Esperanza May Mean ‘Hope’ in Spanish, but at Grammys, it Means ‘Winner’
February 14th, 2011
Photo by Andrea Mancini
Bieber-believers worldwide gasped in surprise when the Grammy for Best New Artist was announced last night.
And so did Esperanza Spalding’s many Portland fans. Beloved here in her hometown, jazz musician Esperanza seemed unlikely to upset pop sensation Justin Bieber or the ubiquitous Mumford & Sons to take home the coveted award. Indeed, no jazz artist ever had.
But there’s always hope. And win she did.
In that moment the elegant 26-year old with the radiant smile was catapulted into the international limelight. She accepted the award with the poise of a most seasoned performer. That was no surprise; it comes from years of practice. (more…)
