News Mash-up: Musicians

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Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. brush aside (something) / brʌʃ əˈsaɪd / (phrasal v.) – to ignore or treat something as unimportant
    Example:

    The CEO was criticized after he brushed aside his employees’ complaints.


  2. miracle / ˈmɪr ə kəl / (n.) – an extraordinary event that happened despite being unlikely or impossible
    Example:

    It rained hard even if we’re in the middle of a dry season. It’s a miracle.


  3. take (something) for granted / teɪk fɔr ˈgræn təd / (idiom) – to fail to show appreciation or give importance to something that someone has become very familiar with
    Example:

    A lot of people are unemployed, so I never take my job for granted.


  4. make a guest appearance / meɪk ə gɛst əˈpɪərəns / (idiom) – to participate in a show that one is not a part of
    Example:

    A lot of fans want the popular actor to make a guest appearance in the hit sitcom.


  5. nod / nɒd / (n.) – a selection or nomination for an award
    Example:

    The film’s complex and beautiful story earned it an Oscar nod.


Article

Read the text below.

[NOTE: The second article was published in December 2021. The announcement of winners for the Grammys will now be on April 3, 2022.] 


Hitmakers BTS stamp their authority on American Music Awards


South Korean superstars BTS won the artist of the year award at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles on Nov. 21, brushing aside challenges from Taylor Swift, Drake and The Weeknd as they won a total of three awards and teamed up with Coldplay for a raucous My Universe and closed the show with Butter.


“Seven boys from Korea, united by love for music, met the love and support from all the armies all over the world,” said BTS’s RM after the group won artist of the year for the first time. “This whole thing is a miracle. Seriously, we would never take this for granted.” The band was also named favorite pop duo or group and got the favorite pop song award for Butter. The show celebrated the best popular music for a second pandemic year with a mix of live and pre-taped performances. (AP)


Jay-Z leads list of most nominated artists in history of Grammy Awards


Rapper Jay-Z rose to the top of the list of artists with the most Grammy nominations on Nov. 23, hitting a lifetime total of 83 that put him just ahead of former Beatle Paul McCartney.


The three latest nominations for Jay-Z came for collaborations with other artists. He made guest appearances on DMX’s song Bath Salts and Kanye West’s Jail, which also earned Jay-Z a nod for West’s album Donda.


Jay-Z has won 23 Grammys overall, including a best rap album award in 1999 and honors for songs Crazy in Love with his wife, Beyonce in 2004 and Empire State of Mind with Alicia Keys in 2011.


Winners of the Grammys will be announced Jan. 31. (Reuters)


These articles were provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • South Korean superstars BTS won the artist of the year award at the American Music Awards, brushing aside challenges from Taylor Swift, Drake, and The Weeknd. Do you think more Asian artists will be recognized internationally in the coming years? In your opinion, what artist in your country has the potential to become an international superstar? Why? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, is it better for artists to be more popular overseas or in their own country? Why? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Jay-Z hit a lifetime total of 83 Grammy nominations that put him just ahead of former Beatle Paul McCartney. Do you think the number of Grammy nominations is a good measure of how good an artist is? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • The Grammys are considered the most prestigious awards show in the music industry. Do awards affect your choice of musician to listen to? Why or why not? Discuss.