Get ready for an exciting journey into the world of music and mentorship! The GRAMMY U Mentorship Program, presented by Amazon Music, is back with its biggest cohort ever, and it's packed with exciting new features. This year, the program introduces a phase-based structure, an additional career track, and enhanced virtual programming, making it an even more valuable experience for aspiring music industry professionals.
Last month, GRAMMY U brought together current and future leaders of the global music industry with the launch of the 2025-2026 Mentorship Program. With over a thousand rising stars participating, the program aims to nurture and guide the careers of these talented individuals. The program's evolution includes structured phases, curated virtual sessions, and guest lectures, providing a well-rounded and supportive environment for professional growth.
The program matches eligible GRAMMY U members with experienced Recording Academy members for a six-month mentorship journey. During this time, mentors and mentees collaborate to set professional goals, engage in meaningful discussions about career development, and build valuable industry connections. While the minimum requirement is three meetings, many pairs choose to connect more frequently, often forming lasting relationships that extend beyond the program's official end. Some mentees have even landed their first industry jobs through these connections!
Amazon Music, a long-time supporter of GRAMMY U, has stepped up its involvement as an official presenting sponsor. This partnership brings additional resources, such as educational panels and site tours, to the program. Amazon Music executives will also participate as guest speakers during the virtual programming, offering their expertise and insights. Additionally, Amazon Music will continue its popular networking events, bringing industry professionals and GRAMMY U members together throughout the year.
This year's cohort is the largest in the program's history, with nearly 1,200 pairs participating globally. The mentors, consisting of over 1,000 Recording Academy members, represent various focal points of the industry across six tracks: Producing & Engineering, Performance, Songwriting & Composition, Content Creation & Marketing, Music Business, and the newly added Entertainment Law.
Mentees are pursuing diverse career paths, from traditional roles like artist management and songwriting to emerging fields such as freelance DJing, content creation, music tech, and tour production. With almost 250 non-student members paired, the program emphasizes that a music industry career can take many forms, and mentorship can significantly enhance opportunities and success.
The 2025-2026 cohort is diverse, representing 41 U.S. states and nearly 400 colleges and universities. The program's global reach includes 20 international pairings from countries like Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Romania, Spain, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
Romanian mentee Andreea Dascalu, a returning participant, shares her enthusiasm: "I cannot say enough good things about the GRAMMY U Mentorship Program. This time, I was paired with Adaoha Njemanze, a PR professional based in Lagos, Nigeria. Our first meeting was incredible, and I know I have so much to learn from her, especially when it comes to promoting artists in today's competitive market."
This year's program features an impressive lineup of industry professionals. Meka Nism, a returning mentor and GRAMMY-nominated artist, is paired with Angelina Mack, a student at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music. They will focus on the artist relations industry within the Recording Academy's Florida Chapter. Michael Kauffman, a member of the New York Chapter and executive director of the Clio Awards music program, will work with mentee Kendry Hilario to explore marketing and content creation.
Within the Performance track, singer-songwriter Soleil joins as a mentor, offering mentee Santiago Bolanos the opportunity to experience performance opportunities and studio sessions. In the Songwriters & Composers track, Laurin Talese, a songwriter and composer, will mentor Alanna Bell, a music industry student at Drexel University. This track focuses on the artistic side of the industry, providing writing, performing, and recording opportunities.
Mentors and mentees collaborate in various ways throughout the program. Past experiences include producers bringing their mentees to live recording sessions and even producing singles together. Songwriters have co-written projects with their mentees, and some have continued working together after the program's conclusion. Kennard Garrett, a returning mentor and producer, songwriter, arranger, and music executive, shares his experience: "Being a mentor in the past was great. I was able to guide a young producer and provide a sounding board for their career ideas. Conversely, I learned so much from my mentee, making the experience equally beneficial and fulfilling."
The Mentorship Program also covers newer, high-demand niche fields within the music industry. Naledi Nyahuma, vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion at The Orchard, reflects on the program's impact: "The music industry is a small community at heart, despite its size. With diverse voices and overlapping paths, it can be challenging to navigate alone. Mentorship provides essential support, and within the Academy, it helps creatives develop both artistically and professionally."
One of the most notable changes this year is the implementation of a three-phase structure. This guided approach offers benchmarks and supports the intentional progression of mentorship pairs throughout the program period.
