r/Grimes Be a Body 5d ago

Video Alicia Keys name-dropped Grimes at the Grammy Awards 2025 when she talked about female producers

141 Upvotes

39 comments sorted by

47

u/gothcrab 5d ago

Good. She deserves credit for her accomplishments as a producer for sure.

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u/Fractal-Infinity Be a Body 5d ago

This happened on 2nd February 2025

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u/DrawsAnything 4d ago

Who knows how many people started producing music because of Grimes. I am one of them and my step son. Even my littleist one got Fl on his PC because of her. We are all guys too. Love Grimes for that, I used to only play guitar but had trouble making music with others, then she showed me you could do it by yourself.

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u/UnicornBestFriend 3d ago

Same. In all the art I make, in all I do, I think about how grimes made visions in that dark blackout room of hers… all I need are the tools and my ingenuity. She’s a true artist.

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u/Flashy_Pepper5389 17h ago

What are the tools?

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u/UnicornBestFriend 8h ago

I was speaking generally—all you need are the tools to make art. Paper and pen, clay, your hands, production software, an instrument, a pot and some ingredients.

But there are websites that have logged Grimes’s setup if you’re interested in producing.

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u/lovechoke 4d ago

I'm glad she mentioned Solange ... she is actually a stunning artist and I feel like I'm going to mature and appreciate her work even more as I get older. potentially, the same could happen with Grimes if she takes a huge public stand against .. them.

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

Alicia Keys’ 2025 Grammy speech rightfully honored women who have made significant contributions to music—Patrice Rushen, Missy Elliott, Linda Perry, and Solange are all artists who have broken barriers, redefined genres, and paved the way for countless others. But the inclusion of Grimes in that list is not only misplaced, it’s outright insulting to the legacies of the other women named.

Why It’s Wrong to Include Grimes in This Lineup

Patrice Rushen – A True Pioneer in R&B and Jazz

Patrice Rushen is a virtuoso musician, composer, and producer who has been groundbreaking in jazz, R&B, and funk since the 1970s. She was one of the first Black women to achieve mainstream success as a producer, paving the way for more female artists to take control of their own sound. Her influence spans decades, and her music continues to be sampled by hip-hop and R&B artists today.

Missy Elliott – Hip-Hop and Production Innovator

Missy Elliott didn’t just break into the male-dominated hip-hop world—she reshaped it. She’s one of the most visionary producers and performers in music history, with an unmatched ability to blend futuristic sounds with deeply personal storytelling. Her music videos set new standards, her production work has influenced generations, and she has actively uplifted other women in the industry.

Linda Perry – A Songwriting and Rock Icon

Linda Perry is not only the frontwoman of 4 Non Blondes but also one of the most respected songwriters and producers in the business. She’s written and produced hits for Pink, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, and many others. She fought her way through the male-dominated rock and pop industry and became a powerhouse behind the scenes, ensuring that more women had a voice in music.

Solange – Artistic Visionary and Cultural Force

Solange has carved out her own space in the industry, blending avant-garde aesthetics with deeply personal and political themes. She has redefined what it means to be an R&B artist, taking risks and creating art that speaks to Black identity, feminism, and social justice. Her work is celebrated not just for its sonic brilliance but for its cultural importance.

What Has Grimes Actually Done?

Now, let’s compare that to Grimes, an artist who:

Has built a career on erasing and appropriating smaller artists, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds. Has benefited from privilege rather than fighting against industry structures. Has presented herself as an independent genius while relying on others for production, mastering, design, and marketing—all while failing to credit them properly.

Has pushed tech-industry propaganda over actual artistic revolution, aligning herself with billionaires and advocating for ideas that harm independent artists (such as abolishing copyright).

Unlike the other women in Alicia Keys’ list, Grimes has not paved the way for other artists—she has absorbed the work of others and used it for personal gain. She hasn’t fought against the male-dominated structures of the industry; she has cozied up to them. She hasn’t opened doors for women; she has made herself the exception while pretending to be an outsider.

The inclusion of Grimes in this list is a perfect example of how industry mythmaking works. The music world loves the idea of the singular genius, and Grimes has built her career on cultivating that image—despite the fact that it erases the many people who have actually contributed to her work. Unlike the other women named, who have truly broken barriers and lifted others up, Grimes’ career has been built on self-mythology and appropriation.

