My Pick for the Grammy Album of the Year Award

There are many interesting storylines a music journalist can write on whoever wins the Grammy Album of the Year award this year, most importantly, if Jay-z can avenge Beyonce's previous Album of the Year losses, especially for the 'Beyonce' and last year's Lemonade album.

I have a feeling that although Beyonce is well-loved by fans, not many in the music industry really like her because this is after all a popularity contest among peers. They like her enough to nominate her, but not enough to give her this most prestigious award for any musician.

Anyhow, my vote this year goes to the Kiwi girl - Lorde - whose masterful Melodrama album is a tremendous achievement for one so young.

The first four songs alone weaves such a beautiful tapestry it's hard not to play it one after another.

But I don't think she'll win.

This should be the year Kendrick Lamar wins this award. Like Beyonce, he has been overlooked twice already and still he keeps producing some of the most forward-moving, exquisitely composed work of this generation.

He has never looked back artistically and his fans always crave for new work from him because he's so original.

My Grammy 'Record of the Year ' vote goes to Jay-z

Despacito should easily win the Grammy award for Record of the Year on Monday, with maybe Kendrick Lamar's 'Humble' as the spoiler, but if I were a voter, I won't be voting for those two songs.

I've been a fan of Latin music for three decades now but there's a certain blandness in the Latin landscape nowadays, or I am just getting old.

As for Kendrick Lamar, I find his songs from Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City far more interesting and superior from his current work, with Backstreet Freestyle as my most favorite.

Among the nominees, interestingly, it's Jay-z's 'The Story of O.J.' that sounds the most unique to me and sarcasm drips loads in the song - especially for voters like me who went through that O.J. debacle. So my vote goes to Jay-z.

However, since this is a Record of the Year award, 2017 was definitely Despacito all over the world - so no complaints there.