The Recording Academy held its 20th Anniversary Grammy U conference over a three day weekend in New York City from Friday, April 24 to Sunday, April 26. The 2026 conference included a series of panels, exclusive performances and an industry career day designed to guide aspiring music creators. All three days featured special talks from notable artists like Willow Smith, Natasha Bedingfield, Alissia Benveniste and career professionals like Serona Elton.
Grammy U is a membership program produced by the Recording Academy intended to mentor aspiring musicians and professionals. The program currently holds over 8,000 members globally and has over 33,000 alumni. In previous years, the Grammy U membership was exclusive to college-enrolled students only. As of 2023, the Academy expanded its\’ applications to ambitious and early-career musicians between the ages 18-29 without having to be enrolled in school.
Day 1 (Margery):
The 2026 Conference kicked off its first day at the Sheen Center for Arts and Culture. Jessie Allen– the managing director of Grammy U– welcomed attendees at 6:15 p.m. before inviting their Keynote Speaker, Willow Smith, on stage. The panel titled “The Discipline of Craft: Building Authentic Artistry with Willow” was moderated by Grammy award-winning singer and producer, Jacob Collier.
Throughout the panel, Smith discussed the art of evolution as a singer who started at the age of nine. She revisits early moments in her career where she felt insecure and was trying to prove herself to not only her own audience, but her parents,Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s audiences as well.
Smith pinpointed insecurities she’s overcome as an artist and she offered advice to the members on how to overcome similar barriers. “If there is anything you can identify that you’re afraid to go [try] – GO! [try them]” Smith told the audience to step out of their comfort zone as a step to truly discovering their artistry and continue evolving.
“The Discipline of Craft: Building Artistry with Willow” panel concluded at 7:30 p.m. with the next panel- “The Sound of Generations: 20 Years of Reflection” beginning at 8 p.m. The panel featured the “Love like This” singer Natasha Bedingfield and “Drain Me” star Towa Bird, with moderator Abigail Morris – the front singer of the indie rock band, The Last Dinner.
Morris, Bedingfield and Bird talked about several topics including social media, music videos and touring, to which Bird recalled opening for Bedingfield in 2024 once at the Skidmore College show.
The three musicians broke down the differences between the time when Beginfield first broke out as an artist in 2004 versus present time where new artists like Bird are emerging in 2026. Morris brought up the power of social media and how that’s been a powerful tool for artists now-a-days. Bird mentioned how she uses online apps like Discord and Twitch as a way to stay close to her fans.
“It’s like the separation between the artists and mystery is gone – and I love that,” Bedingfield added.
A special performance was put on to end the first day of the conference with Bird performing her single “Dirty Habit” and an unreleased song from her upcoming album “Gentleman,” releasing May 15. Bedingfield sang “A Pocketful of Sunshine” and “Unwritten,” joined by Morris and Bird.
Day 2 (Scarlett):
The conference continued on Saturday, April 25 at the Sheen Center for Thought and Culture, with doors opening at 10 a.m. and a full day of programming centered on growth and industry insight.
At 11 a.m., Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter Alissia Benveniste led “Grammy U Unwrapped with Alissia.” Benveniste brought the audience into her creative process, demonstrating her production skills while offering insight into her career path within the music industry.
Later, at 1 p.m., the panel “Grammy U Live! Building Beyond Limits” featured singer JoJo, Rolling Loud co-founder Matt Zingler and Grammy U managing director Jessie Allen. Ily Aguilar and Adyna Silverberg, two Grammy U representatives, moderated the sessions as they discussed the evolving music landscape and building sustainable careers.
Zingler reflected on building Rolling Loud into an international hip-hop festival, emphasizing that maintaining authenticity comes down to the intention behind it. “It’s hard to create impact and value if you don’t have the talent that is creating it,” he said, adding that the goal is to build a platform where artists and audiences can fully experience music.
JoJo spoke about longevity and connection with audiences, speaking about her career that started at just 12 years old. “We’re ready to touch and relate… through nostalgia and through newness,” she said. “That’s what’s amazing about having the privilege of longevity.”
Allen spoke directly to the audience she works to support, encouraging attendees to rethink their own paths and definitions of success. “Maybe you don’t know your definition of success yet, and we can help you figure that out,” she said.
Later that night, the program hosted its Grammy U showcase at Drom in East Village. Grammy U members, Trinity, Radha and Michael Soul, opened the show before headliner Mariah the Scientist took the stage. She performed several original songs, including her latest single “Nice Guy.”
Day 3 (Margery & Scarlett):
The Grammy U 2026 Conference wrapped up with an industry-focused career day where members were able to join workshops, one-on-one mentorship tables, resume and music reviews with music professionals and a networking mixer at the end of the event.
The day began at 11 a.m. with “Royalties 101: How to Collect on Your Catalogue,” led by music industry executive Serona Elton, who broke down the fundamentals of royalties and the importance of artists understanding how to receive revenue on their work.
At 12:15 p.m., “Future Forward: Beyond Grammy U” with Ruby Marchand, the Chief Awards and Global Industry Officer of the Recording Academy, explored opportunities available to members after their time in the program. She encouraged attendees to think long-term about their careers, but always remain passionate.
The afternoon continued with “Work the Room: Professional Presence,” where Jade Walters spoke on networking, personal branding and how to confidently navigate professional spaces post-grad. Walters founded The Ninth Semester, a platform for Gen-Z professionals to connect and learn about the professional space. She emphasized being approachable and ready to connect with anyone who comes your way.
To end the conference, Grammy U hosted a Curated Networking Mixer, in which attendees got the opportunity to connect directly with industry professionals across different spaces in a speed networking format. Music producers, songwriters, and digital editorial professionals spoke to attendees, giving personal advice and allowing attendees to meet and chat, as well.
By the end of the weekend, the conference had created space for emerging music professionals to learn, connect and grow. Through panels, performances and the experience, attendees could leave with inspiration to navigate their own careers.
