“It’s such a mindfuck.” That’s how Ingrid Andress sums up the disparity between the artists nominated for Best Country Album at the 2021 Grammy Awards and who’s being played on country radio. “It’s so funny, because if you look at the Grammy nominations, then you look at like the top five songs on the radio, it could not be more different.”
Case in point: Andress herself. While she’s had undeniable airplay success with her debut single “More Hearts Than Mine,” the follow-up “The Stranger” stalled out this summer, and her new single — the title track to her album Lady Like — is just beginning its climb. But when Grammy nominations were announced last week, Andress’ name was called three times, tying her with Miranda Lambert for the most nominations by a country artist. Andress is up for Best Country Album for Lady Like and Best Country Song for “More Hearts Than Mine,” and also scored an all-genre nomination in the Best New Artist category, opposite performers like Phoebe Bridgers, Doja Cat, and Andress’ current infatuation.
“The fact that I’m in the same category as Megan Thee Stallion gives me so much joy,” the 29-year-old songwriter tells Rolling Stone. “She obviously has had a massive year and I am obsessed with her… I hope I get to be in the same room with her.”
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If Andress has her way, she will be. She’s intent on donning her favorite Schitt’s Creek mask (it reads “Ew, David”) and attending the ceremony, whatever shape it takes. “I hope there is something special they do, even though it’s kind of weird times,” she says.
Those weird, dangerous times could have overshadowed Lady Like, released in March at the beginning of the pandemic. Instead, the LP grew to become the highest streamed country debut album by a woman.
“I’m still trying to figure that out, because if you look at it on paper, it makes zero sense,” Andress says. “The only thing I can really think of is that I was just being honest in my writing about what I was going through. I think there’s something to that, where if you just write to write and not do it for radio or to follow the trends…people can see themselves in that. It’s been really great to be able to read people’s stories that they send me on how a certain song is so applicable to their life. It reminds me that we’re all more alike than what we think.”