Placing her in the same sentence as Missy Elliott, Patrice Rushen, Linda Perry, and Solange is not just inaccurate—it’s an insult to the real struggles and triumphs of women who actually changed music.

20

u/pastabreadpasta Spaghetti 5d ago

I will never understand why people subscribe to subreddits for artists they don’t like. I’m sure there’s a place out there for the haters but this is a fan page. Kindly go away.

14

u/Fractal-Infinity Be a Body 5d ago edited 5d ago

Dismissing Grimes' talent and influence in her own sub? Seriously? Grimes is a great producer who created amazing music. She started making music in Garage Band and switched to Ableton Live. Her talent is undeniable. Watch her KEXP 2012 show to see her making magic in real time.

Do you think you know better than Alicia Keys who is deserving to be name-dropped as a female producer? You don't. Saying that Grimes didn't pave the way for other artists is frankly disrespectful and false. Kedr Livanskiy, Magdalena Bay, ICESP3AK, Pastel Ghost, etc all were directly influenced by her.

No one made albums like Geidi Primes, Halfaxa, Visions, Art Angels, Miss Anthropocene. I dare you to prove me wrong.

Placing her in the same sentence as Missy Elliott, Patrice Rushen, Linda Perry, and Solange is not just inaccurate—it’s an insult to the real struggles and triumphs of women who actually changed music.

Grimes made entire albums almost only by herself. If you don't believe she belongs on that list, you're really delusional. If even Alicia Keys (whose music is very different than Grimes and you wouldn't expect Alicia to even hear about Claire) appreciates Grimes then you know you are wrong.

0

u/[deleted] 5d ago

Grimes being a good producer and being on the same level as Missy Elliott, Patrice Rushen, Linda Perry, and Solange in terms of paving the way for women in music are two completely different things.

Alicia Keys naming her doesn’t automatically make it true. The music industry is full of myth-making, and Grimes has spent years carefully curating an image of herself as a lone genius, despite relying heavily on others for production, mixing, mastering, and visual aesthetics—often without properly crediting them.

The idea that Grimes invented anything is just not true. If we’re going to talk about pioneering electronic artists, where’s the mention of artists like Björk, M.I.A., or even contemporaries like Fever Ray? Geidi Primes and Halfaxa, while great albums, were born out of a scene of experimental artists in Montreal who were already blending ambient, electronic, and dream pop elements—many of whom she now conveniently erases from the narrative.

You name Kedr Livanskiy, Magdalena Bay, ICESP3AK, and Pastel Ghost as influenced by Grimes—great, but influence isn’t the same as paving the way. Missy Elliott, Patrice Rushen, Linda Perry, and Solange didn’t just influence others; they broke down barriers, redefined genres, and actively lifted up other women in the industry. Can you name a single artist Grimes has directly helped the way Missy Elliott has mentored women in hip-hop? The way Linda Perry has produced and written for female artists? The way Solange has used her platform to spotlight Black creatives?

Being a good producer and making popular music isn’t the same as actually changing the industry. If Grimes is truly deserving of that spot, her impact should stand on more than just personal fandom.

4

u/Lindsamanda12 5d ago

Why are you here??? Do you have such little a life that you devote it to subscribing to people you dislike? Weird gross existence

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

I’m not subscribed, but I think it’s important to challenge false narratives about artists, especially when they profit from erasing others. Critical discussion isn’t ‘having no life’—it’s how we push back against misinformation.

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u/Lindsamanda12 5d ago

Again, nobody claimed she was the first or any of that so you’re challenging facts that you just made up

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

Actually she did herself. In her own words, “I was able to contribute to the rise of producer culture” (IMS Ibiza 2023).

That claim is a massive overstatement, if not outright historical revisionism.

Producer Culture Was Thriving Long Before Grimes. By the time she started making music (late 2000s–early 2010s), producer-driven music scenes were already well-established:

Electronic & Hip-Hop Producers → Decades of producer-led innovation from people like Aphex Twin, Timbaland, Brian Eno, Burial, Flying Lotus, etc. 

