Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance – Brutal (2023)

Lore & Background

By the time the 65th Grammys rolled around, "Brutal" had already lived a long life in the public imagination. Released in early 2021 as the follow-up to the viral phenomenon "drivers license," the track's sharp, percussive production and unflinching lyrical voice about a friend's betrayal struck a nerve with a generation raised on confessional pop. It charted internationally, dominated streaming platforms for weeks, and became a staple of late-night radio and TikTok edits alike. The song's identity as a "pop" record—driving, hook-forward, and unapologetically theatrical—made it a natural fit for the Best Pop Solo Performance category, which rewards tracks that push the genre's sonic and emotional boundaries.

The 2023 ceremony was a stacked field. Taylor Swift's "Anti-Hero" ultimately claimed the award, and the competition also included artists like The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber. Yet Rodrigo's nomination was significant not only for the song's commercial footprint but for what it represented: a 19-year-old, self-taught songwriter from a small town in Murrieta, California, being measured against decades of pop royalty in the Recording Academy's most visible pop slot. The nod validated the argument that *Sour* was not a one-hit wonder but a cohesive, ambitious pop record whose singles each carried distinct emotional weight.

In the broader narrative of Rodrigo's career, the "Brutal" nomination sits between her meteoric 2021 breakout and the 2023 release of *Guts*, her second album. It marked the moment the industry formally acknowledged that her songwriting had transcended viral novelty and entered the conversation about who defines modern pop. For fans, the evening was bittersweet—she walked away with the Best New Artist trophy and a nomination plaque, but the specific pop-solo crown went elsewhere, fueling a wave of online discourse that only deepened the song's cultural footprint.

In Their Own Story

The green room hummed with the low buzz of stylists adjusting sequins and managers checking phones. Olivia sat cross-legged on a velvet couch, still in the afterglow of accepting Best New Artist, her cheeks flushed, her voice slightly hoarse. A producer from the Academy leaned in. "So—*Brutal* is up next in the pop solo slot. You ready?" She laughed, a quick, nervous sound, and nodded. The lights dimmed. The host's voice crackled through the monitors, reading the nominees. Her name landed in the middle of the list, sandwiched between names she'd grown up listening to. She didn't stand. She just pressed her thumb against the edge of the couch cushion, feeling the weave, grounding herself. When the winner was announced—someone else's name, someone else's song—she clapped. Genuinely. Then she caught her own reflection in a darkened screen, nineteen years old, a Grammy in one hand and a nomination in the other, and thought: *this is the beginning, not the end.*

Reader's Guide

At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards (2023), Olivia Rodrigo received a nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance for "Brutal." She did not win the category; the award went to Taylor Swift for "Anti-Hero."

The nomination's significance lies in context. "Brutal" was the second single from *Sour*, and by the time the Grammys voted, it had spent months atop global charts and streaming leaderboards. The Best Pop Solo Performance category is one of the most visible and competitive slots in the pop division, typically reserved for tracks that define a year's sonic landscape. A 19-year-old artist earning a place in that conversation—alongside established global superstars—signaled that the Recording Academy and the wider industry were treating *Sour* as a serious pop record rather than a viral fluke.

That same night, Rodrigo won Best New Artist, making the evening a dual milestone: a category win that announced her, and a pop-solo nomination that validated her songcraft. For fans tracking her trajectory, the "Brutal" nomination became a reference point for how quickly she had moved from bedroom songwriter to mainstream pop contender, and it set the stage for the expectations surrounding her second album, *Guts*, released later that year.

The nomination also sparked widespread fan discussion about the subjectivity of pop awards, the weight of streaming numbers versus critical reception, and what "best pop solo performance" even means in an era of genre-blending production. Those conversations extended the song's cultural life well beyond the ceremony itself.

Did You Know?

• Olivia Rodrigo was 19 years old when "Brutal" received its Grammy nomination, making her one of the youngest artists in recent memory to be recognized in the Best Pop Solo Performance category.
• She won Best New Artist at the very same 65th Grammy ceremony where "Brutal" was nominated, meaning she left the stage with a trophy and a nomination plaque in one night.
• "Brutal" was the second single released from *Sour*, following "drivers license," and it went on to top streaming charts in multiple countries during the voting period.
• The 65th Grammy pop-solo field included artists spanning multiple decades of pop history, placing Rodrigo's nomination in direct conversation with some of the genre's most established voices.