Victoria Monét and Chris Brown have taken the lead at the NAACP Image Awards virtual ceremony that started Monday, March 11.
The three-day event takes place online ahead of Saturday’s live televised award ceremony hosted by the incomparable Queen Latifah. Early winners are announced in categories across music, television, and film.
With Monét receiving the most nominations in the recording category, the “On My Mama” singer was bound to secure some early wins. Earning six total nominations, Monét has already secured two Image Awards: Outstanding New Artist and Outstanding Album for Jaguar II, Variety reports.
It’s the first NAACP Image Awards for the singer/songwriter, who won three Grammys last month in what’s already been an eventful year.
Usher, who recently triumphed as the Super Bowl’s halftime performer, followed up after Monét with five nominations and secured an early win for Outstanding Male Artist. Outstanding Female Artist went to H.E.R. Chris Brown won two for his 2023 collaborations with Ciara (“How We Roll”) and Davido & Lojay (“Sensational”).
The Color Purple musical film, released over the holiday season, landed its first win (among its whopping 16 nominations) for outstanding soundtrack or compilation album. The soundtrack includes performances from the cast of A-listers including Fantasia, Taraji P. Henson, Halle Bailey, H.E.R., Corey Hawkins, Colman Domingo, and Danielle Brooks.
The film was produced by Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, and Steven Spielberg.
The virtual NAACP Image Awards is hosted by Khloe Thomas and featured presenters Bellah (Hulu’s Queenie), Da’Vinchi (Starz’s BMF), Danielle Jalade (Disney’s Saturdays), Gabrielle Nevaeh (Nickelodeon’s That Girl Lay Lay) and Vanessa Simmons (BET+’s Deadly Entanglement).
The Image Awards will broadcast live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS.
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