Berklee '04 Grad Esperanza Spalding Wins Best New Artist at the Grammys

'o4 graduate Esperanza Spalding had a good day at the Grammys.

The jazz bassist and recording artist took home the Best New Artist award Sunday night, against some tough competition that included heavyweights Justin Beiber, Drake, Florence & The Machine, and Mumford & Sons.

Spalding has been a Berklee faculty member, and she stays in touch with students by making campus visits.

The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences nominated 28 Berklee alumni, faculty, and one current student for a total of 33 Grammy Awards. Some big names include John Mayer, class of '98, for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance;  Makeba Riddick, '99 for co-producing Eminem's album, Recovery, and the hit song Love the Way you Lie, featuring Rihanna; and Esperanza Spalding, '04, for Best New Artist.

Faculty member  Danilo Perez '88, was also nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for his new album, Providencia, on which film scoring student Amparo Edo Biol also played a role. 

To date, Berklee alumni have won a total of 192 Grammy Awards. The 53rd annual ceremony is on Sunday, and will be broadcast on CBS at 8:00 p.m.

Here were some of the other nominees:

Makeba Riddick, '99

• Co-produced Love the Way you Lie by Eminem feat. Rihanna., up for Record of the Year.
• Co-produced Eminem's album, Recovery, up for Album of the Year. 
• Riddick is competing against two other alumni for Album of the Year – Lewis (Luke) Tozour ’03 and Miles Walker ’04 were engineers on Katy Perry’s album Teenage Dream. Since graduating, Riddick has been back on campus to share with students her experiences in the business of hip-hop and pop music.

Lewis (Luke) Tozour '03 and Miles Walker '04

• Engineered Katy Perry's Teenage Dream, up for Album of the Year.

John Mayer '98

• Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
• Best Male Pop Vocal Album
• Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance

BT (Brian Transeau) ’89

• Best Electronic/Dance Album for These Hopeful Machines

Danilo Perez '88 graduate and artistic director for the Berklee Global Jazz Institute.

• Best Jazz Instrumental Album for his new album, Providencia
• If he wins, this will be his second Grammy Award.

Eugene Friesen, Associate Professor, Strings. 

• Member of the Paul Winter Consort, which is up for Best New Age Album for Miho: Journey to the Mountain
• If Friesen wins, this will be his fourth Grammy.

See a complete list of Berklee nominees here.