Best New Artist Grammy Winners: Where Are They Now?

2000: Christina Aguilera

Stripped singer Christina Aguilera won best new artist in 2000 after her first hit single, “Genie in a Bottle,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the previous year.

Since then, she has released eight studio albums, won four more Grammy Awards and was a coach on NBC’s The Voice from 2011 to 2016. She also had a brief film career starring in the 2010 movie Burlesque opposite Cher. 

When she’s not onstage, Aguilera is with her two kids. She shares Max Liron Bratman with her ex-husband Jordan Bratman and Summer Rain Rutler with her fiancé Matt Rutler.

2001: Shelby Lynne

Though she had been putting out music for 13 years, singer-songwriter Shelby Lynne didn’t hit the mainstream until her soulful album, I Am Shelby Lynne, was released in 1999.

It earned her that coveted best new artist title in 2001, and it remains her most notable work to date. By 2006, she was releasing albums on smaller labels and making what she dubbed to PEOPLE in 2024 as “living room records.”

Lynne also said that she got sober in 2022 and moved back to Nashville, where Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Ashley Monroe encouraged her to get back into the studio. She released her latest album, Consequences of the Crown, in 2024.

2002: Alicia Keys

Everyone’s favorite piano-playing songstress was named the Grammys’ best new artist in 2002. That night, Alicia Keys took home four more awards for her debut album, Songs in A Minor, and performed one of her tunes onstage.

Since that massive win, the singer has released eight more studio albums, won a total of 16 Grammys, launched a beauty line and produced a Broadway musical loosely based on her childhood. 

Keys married producer Swizz Beatz in 2010. They welcomed two sons together, Egypt Daoud Dean and Genesis Ali Dean, and share a blended family.

2003: Norah Jones

Come Away with Me was everywhere in 2003. So it came as almost no surprise that its musical mastermind, Norah Jones, won best new artist that year and took home a total of five Grammy Awards during the ceremony.

She told PEOPLE in a 2022 interview that she never pressured herself to “stay on top” or match that first album’s success with the other eight studio albums she’s released. In addition to her music, Jones also hosted a podcast called Norah Jones Is Playing Along, where she and her guests performed impromptu songs. 

Jones married fellow musician Pete Remm in 2014, and they have two children together.

2004: Evanescence

Evanescence took home the best new artist title in 2004 following the mega-success of their hit singles “My Immortal” and “Bring Me to Life.”

The win was slightly controversial as rapper 50 Cent, who was also up for the prize, briefly joined the band onstage while they accepted their award.

Since winning best new artist, Evanescence has remained active and released five studio albums. They were also nominated for a Grammy in 2008.

Lead singer and keyboardist Amy Lee married therapist Josh Hartzler in 2007 and they welcomed a son, Jack Lion Hartzler, in 2014.

2005: Maroon 5

Thanks to all the hits from their debut album Songs About Jane — including chart-topping tracks like “She Will Be Loved” and “This Love” — Maroon 5 was named the best new artist at the 2005 Grammy Awards.

The pop-rock band went on to release six more albums, and frontman Adam Levine was one of the original coaches on The Voice until 2019. 

The lead singer married model Behati Prinsloo in 2014. They share three children together: Dusty Rose, Gio Grace and a son whose name hasn’t been publicly shared.

2006: John Legend

Get Lifted singer-songwriter John Legend was awarded the 2006 Grammy for best new artist. His debut album later went double platinum, and he has gone on to earn 11 more Grammys.

Legend, who has also produced award-winning work in television, film and theatre, became the first Black man in history to reach EGOT status (having an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) in 2018.

The “All of Me” crooner married model and TV personality Chrissy Teigen in 2013. They have four children together: Luna, Miles, Esti and Wren.

2007: Carrie Underwood

After winning the fourth season of American Idol in 2005, Carrie Underwood solidified herself as more than just a reality TV star by earning both the best new artist award and the best female country vocal performance at the 2007 Grammys.

The singer’s award shelf is now full with eight total Grammys and several other ACM, CMT and CMA Awards. She’s performed the opening number for NBC’s Sunday Night Football since 2013. 

Underwood married former professional hockey player Mike Fisher in 2010. The couple share two kids, Isaiah and Jacob. She is now returning to American Idol as a judge, replacing Katy Perry.

