LOS ANGELES – Black Pumas, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, Maggie Rogers, Rosalia, Tank and the Bangas and Yola are the nominees for the best new artist category of the Grammy Awards.

The 62nd edition of the awards will be held in Los Angeles on 26 January, with singer Alicia Keys presenting the ceremony for the second consecutive year.

Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X dominate this year’s nominations.

Lizzo, the pop and R&B star who burst onto the world stage this year as a champion of the body-positive movement, has been nominated for eight awards, including best new artist, song of the year, record of the year and best pop solo performance.

She made the charts with hits like Juice and Truth Hurts, and her album Cuz I Love You has been nominated for album of the year.

Eilish, best known for her debut single Ocean Eyes, and rapper Lil Nas X both won big with six nominations each.

The 20-year-old hip hop artist took to Twitter to express his amazement at being nominated.

He has been nominated for the record of the year award for Old Town Road, a remix that features country star Billy Ray Cyrus, as well as album of the year for 7.

Ariana Grande received five nominations for record of the year with 7 Rings, and album of the year with Thank U, Next.

Spanish flamenco fusion newcomer Rosalia was nominated for the best new artist, best Latin rock, urban contemporary album for her debut album El Mal Querer.

Michelle Obama is competing in the best spoken word album category for Becoming.

The former first lady’s memoir will be up against the Beastie Boys.

In 2018, the awards increased the number of nominees in the two categories from five to eight.

This year’s nominations have allowed for more diversity as a result after the Recording Academy came under fire amid claims there was not an appropriate representation of women among the winners.

According to statista, 93.4 percent of nominees for the 2019 Album of the Year were men, 91.8 percent for record of the year were male, and 41.1 percent of nominees for best new artist were women.