The three phases are:
- Connect: Relationship building, goal setting, and establishing expectations for the pair.
- Cultivate: Focused on growth, skill-building, and professional direction. Conversations may include expanding industry knowledge, building confidence, adjusting artistic materials, and gaining experience through mock interviews or shadowing.
- Conquer: Encouraging discussions about career growth and enhancement as the final phase.
In the Connect phase, pairs set up their initial meetings and establish goals for the program. They share their backgrounds and together define the mentee's desired outcome by the end of the program.
During the Cultivate phase, from February to March, pairs continue to meet and collaborate. This phase emphasizes skill development and professional guidance. Conversations may include expanding industry knowledge, building confidence, adjusting artistic materials, and gaining experience through mock interviews or shadowing. Pairs may also collaborate on creative sessions, recordings, co-writes, performance opportunities, résumé building, networking, and more.
The final phase, Conquer, runs through May and ideally extends beyond the program's end. Pairs use their last meetings to refine résumés, discuss job or internship opportunities, evaluate the mentee's professional presence, and plan their next steps. Many pairs also discuss maintaining contact, fostering professional relationships that last long after the program concludes.
In addition to the three-phase structure, the GRAMMY U Mentorship Program introduces a new virtual curriculum for mentees, creating an academic-style learning environment. The enhanced curriculum features virtual programs highlighting industry-relevant skills through Core Curriculum courses and guest lectures from professionals across the six tracks. These additional virtual programs provide meaningful ways to expand mentees' knowledge and offer additional touchpoints throughout the six-month program.
The new core curriculum, taught by Recording Academy staff, covers foundational topics important to emerging music industry professionals, such as social media, communications and publicity, advocacy, partnerships, and entertainment law. Each session equips mentees with practical tools they can apply daily, regardless of their desired industry path.
Guest lectures feature top industry creators and professionals from all mentorship tracks. Mentees have the opportunity to learn from professionals beyond their assigned mentor, exploring new career pathways and emerging trends in their field.
This year's program offers a comprehensive experience, from Amazon Music office tours to virtual programs. While applications for the current cycle are closed, the GRAMMY U Mentorship Program runs annually from November to May. Applications for the 2026-2027 program will open in fall 2026. Prospective participants must be active GRAMMY U members to apply as mentees, and industry professionals must be active Voting or Professional Members of the Recording Academy to apply as mentors.
Stay connected with GRAMMY U through their Instagram and TikTok channels for regular updates, stories, and announcements from this year's program.
In other music news, the Recording Academy has announced the 2026 Special Merit Award honorees, including Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan, Cher, Fela Kuti, Paul Simon, Whitney Houston, and more. These awards will be presented during Grammy Week 2026, leading up to the 2026 Grammys.
The 2026 Grammys will take place on Sunday, February 1, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, broadcast live on CBS and streamed live and on-demand on Paramount+. The Special Merit Awards Ceremony will celebrate the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award, and Technical Grammy Award recipients on Saturday, January 31, 2026.
The Recording Academy's Black Music Collective will host the fourth annual Recording Academy Honors during Grammy Week 2026, honoring Pharrell Williams with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award and Brandy and Kirk Franklin with the Black Music Icon Award. The event will take place on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
Williams, a 13-time GRAMMY Award winner and Academy Award nominee, is recognized for his musical achievements, entrepreneurial innovation, philanthropic efforts, and global cultural influence. Brandy, a multi-platinum, GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, and actress, is celebrated for her influential career in pop music. Franklin, a 20-time GRAMMY Award-winning artist, songwriter, and producer, has redefined contemporary gospel music for over three decades.
The 2026 GRAMMYS will introduce several updates designed to strengthen the annual GRAMMY Awards process and broaden representation across the music community. These updates include the addition of two new GRAMMY Categories: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover.
The Recording Academy will also celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Producers & Engineers Wing during Grammy Week 2026, honoring five-time GRAMMY winner Jimmy "The Senator" Douglass. The celebration will take place on Wednesday, January 28, in Los Angeles, days ahead of the 2026 GRAMMYS.
Douglass, a legendary recording engineer and record producer, has been a prolific force in the industry for over four decades. His work with artists like Aretha Franklin, Foreigner, John Legend, and The Rolling Stones, as well as his collaborations with Timbaland, has left an indelible mark on the music landscape.
Stay tuned for more updates and exciting news from the world of music and the GRAMMYs!
