Wayna Gets A Grammy Nod

08%5B1%5D.jpg First off, DCist was happy when Grammy nominations were announced earlier this month and D.C.-area artists and producers were involved in six projects that will be up for recognition at the Recording Academy's February 8, 2009 ceremony. But when we heard that one of our May Three Stars artists, Wayna, was among those acknowledged in the "Best Urban/Alternative Performance" category for her performance on "Loving You (Music)," which also features D.C. native Kokayi, we were ecstatic.

Just think of it as the "DCist Bump."

Since the last time we spoke to her, Wayna has been touring constantly to promote her album, Higher Ground, which includes the nominated song. The nominee took a few moments to answer some questions about her new found recognition and talk about what the future might hold for her.

Congratulations on the nomination. What was your initial reaction to the news and what does this acknowledgment mean to you?

Thank you. I was overjoyed, and just so grateful that we were recognized among so many amazing artists. I see this acknowledgment as a real affirmation of the path I'm on and a sign to keep working, growing, and believing.

Since we aren't familiar with the process, how did you get nominated?

I submitted my new album, Higher Ground, for consideration. A Grammy committee reviews all the submissions and ensures that a certain criteria is met. Then a master list of all those who pass the first round is sent to members of the Recording Academy who vote for the nominees. We were blessed to have made it past the first round of submissions in nearly every category we were in consideration, but the real feat was garnering the actual nomination.

Three of the four people you're up against in your category are backed by either the Neptunes (Kenna), Diddy (Janelle Monae), or Jay-Z (Chrisette Michele). We don't want to start anything, but isn't the deck a little bit stacked against you in what's supposed to be an indie artist category?

You've got a point! But the odds were against me even before reaching this stage. If I looked at this process or even this business through the eyes of what's logical or what's the safest bet, I wouldn't have dared to compete. In fact, I probably wouldn't even be an artist. I choose instead to believe in God's ability to make anything happen and in His purpose for my life. So, yeah, the competition is fierce, but I got a mogul behind me too, so I'm not worried.

What have you been up to since we last spoke to you in May?

I shot my first video, for a song titled "My Love", and I completed a six-week in-store tour throughout the United States where I was performing and selling the single. We were on Billboard for six consecutive weeks, peaking at #2. I've been playing around the country with my band and overseas in London and Turks and Caicos. I just got back from Ethiopia where I participated in an incredible musical festival in Arba Minch for indigenous peoples. It was amazing, and I'll be blogging about it soon.

With this added accolade, what's going to be your career trajectory?

What I know for sure is that this recognition has inspired me to work three times as hard, to be even more bold in terms of what I shoot for, and to have an added sense of confidence in my work and vision. So that's what's in my hands. The rest is up to you all.

To learn more about Wayna and her music, visit her MySpace or web sites.