Emily Black’s Grammy nomination provided an invitation for a night of glamour among music’s most celebrated performers.
For the true artist, the creation process itself is the driving force. It’s all about the need to bring something new into the world. It’s internal. It’s visceral. It isn’t about the spotlight or recognition. The work is the reward.
Of course, if a Grammy nomination happens to come calling, one might take just a few moments to revel in a little bit of applause for a job well done. And partying with some of the music industry’s biggest stars doesn’t hurt either.
Such was the experience for Paducah vocal artist Emily Black when, back in February, she traveled to Los Angeles to celebrate one of music’s biggest nights and be honored for her Grammy nomination (her third).
The recognition comes from her work with Conspirare (Latin for “to breathe together”), an Austin, Texas-based Grammy-winning choir and nonprofit performing arts and music education organization that believes in the power of music to change lives, inspire peace, and foster belonging.
Emily had followed Conspirare since her days in college, admiring the group that had become one of the most well-known professional choirs in the United States. Through a composer she worked with, her name was floated as a possible addition. Emily received a call in 2022, asking if she’d like to be a part of a project called House of Belonging.
“That was my first Grammy nomination with them,” says Emily. “I had one other Grammy nomination before that with the Saint Tikhon choir. Those were the COVID Grammys. It was mostly all online, so obviously I didn’t get to go.”
When House of Belonging received a nomination, Emily’s son was still very young, so she decided to stay home and forgo the ceremony. Two nominations, zero red carpet moments.
For many artists, just being nominated once is a lifetime achievement. Even though Emily had received two nods, it seemed inevitable that there would be more, and eventually, she’d get to attend a ceremony in all of its opulence.
Then, Conspirare went back into the studio for their 2025 release advena: liturgies for a broken world. “The album reimagines traditional choral forms like the Mass and Requiem,” says Emily, “exploring themes of exile, identity, and the impact of strict religious upbringings. It also reflects on immigration and displacement, topics that feel very relevant today.”
The album’s impact and connection to audiences were undeniable. Inevitably, another Grammy nomination came knocking. This time, Emily knew she had to make the trip to Los Angeles for the ceremony with her husband Fowler.
“It was too cool of an opportunity to pass up,” she says. “It’s pretty wild. I kept using the word surreal. For Best Choral Performance, which is one of the more niche categories, the ceremony takes place in the afternoon. That’s when they recognize categories like Jazz, or Opera, or American Roots, or Orchestral. We went to the Peacock Theater for that, and it lasted almost four hours. There were a lot of cool performances. The Recording Academy does a good job of honoring these artists. The Premiere Ceremony didn’t feel secondary—it felt meaningful and intentional, with a lot of focus on why art matters.
“Then we went across the way to the Crypto.com arena to where the main show is held, the one that is aired on TV. It was amazing to experience the smorgasbord of all of the best artists of our time. It was also surprisingly humanizing. You’re in this huge room with incredibly famous people, but they’re just people, making their art. I also found the speeches really inspiring.”
Emily found the production of the show rather amazing, from three performance stages that featured artists such as Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga, and Justin Bieber, with each one being prepared as another was being used. There were strictly timed commercial breaks with countdown clocks indicating when audience members needed to return to their seats. And when it came to food, it was just typical arena fare.
“The concessions were basically what you’d find at a sporting event—hot dogs and nachos,” laughs Emily. “It was funny seeing people in formal gowns eating stadium food. I was like this is weird.”
While celebrities were everywhere, Emily says she only had one real encounter. “After the ceremony, we were outside trying to find our Uber. We ended up passing Jamie Foxx, who was just walking down the street. He made eye contact, nodded, and I said, ‘Congratulations.’ We also saw Lisa Loeb nearby. She walked up and spoke to him. It was surreal seeing both of them just out on the street like that. There were all these black SUVs lined up with dark-tinted windows, clearly for the biggest celebrities.”
The entire day was nine hours plus, but Emily felt that every moment was worthwhile. While it is a show about awards, for those involved, it kept coming back to their art, which made the whole day possible. For Emily, it was a true celebration of bringing music to life, and the day was simply a reflection of long hours and tons of work behind the scenes.
And even though Conspirare didn’t walk away with the win, it will not be surprising to see the group, along with Emily, back at the Grammys again. “Right before the Grammys, we recorded a brand-new piece that had been in development for about six years by composer Joby Talbot,” says Emily. “He’s a British composer known for orchestral works, ballet, and film scores, but also for choral music.
“His first major choral work, Path of Miracles, made a huge impact in the choral world. This new piece is called Piedra de Sol, based on a long poem by Octavio Paz. We recorded it, and it’s a big deal. They’re hoping to release the album in late summer so it qualifies for next year’s Grammy cycle.” And whether or not that call comes again, the work and the life-changing connection from artists to audiences—the real reward—continues.
For more information on Conspirare, visit conspirare.org. And for more info on Emily, including her Paducah-based vocal training business, visit emilyyocumblack.com.