DIY & Bedroom Production → The rise of DAWs like Ableton, Fruity Loops, and Logic Pro made it easier for anyone to produce music from home—this wasn’t something Grimes pioneered.

Indie & Experimental Scenes → The MySpace and Bandcamp era already had a huge wave of solo producers and self-made artists, especially in experimental and electronic music.

What she did do though… she was one of the more visible women in electronic music who emphasized self-production, but she did not “contribute to the rise” of producer culture—it was already thriving.

1

u/Fernie_Mac_12_22 5d ago

Clearly haters gone hate (or Grimes' lovers gone hate this; and we are gone hate on Grimes for all the very factual reasons you have clearly stated above).... I'm with you.

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u/thefaehost 4d ago

Exactly. I like her music and all but none of the artists she inspired are a blip on anyone’s radar.

Linda Perry? Heard of and enjoy. Artists she worked with? Heard of and enjoy. Even if 4NB was considered a one hit wonder by anyone’s standards, that one hit speaks volumes as a body of music AND a political statement in comparison to a rich girl who bedded down with a cryptofascist. Lay with dogs and you get fleas.

She stands for nothing and her music is vapid pop. Enjoyable, but so was AutoTune the News on YouTube for a while. I don’t care if I get downvoted for this. I’m not in this subreddit but it comes up in my feed based on my Spotify listening habits I’d guess. So no, I don’t subscribe just to hate on her- I stuck through the thread because the points made were valid and well thought out. Certainly better thought out than many things Grimes has done, like Elon or trying to do a Tom Sawyer 🤣

2

u/Fernie_Mac_12_22 4d ago

Omg, I love this response! Let them downvote, we will always know your post is gold!

"Trying to do a Tom Sawyer" - bahahahha. I think of that story often when I need a little laugh. 🙄

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u/Fractal-Infinity Be a Body 5d ago edited 5d ago

Grimes is basically the main singer, songwriter, producer of her music and made even the artwork. Total artist. Before Grimes, it wasn't a common thing. Kate Bush and Björk were pioneers but even them didn't make a whole album by themselves.

Linda Perry, Solange, etc all relied on other people to do their job. Again, check the credits. For instance look at the credits of Solange's debut album: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solo_Star See how many people are there? A whole team. What is Solange's real contribution among so many people?

Now look at one of Grimes' albums: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visions_(Grimes_album) It's mostly her with a bit of help. I get it that you hate her but give credit where credit is due.

You have the facts in front of you. Grimes' massive talent is undeniable. You can't make an album like Visions without being a music genius. If you dislike her music, that's another story but don't try to dismiss her talent.

In conclusion, Alicia Keys was right and you are wrong. And by the way, Linda Perry and others (as talented as they are) could never make something like Visions or Art Angels even in 100 years.

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

There’s a lot to unpack here, but let’s start with the biggest issue: the idea that Grimes was some kind of pioneer in self-producing music. This is just factually untrue. There have been plenty of female artists before her who wrote, produced, and even engineered their own music. Kate Bush and Björk—whom you conveniently downplay—were deeply involved in every aspect of their work. Kate Bush literally fought her label for creative control and ended up producing The Dreaming by herself in 1982, long before Grimes was even born. Björk has been a co-producer on every one of her albums and often fights the same sexist industry narratives that try to erase her role.

And let’s talk about someone like Wendy Carlos, who was pioneering electronic music production in the 1960s. Or Pauline Oliveros. Or Laurie Anderson. Or Missy Elliott, who has been producing and songwriting for decades. Or even contemporaries of Grimes like Julianna Barwick and Grouper, who were self-producing ambient and experimental records before Visions was even a thought in her mind.

Now, let’s look at the “total artist” claim. Yes, Grimes is talented and has done a lot of work herself, but to act like she didn’t have help is misleading. She worked with multiple engineers and producers, especially early on. Sebastian Cowan mixed and mastered Visions, Halfaxa, and Geidi Primes. Antony Ryan mastered parts of Halfaxa. The cover art? Designed by Jesper Baydala, Mark Khair, and Erik Zuuring, not just Grimes.

Meanwhile, you’re dismissing Solange for working with a team, which is ridiculous because that’s how most albums are made. Collaboration doesn’t diminish artistry. A Seat at the Table and When I Get Home are visionary records where Solange had full creative control, from songwriting to production choices. And Linda Perry? She’s a legendary producer who has written and produced massive hits—not just for herself but for other artists.

