Alessia Cara Defends Best New Artist Grammy Win: I Worked ''Really Hard'' for This

Singer responds to the backlash with a lengthy statement on Instagram

By McKenna Aiello Jan 30, 2018 3:33 AMTags
Alessia Cara, 2018, Grammy Awards, Best New Artist, Winner, WinnersKevin Winter/Getty Images for NARAS

Alessia Cara is responding to the backlash surrounding her Best New Artist win at last night's 2018 Grammys

The 21-year-old pop singer beat out Khalid, Lil Uzi VertJulia Michaels and SZA for the coveted award, an accomplishment that is being overshadowed by those who don't consider Cara a "new" artist.

Alessia shared a lengthy statement on Instagram Monday defending the win, while also acknowledging that most of her mainstream success came before the other nominees. 

The "Stay" songstress wrote, "to address the apparent backlash regarding winning something I had no control over: I didn't log onto grammy.com and submit myself. that's not how it works. I didn't ask to be submitted either because there are other artists that deserve the acknowledgment. but I was nominated and won and I am not going to be upset about something I've wanted since I was a kid, not to mention have worked really hard for."

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"I meant everything I said about everyone deserving the same shot," Cara continued. "there is a big issue in the industry that perpetuates the idea that an artist's talent and hard work should take a back seat to popularity and numbers. and I'm aware that my music wasn't released yesterday, I'm aware that, yes, my music has become fairly popular in the last year."

Alessia said she wants to use her popularity to continue exposing inequality in the music industry, adding, "but I'm trying very hard to use the platform I've been given to talk about these things and bring light to issues that aren't fair, all while trying to make the most of the weird, amazing success I've been lucky enough to have. I will not let everything I've worked for be diminished by people taking offense to my accomplishments and feeling the need to tell me how much I suck."

A post shared by ALESSIA CARA (@alessiasmusic) on

Alessia concluded with a message about her own insecurities: "here's something fun! I've been thinking I suck since I was old enough to know what sucking meant. I've beat u to it. And that's why this means a lot to me. despite my 183625 insecurities, I've been shown that what I've created is worth something and that people actually give a shit."

"all of the years feeling like I wasn't good at anything or that I was naive for dreaming about something improbable have paid off in a way that I have yet to process," she wrote. "I know it sounds cheesy and dumb but it's the honest truth. thanks to everyone who's shown me kindness and support along the way. I'll stop talking now."

Let us know what you make of Alessia's remarks in the comments below!