2008: Amy Winehouse

The 50th Grammy Awards were swept with five wins by the late British singer Amy Winehouse. She not only took home best new artist, but also record of the year and song of the year for her single “Rehab.”

Sadly, her rise to fame coincided with drug and alcohol addiction. Winehouse died from accidental alcohol poisoning in 2011. She was 27.

2009: Adele

19 singer Adele kicked off her years-long streak of Grammy wins when she took home the title of best new artist and best female pop vocal performance in 2009. The English singer-songwriter has since produced a staggering number of hits like “Someone Like You, “Hello” and “Rolling in the Deep,” and has received a total of 15 Grammys for her work. She’s also won an Academy Award for her song “Skyfall,” featured in the 2012 James Bond movie of the same name.

Adele shares a son named Angelo, born in 2012, with her ex-husband Simon Konecki. She’s been in a relationship with sports agent Rich Paul since 2021.

2010: Zac Brown Band

Catchy country tunes like “Chicken Fried” put the Zac Brown Band in the spotlight and earned them the best new artist award at the 2010 Grammys. In the years since that early success, the eight-piece band has released six more studio albums and has had 22 tracks on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Lead singer and band co-founder Zac Brown also released a pop solo album titled The Controversy in 2019. He shares five children — Justice Brown, Lucy Brown, Georgia Brown, Joni Brown and Alexander Brown — with his ex-wife, Shelly Brown.

2011: Esperanza Spalding

To the surprise of many, jazz bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding beat out Justin Bieber and Drake for the Grammys’ best new artist at the 2011 awards ceremony. She’s released a total of eight albums, with her third becoming the best-selling contemporary jazz album of the year. In addition to her first win, she’s taken home a total of five Grammy Awards.

Spalding has also worked as a professor and started teaching at the age of 20 — making her the youngest faculty member at the Berklee College of Music. In 2024, she shared an Instagram video of her performing with fellow best new artist winner John Legend, who handed her the Grammy back in 2011.

2012: Bon Iver

Indie folk band Bon Iver won both best new artist and best alternative music album at the 2012 Grammys. In addition to the two albums they’ve since released, the six-piece group led by Justin Vernon has collaborated with major artists like Taylor Swift.

Vernon also collaborated with Swift via the music duo Big Red Machine (which is composed of him and The National’s Aaron Dessner) on their 2021 album How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?.

2013: fun.

The following year, another band took home that coveted gold gramophone for best new artist. Jack Antonoff, Nate Ruess and Andrew Dost’s collaborative project fun. won both that title and the Grammy for song of the year with their hit “We Are Young,” featuring Janelle Monáe.

The trio only released one more single after their win and announced on their website that they weren’t breaking up but focusing on individual projects.  

Antonoff started his own rock band, Bleachers, and has worked with big names like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter. He’s also been married to actress Margaret Qualley since 2023. Ruess released a solo album in 2015 and shares three kids with girlfriend and fashion designer Charlotte Ronson. Dost released an album in 2025 under his project, Metal Bubble Trio.

2014: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis were named the Grammys’ best new artist in 2014, following the success of their debut album The Heist. They also won the award for best rap album and their hit “Thrift Shop” won best rap song and best rap performance. Macklemore and Lewis released one more album together in 2016 before announcing that they were parting ways in 2017, per Rap-Up.

Since their split, Macklemore has released two solo albums and a number of singles. He married Tricia Davis in 2015, and they went on to have three children: Sloane Ava Simone, Colette Koala and Hugo Jack. Lewis married his wife, Jackie Lewis, in 2017, and they welcomed a baby girl, Ramona Rae Lewis, in 2019.

2015: Sam Smith

Sam Smith and their ultimate heartbreak record “Stay With Me” swept the 2015 Grammys, earning the English singer-songwriter not just the best new artist of the year but three other awards as well. They’ve continued to release chart-topping tracks like “I’m Not the Only One” and “Unholy,” as well as three studio albums.

In 2019, Smith came out as non-binary and uses the pronouns they/them. They’ve been in a relationship with fashion designer Christian Cowan since 2022.

2016: Meghan Trainor

She may be a seasoned pop princess now, but Meghan Trainor was an unknown name when she released the mega-hit “All About That Bass” in 2014. After it spent eight weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and earned her the Grammy Award for best new artist in 2016, her musical career took off. Trainor has since released five more albums and produced a number of popular tracks like “Me Too” and “Dear Future Husband.”

