BET Networks has announced the first round of performers for the 2023 Soul Train Awards, airing Sunday, Nov. 26, at 8 p.m. ET on BET and BET Her.
The lineup features SWV, BJ The Chicago Kid, Muni Long, Coco Jones, Fridayy, Dante Bowe, and Keke Palmer, who will host.
Jones has been nominated for six awards, including Song of the Year and Video of the Year for her chart-topping hit “ICU.” The song appears on the expanded version of her 2022 project, What I Didn’t Tell You.
Additionally, Jones has been nominated for Best New Artist for a second year.
BJ The Chicago Kid is expected to perform music from his newly-released album, Gravy. The collaborative album with producer Yeti Beats was released earlier this month.
Muni Long is celebrating her third top 10 R&B single with “Made For Me.” The love song, co-produced by Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox and Jordan XL, rose to No. 5 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart this week (Nov. 18).
Genre-bending act Fridayy, also a two-time nominee this year, just claimed his first top 10 champ on the Adult R&B chart with “When It Comes To You.” The song appears on his self-titled debut album, released in August on Lost In Melody/Def Jam Recordings.
Also in August, Dante Bowe, former Maverick City member, dropped his self-titled R&B-inspired debut album. He spoke extensively to Rated R&B about the release.
It is not clear what SWV will be performing, but the iconic R&B group has been commemorating the 30th anniversary of their debut album, It’s About Time. They recently performed on the Summer Block Party Tour alongside Jodeci and Dru Hill.
Palmer, who has been confirmed as the host, could treat fans with music from her recent project, Big Boss, and its deluxe version. She also recently teamed with award-winning musician Adam Blackstone for a new holiday song, “Christmas Kisses.”
As noted above, later this month, the 2023 Soul Train Awards will air featuring Usher, SZA and Summer Walker, each with nine nominations. It’s a historic three-way tie.
About the nominations, Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy, shared, “Soul, R&B, and Hip Hop continue to top the charts and drive culture forward. This year, we are taking inspiration from these genres to innovate and disrupt the award show format while celebrating the legacy of Soul Train.”
Orlando continued, “We are proud of this year’s list of esteemed nominees and look to deliver an unforgettable night of Soul with our new location, performances, and show moments.”
