SESAC celebrated the songwriters and publishers of the past year’s top songs on Tuesday (Sept. 22), with an invitation-only dinner in Malibu.
Honorees included Dahi (“Love Me Not” recorded by Ravyn Lenae), Dixson (“Folded” recorded by Kehlani), Burna Boy (“WGFT” recorded by Gunna feat. Burna Boy), Ariana Grande (her own hit “Twilight Zone”) and Gregory Curtis (“Typa” recorded by GloRilla).
Dixson won a Grammy for best R&B song on Feb. 1 as a co-writer of “Folded.” He co-wrote the song with Kehlani, Andre Harris, Donovan Knight, Don Mills, Khristopher Riddick-Tynes, Dawit Kamal Wilson. Kehlani won a second Grammy that night for best R&B solo performance for the song, which reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Lenae’s “Love Me Not” climbed even higher on the Hot 100 (No. 5), though it didn’t receive Grammy recognition. Gunna feat. Burna Boy’s “WGFT” and Grande’s “Twilight Zone” also made the top 20 on Billboard’s flagship songs chart. GloRilla’s “Typa” reached No. 42.
“The success of every hit song begins with a great creator,” Sam Kling, chief creative officer, SESAC, said in a statement. “This year, we aspired to create an experience that was as exceptional as creative talent we are honoring. Bringing together an exclusive group of industry-leading songwriters, publishers, artists, and executives for a waterfront celebration in Malibu allowed us to recognize the year’s most successful songs in a way that was both personal and unforgettable.”
SESAC Performing Rights is a division of SESAC Music Group, a global multi-line music company.