The singer-songwriter has been married to actor Daryl Sabara, best known for playing Juni Cortez in the Spy Kids franchise, since 2018. They share two boys, Riley and Barry.

2017: Chance The Rapper

The Grammys named Chance The Rapper as the best new artist in 2017 — making him the first-ever streaming-exclusive artist to win a Grammy. Following the success of his album Coloring Book, the Chicago-born rapper went on to make another album in 2019 as well as a number of singles, including collaborations with artists like Wiz Khalifa and Justin Bieber.

Chance shares two kids — Kensli Bennett and Marli Grace Bennett — with his estranged wife, Kirsten Corley. In addition to his music, he’s a big activist for his hometown of Chicago and has made contributions to the city’s mental health services and public schools.

2018: Alessia Cara

Canadian singer-songwriter Alessia Cara was awarded the best new artist title at the 2018 Grammys after the popularity of her single “Here.” She’s since released three more albums and wrote and recorded the song “How Far I’ll Go” for the popular animated movie Moana. Cara announced in October 2024 that her fourth album, Love & Hyperbole, will be released on Feb. 14, 2025.

The artist has also been vocal about mental health and her struggle with anxiety. In 2017, Cara collaborated with Logic and Khalid on the suicide prevention anthem “1-800-273-8255.”

2019: Dua Lipa

Radical Optimism singer Dua Lipa won not only the best new artist but the best dance recording at the 2019 Grammy Awards. The English singer-songwriter’s debut album was certified multi-platinum in six countries, and her follow-up, Future Nostalgia, was just as popular thanks to hits like “Physical” and “Levitating.” Lipa made her acting debut in the 2021 spy thriller Argylle.

Since 2024, the “IDGAF” singer has been dating British actor Callum Turner.

2020: Billie Eilish

Everyone’s favorite ethereal vocalist took over the 2020 Grammy Awards with a whopping five wins, including the title of best new artist. Since then, Billie Eilish has released two more albums — Happier Than Ever in 2021 and HIT ME HARD AND SOFT IN 2024 — and earned a total of nine Grammys. Her song “Birds of a Feather” was her first number-one hit on the Billboard Global 200.

Eilish is a part of the LGBTQ+ community and came out in a 2023 interview with Variety. She’s also collaborated with her brother, Finneas O’Connell, who has helped write and produce some of her music.

2021: Megan Thee Stallion

Seeing as how “Savage” was the song of 2020, it’s no surprise that Megan Thee Stallion won the 2021 Grammy gold for best new artist — making her the second female rapper in history to win the award. The track, which also featured Beyoncé, also earned the Grammy for best rap performance and hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The MEGAN: ACT II rapper went on to release four more albums and take home another Grammy Award.

2022: Olivia Rodrigo

In 2021, the former Disney Channel star took over the internet with heartbreaking hits like “drivers license.” In 2022, Olivia Rodrigo solidified herself as a pop superstar by winning the best new artist at the 2022 Grammys. Following the success of her album SOUR, she released GUTS in 2023 and has won a total of three Grammys.

Rodrigo has been dating actor Louis Partridge since 2023.

2023: Samara Joy

Jazz vocalist Samara Joy took home the best new artist title at the 2023 Grammys as well as the best jazz vocal album. After going viral on TikTok, she released her sophomore album Linger Awhile in 2022, which reached critical acclaim. In 2024, Joy won another Grammy for best jazz performance and put out her fourth album, Portrait.

Joy grew up in a family of gospel singers and collaborated with them on a holiday tour in 2022. She told Forbes in 2023 that her 92-year-old grandfather even got up on stage to sing with her one night.

2024: Victoria Monét

“On My Mama” singer-songwriter Victoria Monét earned three Grammy wins in 2024, including the title of best new artist. She also took home the awards for best R&B album and best engineered album, non-classical. Monét released her highly anticipated second album, JAGUAR II in 2023.

The JAGUAR singer shares a child, Hazel Monét Gaines, with her ex-boyfriend, John Gaines. Their daughter became the youngest Grammy nominee ever when Monét’s track “Hollywood” — which the then 2-year-old was featured on along with Earth, Wind & Fire — was up for the best traditional R&B performance award in 2024.