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Lido Pimienta's Complicated Life

"I am a complicated person who writes songs. If you’re into complexity and the search for the self, I’m your artist."

 Lido Pimienta's Complicated Life

By External Source

It’s not a secret that my country is in perpetual political turmoil. But never in my 30 years have I ever seen my country so united for such a stupid thing. Left, right, centre, everyone’s saying, ‘They stole the crown from our beautiful queen.’ It got me thinking. Here I am in Canada romanticizing living in Colombia. It’s so easy to be an immigrant, a person involved in activism, to think it’s so much better back home. I started writing this cynical love letter to my country. Canada is also problematic, but it has given me my independence, my son.


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Through all the difficulties, it’s important to understand the complexities of the world, and how the world is not yours if you’re not rich or born a certain way. I am a complicated person who writes songs. If you’re into complexity and the search for the self, I’m your artist.

– Lido Pimienta — a misfit finds a home on stage; Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune

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Shhenseea, MOLIY, Skillibeng and Silent Addy
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Shhenseea, MOLIY, Skillibeng and Silent Addy

Awards

Here’s Why ‘Shake It to the Max’ Was Deemed Ineligible at the 2026 Grammys — And Why Its Label Calls the Decision ‘Devoid of Any Common Sense’

Representatives from the Recording Academy and gamma. CEO Larry Jackson comment on one of this year's most shocking Grammy snubs.

Few phrases define the year in music and culture like Moliy’s scintillating directive to “shake it to the max.” The Ghanaian singer’s sultry voice reverberated across the globe, blending her own Afropop inclinations with Jamaican dancehall-informed production, courtesy of Miami-based duo Silent Addy and Disco Neil. Originally released in December 2024, Moliy’s breakthrough global crossover hit ascended to world domination, peaking at No. 6 on the Global 200, thanks to a remix featuring dancehall superstars Shenseea and Skillibeng. Simply put, “Max” soundtracked a seismic moment in African and Caribbean music in 2025.

Given its blockbuster success, “Shake It to the Max” was widely expected to be a frontrunner in several categories at the 2026 Grammys. In fact, had the song earned a nomination for either best African music performance or best global music performance, many forecasters anticipated a victory. So, when “Shake It to the Max” failed to appear on the final list of 2026 Grammy nominees in any category earlier this month (Nov. 7), listeners across the world were left scratching their heads — none more than gamma. CEO Larry Jackson.

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