At just two years old, Hazel Monét Gaines has already broken records by becoming the youngest person to receive a Grammy Award nomination. The daughter of 34-year-old R&B artist Victoria Monét has replaced Leah Peasall of The Peasall Sisters, who was the youngest Grammy candidate and winner at age 8 in 2002 after being featured on “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”.
Hazel and her mother were nominated for a Grammy for best traditional R&B performance for the song “Hollywood,” which also features Earth, Wind & Fire.
In 2023, the proud mother spoke to People about Hazel’s interest in music at such a young age. “I see her learning rhythm, trying to catch different cadences and what she’s attracted to in songs. I just really get re-inspired by that innocence and that curiosity about music,” Monét said.
The “Monopoly” singer also told “E! News” on the red carpet. “There was a lot of fear getting pregnant. Going through COVID as a pregnant woman … of the fears are projected on you with career and mom balance. To have one of my biggest moments alongside my daughter is the perfect wink from God. ‘You’re doing the right thing. Keep going.’”
Monét recently joked that her daughter’s favorite word at the moment is “no.” She continued, “She stands on what she wants. So, I think she’s going to be a great businesswoman. She’s going to be a really amazing artist. She’s going to have her own vision, definitely very creative, and she’s got a voice on her for sure.”
To celebrate Hazel’s achievement, the “On My Mama” artist threw a toddler formal gala, which she shared on social media with the caption, “My babygirl is the Youngest Grammy Nominee ever?! Of course we had to throw a toddler formal Gala to celebrate the historical accomplishment haha y’all it was the cutest thing everrr.”
As for the mother herself, according to AP News, she won Best New Artist at the 66th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday. In the category, Monét triumphed over Gracie Abrams, Fred Again, Noah Kahan, Ice Spice, Jelly Roll, Coco Jones, and The War and Treaty.
“Thank you, God … This award was a 15-year pursuit,” said Monét, after taking the stage to accept the award. “I moved to L.A. in 2009, and I like to liken myself to a plant who was planted. And you can look at the music industry as soil, and it can be looked at as dirty, or it can be looked at as a source of nutrients and water. My roots have been growing underneath ground unseen for so long. And I feel like today, I’m sprouting finally above ground.”
Monét’s album “Jaguar II” also won for best R&B album; she also won best engineered album, non-classical.
Monét’s 2-year-old daughter, Hazel’s father, and her boyfriend, John Gaines, accompanied the singer-songwriter to the Grammys.
“I don’t think she quite understands,” Monét said, expressing her eagerness to one day share the moment’s significance with her daughter.
