Demi Lovato, Sabrina Carpenter and Jimmie Allen each performed intimate sets while celebrating their fellow songwriters at the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) and Billboard Grammy Week Showcase, held at Nightingale Plaza in Los Angeles on Wednesday night (Feb. 1).
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Lovato and Carpenter used the showcase to highlight the work of some of their closest collaborators, with Lovato capping off the evening by performing a pair of Holy Fvck songs — “Feed” and “4 Ever 4 Me” — that Laura Veltz, a key contributor to the album, helped create. Veltz, also a veteran pop and country songwriter, smiled from the front row as Lovato delivered both vocal showcases.
Meanwhile, Carpenter highlighted longtime studio powerhouse Amy Allen, who joined the pop star onstage for a charming duet of their shared song, “Vicious,” from last year’s Emails I Can’t Send. Carpenter then performed an acoustic version of “Nonsense,” her current fast-rising Billboard Hot 100 hit.
And before performing two of his songs — including a rousing new track titled “Small Town Anthem” as well as his hit “Down Home” — Jimmie Allen took the microphone to reflect on his career trajectory and the importance of songwriting in the country music world as a means of sharing different perspectives. “Just being part of the overall music community, it’s been great,” he told the audience. “Thanks to everyone who’s given me a shot.”
In addition to Veltz, Amy Allen and Jimmie Allen receiving songwriting honors at the showcase, Nija Charles earned the Hitmaker trophy for her wide variety of pop, hip-hop and R&B credits, including on smashes by Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande and Cardi B. Charles thanked the NMPA and Billboard for “shedding light on songwriters” as they continue to fight for artistic expression. “I never thought I would win something like this,” Charles added.
And Liz Rose, the veteran country songwriter, was also honored on Wednesday night, as a celebration of her co-write on Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well” roaring back in late 2021 when the 10-minute version of the song topped the Hot 100. Rose thanked the fans for making “All Too Well” such an enduring favorite, as well as Swift for revitalizing the song for Red (Taylor’s Version). As Rose succinctly put it, “She didn’t forget this song.”
In addition to being recognized at the event, Veltz, Amy Allen and Charles are all nominated for the songwriter of the year, non-classical Grammy, along with The-Dream and Tobias Jesso Jr. The inaugural award in the new Grammy category will be presented on Sunday night (Feb. 5).