Jewish performers take top awards at Grammys as Zelensky makes heartfelt appeal

"They sing to the wounded in hospitals, even to those who can't hear them. But the music will break through."

"Support us in any way you can, but not with your silence... fill the silence with music."

The second Jewish winner at the awards ceremony was Jack Antonoff. The American producer won the Grammy for Producer of the year for his work with Taylor Swift, Lana Del Ray, Lorde as well as his own band Bleachers.

The Jewish school graduate has found himself in high demand as a pop music producer. Antonoff, who notably wore a necklace with the Star of David on it to the MTV Music Awards in 2017, said: "Love to my family, my partner, my band they’re all here, besides me there always one other person in the studio and that’s Laura Sisk we make these records together.” 

Notably, prominent Jewish rapper Drake, who is the 11th most listened to artist on Spotify, withdrew his nominations for this year’s Grammy Awards after saying, “I think we should stop allowing ourselves to be shocked every year by the disconnect between impactful music and these awards and just accept that what once was the highest form of recognition may no longer matter to the artists that exist now and the ones that come after” in an Instagram story. 

Other prominent Jewish musicians who were nominated for Grammys but did not win included Stephen Schwartz, a celebrated writer who received a nomination for Best Musical Theatre album and indie rock band member Aaron Dessner whowas included in the nomination for Album of the year, for his contributions in writing Taylor Swift’s album “Evermore.”

Another notable nomination was for Israeli cellist Matt Haimovitz, who was co-nominated for, Best Classical Solo Voice Album, for his work on the album "Unexpected Shadows".