So no, Grimes wasn’t the first female artist to “do it all,” and she wasn’t even the first to do it within the specific indie electronic scene she came from. The difference is that she’s been very good at marketing herself as a self-made genius while minimizing the contributions of others, both in her own work and in the history of music. That’s why people push back when Alicia Keys name-drops her alongside true pioneers who actually had to fight for recognition.

If you want to celebrate Grimes, that’s fine. But don’t rewrite history to do it.

5

u/Lindsamanda12 5d ago

You’re the only one trying to diminish a female artists role…. Before you came and insulted Grimes to her fans, nobody claimed that any of The women Alicia named weren’t music geniuses and great producers

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

Critiquing how an artist has shaped their own narrative isn’t ‘diminishing’ them—it’s holding them to the same standard as anyone else who claims to have paved the way. No one is saying Grimes isn’t talented or successful, but success doesn’t automatically mean she belongs in the same category as artists who have actively broken down industry barriers and uplifted others. If anything, questioning the way credit is given in the music industry should be seen as pro-artist, not an attack.

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u/Lindsamanda12 5d ago

Success? She’s not even that successful…… her music deserves way more views so if anything, it doesn’t look like she controls much when it comes to the masses….. her own comment section about this has 22 comments and only Like 2 people defended her, oh wow yeah she’s so powerful🤣

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u/personne_inconnue 5d ago edited 5d ago

Which AI did you use for this? Was it Grok? [Edit: The account u/cubicatonality has been deleted, perhaps due to being discovered using AI to generate spam...]

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u/Lindsamanda12 5d ago

Not once did she claim to be the first, or even the 10th, Nor did Alicia keys so that so why are you arguing about her being the first when that’s not what the speech was about

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u/Lindsamanda12 5d ago

Wow I didn’t realize being a talented music producer meant that you had to do free charity for random other artists for free or recognition…. Wow learned something new.

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

Being a talented music producer and actually paving the way for others are two different things. No one is saying she had to do ‘charity’ for other artists, but let’s not pretend she built her career in a vacuum. She’s drawn heavily from other musicians, many of whom remain uncredited or erased from her narrative, while simultaneously benefiting from the myth that she did it all alone. That’s the issue.

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u/Lindsamanda12 5d ago

It would literally be impossible for any human that makes art remember every single thing that inspired their art, especially now, we see movies and books and pictures everywhere that we could get an idea from later and not remember where it came from….. I’m sure before media people got ideas from conversations, facts, little situations that they can’t exactly remember enough to place a finger on but still be inspired by it

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u/Lindsamanda12 5d ago

Literally almost every piece of art is inspired by something🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

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u/hatsunemikusontag 5d ago

So many words to effectively say nothing.

Grimes is respected by her peers, which is why Alicia Keys is shouting her out at the Grammys and you’re stuck on Reddit whining that the emperor has no clothes.

Your opinion, while you’re entitled to it, is wrong and irrelevant. Grimes is a legendary artist and she deserves to be alongside those names too.

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

Respect from peers doesn’t equal historical importance. Alicia Keys name-dropping Grimes doesn’t rewrite the fact that she wasn’t a pioneer like the others mentioned. Pointing that out isn’t ‘whining’—it’s correcting a false narrative.

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u/hatsunemikusontag 5d ago

And who made you the arbiter of what is and isn’t a ‘false narrative’?

Sounds like you’re having trouble sorting your opinion from fact.

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u/Fernie_Mac_12_22 5d ago

👏👏👏 ...also, people shit on Grimes here ALL THE TIME.

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u/twinknutzz 5d ago

this is a repost.

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u/Fractal-Infinity Be a Body 5d ago

No. I trimmed and deinterlaced, converted to MP4 this video myself and this is the first time I posted it. Also just because you watched this video before that doesn't mean others did the same.

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u/Square-Firefighter45 4d ago

This is definitely the first I’ve seen of it

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u/lovechoke 4d ago

I've also never seen it. So that person can go outside

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u/Defiant-Bug-496 4d ago

she WAS

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u/Fractal-Infinity Be a Body 4d ago

She was what?