edwin Vega; Gil Rose, producer (Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Boston Children’s Chorus) (winner)
“Wagner: Lohengrin” — Christian Thielemann, conductor; Piotr Becza?a, Anja Harteros, Tomasz Konieczny, Waltraud Meier & Georg Zeppenfeld; Eckhard Glauche, producer (Festspielorchester Bayreuth; Festspielchor Bayreuth)

Best Choral Performance
“Duruflé: Complete Choral Works” — Robert Simpson, conductor (Ken Cowan; Houston Chamber Choir) (winner)
“Boyle: Voyages” — Donald Nally, conductor (The Crossing)
“The Hope Of Loving” — Craig Hella Johnson, conductor (Conspirare)
“Sander: The Divine Liturgy Of St. John Chrysostom” — Peter Jermihov, conductor (Evan Bravos, Vadim Gan, Kevin Keys, Glenn Miller & Daniel Shirley; PaTRAM Institute Singers)
“Smith, K.: The Arc In The Sky” — Donald Nally, conductor (The Crossing)

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
“Shaw: Orange” — Attacca Quartet (winner)
“Cerrone: The Pieces That Fall To Earth” — Christopher Rountree & Wild Up
“Freedom & Faith” — Publiquartet
“Perpetulum” — Third Coast Percussion
“Rachmaninoff” – Hermitage Piano Trio — Hermitage Piano Trio

Best Classical Instrumental Solo
“The Berlin Recital” — Yuja Wang
“Higdon: Harp Concerto” — Yolanda Kondonassis; Ward Stare, conductor (The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra)
“Marsalis: Violin Concerto; Fiddle Dance Suite” — Nicola Benedetti; Cristian M?celaru, conductor (Philadelphia Orchestra) (winner)
“The Orchestral Organ” — Jan Kraybill
“Torke: Sky, Concerto For Violin” — Tessa Lark; David Alan Miller, conductor (Albany Symphony)

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
The Edge Of Silence – Works For Voice By György Kurtág — Susan Narucki (Donald Berman, Curtis Macomber, Kathryn Schulmeister & Nicholas Tolle)
Himmelsmusik — Philippe Jaroussky & Céline Scheen; Christina Pluhar, conductor; L’arpeggiata, ensemble (Jesús Rodil & Dingle Yandell)
Schumann: Liederkreis Op. 24, Kerner-lieder Op. 35 — Matthias Goerne; Leif Ove Andsnes, accompanist
Songplay — Joyce Didonato; Chuck Israels, Jimmy Madison, Charlie Porter & Craig Terry, accompanists (Steve Barnett & Lautaro Greco) (winner)
A Te, O Cara — Stephen Costello; Constantine Orbelian, conductor (Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra)

Best Classical Compendium
American Originals 1918 — John Morris Russell, conductor; Elaine Martone, producer
Leshnoff: Symphony No. 4 ‘heichalos’; Guitar Concerto; Starburst — Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Tim Handley, producer
Meltzer: Songs And Structures — Paul Appleby & Natalia Katyukova; Silas Brown & Harold Meltzer, producers
The Poetry Of Places — Nadia Shpachenko; Marina A. Ledin & Victor Ledin, producers (winner)
Saariaho: True Fire; Trans; Ciel D’hiver — Hannu Lintu, conductor; Laura Heikinheimo, producer

Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Bermel: Migration Series For Jazz Ensemble & Orchestra — Derek Bermel, composer (Derek Bermel, Ted Nash, David Alan Miller, Juilliard Jazz Orchestra & Albany Symphony Orchestra)
Higdon: Harp Concerto — Jennifer Higdon, composer (Yolanda Kondonassis, Ward Stare & The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra) (winner)
Marsalis: Violin Concerto In D Major — Wynton Marsalis, composer (Nicola Benedetti, Cristian M?celaru & Philadelphia Orchestra)
Norman: Sustain — Andrew Norman, composer (Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Shaw: Orange — Caroline Shaw, composer (Attacca Quartet)
Wolfe: Fire In My Mouth — Julia Wolfe, composer (Jaap Van Zweden, Francisco J. Núñez, Donald Nally, The Crossing, Young People’s Chorus Of NY City & New York Philharmonic)

Best Musical Theater Album
Ain’t Too Proud: The Life And Times Of The Temptations — Saint Aubyn, Derrick Baskin, James Harkness, Jawan M. Jackson, Jeremy Pope & Ephraim Sykes, principal soloists; Scott M. Riesett, producer (Original Broadway Cast)
Hadestown — Reeve Carney, André De Shields, Amber Gray, Eva Noblezada & Patrick Page, principal soloists; Mara Isaacs, David Lai, Anaïs Mitchell & Todd Sickafoose, producers (Anaïs Mitchell, composer & lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast) (winner)
Moulin Rouge! The Musical — Danny Burstein, Tam Mutu, Sahr Ngaujah, Karen Olivo & Aaron Tveit, principal soloists; Justin Levine, Baz Luhrmann, Matt Stine & Alex Timbers, producers (Original Broadway Cast)
The Music Of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child – In Four Contemporary Suites — Imogen Heap, producer; Imogen Heap, composer (Imogen Heap)
Oklahoma! — Damon Daunno, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Ali Stroker, Mary Testa & Patrick Vaill, principal soloists; Daniel Kluger & Dean Sharenow, producers (Richard Rodgers, composer; Oscar Hammerstein II, lyricist) (2019 Broadway Cast)

Best Metal Performance
“Astorolus – The Great Octopus” — Candlemass ft. Tony Iommi
“Humanicide” — Death Angel
“Bow Down” — I Prevail
“Unleashed” — Killswitch Engage
“7empest” — Tool (winner)

Best Alternative Music Album
U.F.O.F. — Big Theif
Assume Form — James Blake
i,i — Bon Iver
Father of the Bride — Vampire Weekend (winner)
Anima — Thom Yorke

Best World Music Album
Gece — Altin Gün
What Heat — Bokanté & Metropole Orkest Conducted By Jules Buckley
African Giant — Burna Boy
Fanm D’ayiti — Nathalie Joachim With Spektral Quartet
Celia — Angelique Kidjo (winner)

Best American Roots Performance
“Saint Honesty” — Sara Bareilles (winner)
“Father Mountain” — Calexico With Iron & Wine
“I’m On My Way” — Rhiannon Giddens With Francesco Turrisi
“Call My Name” — I’m With Her
“Faraway Look” — Yola

Best American Roots Song
“Black Myself” — Amythyst Kiah, songwriter (Our Native Daughters)
“Call My Name” — Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’donovan & Sara Watkins, songwriters (I’m With Her) (winner)
“Crossing To Jerusalem” —