Atlantic Records

Known for his soulful voice and show-stopping live performances, over the past decade Jaheim has established himself as one of the most successful artists in the R&B/Soul category. His latest release Another Round debuted at number three on The Billboard Top 200 Charts and he’s riding that wave of success to the Grammys where the nominated for Best R&B album and its single “Finding My Way Back” is nominated for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song. We talked to Jaheim about what it feels like to be nominated for three awards this year and what he’s looking forward to at the event.

Do you remember watching the Grammys when you were younger?
As a kid I definitely grew up watching the Grammys. I remember in those days Whitney Houston was my favorite so I would watch her sing her classic songs and I was also introduced to the music of Luther Vandross around that time, too. Seeing him and Whitney onstage, I thought they were the only stars in the world. [Laughs.]

How does it feel to be nominated for three awards this year?
At this point, getting nominated for a Grammy means everything to me because I’ve been fighting so hard to get here. It’s a big accomplishment coming from the rough streets I came from and having gone through what I’ve been through, so to be recognized for that is a unique thing.

What’s the feeling like back home?
Everyone is excited. My grandmother is especially excited; she was diagnosed with cancer and they removed it and she’s doing amazing without any medicine or chemotherapy and I feel good about that. She’s feeling good about her grandson, too.

Do you think R&B is in a good place this year?
I think R&B is definitely coming back because we lost a lot of icons over the years such as Nat King Cole, Sam Cooke, Terry Pendergrass, Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross and Michael Jackson. I follow in the tradition of those greats because it’s important that we stick to the roots and never forget about what made us. The new stuff is cool too though; I can’t disrespect it because it’s music and I respect musicians.

Do you have a plan for what you’re going to do if you take home any Grammys this year?
If I win this award I’m celebrating every day for the next year. If I don’t win an award, I’m still going to celebrate every day for the next year.

Are you working on your acceptance speech now or are you going to try to wing it?
I was just thinking about that. I know what I want to say but I’m going to sit down and write it out because the thing about winning three Grammys is I have to really say something, you know? I really want to thank god for one Grammy, thank my fans for the second one and the people who have supported me from day one with my third award.

Is there anyone else you’re looking forward to seeing perform this year?
I’m just looking forward to seeing a great show, being around everyone and just celebrating.