Esa-Pekka Salonen, MD$, Danitello and more nominated for 2026 Grammies
The 2026 Grammy nominations feature Finnish artists from the classical world, the hip hop and R&B scene, and contemporary instrumental music. In the classical and contemporary genre, Esa-Pekka Salonen earned a nomination for Best Orchestral Performance, while hip hop producers MD$ and Danitello received recognition from the Recording Academy for their work on Burna Boy’s latest album. Also, producer Jonas W. Karlsson received a nomination in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category.
Hip hop producers MD$ (Santeri Kauppinen) and Danitello (Daniel Okas) are celebrating their third consecutive year of Grammy recognition alongside Burna Boy, as the Nigerian Afrobeats icon’s eighth album, No Sign of Weakness, earns a nomination for "Best Global Music Album". The two Finnish producers worked on Burna Boy's album track Empty Chairs, which featured the Rolling Stones' legendary lead singer, Mick Jagger, on vocals.
Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen is also nominated again in the Grammys. His nomination is in the "Best Orchestral Performance" category, for Stravinsky's Symphony In Three Movements performed by the San Francisco Symphony. Previously, Esa-Pekka Salonen has received a Grammy in 2009 for the "Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance" with Hilary Hahn and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, as well as “Best Opera Recording” for the recording of Kaija Saariaho's opera Adriana Mater, performed by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra last year. Scroll down to hear the album on Spotify or Apple Music.
Music producer Jonas W. Karlsson was nominated in the "Best Contemporary Instrumental Album" category for his work on the electroacoustic string duo Arkai's debut album "Brightside" (listen on Spotify or Apple Music). Karlsson has won a Grammy for "Best R&B Album" for his work on John Legend’s “Bigger Love” record in 2020.
View the full Grammy 2026 nominations list here.
Read more about MD$ in our feature article.