The Queens-born R&B/soul singer earns a coveted Vocalist of the Year nomination as her independent career continues to gain national momentum
There are certain moments in an artist’s career that feel bigger than another release, another performance or another line on a résumé. For Bria Cheri, September 20 could be one of those moments.
The New York singer-songwriter has been officially nominated for Vocalist of the Year – R&B/Soul at the 12th Annual Josie Music Awards, taking place September 20, 2026, at Nashville’s legendary Grand Ole Opry House. The official Josie Music Awards nominee list places Cheri alongside Melinda Chervon Ulysses, Tracy Cruz, Nia Renee, Kristen Shores, Shy Perry, Corey Ronell and Mr. Talkbox in the R&B/Soul category.
For an independent artist who has spent years developing her voice, writing her own material and building a career without taking shortcuts, the nomination feels especially significant.
It’s recognition of the thing that has always been at the center of Bria Cheri’s music: her voice.
From Queens to the Grand Ole Opry House
Cheri was born and raised in Jamaica, Queens, New York, where music became part of her life almost immediately. She began playing piano at just three years old after being introduced to the instrument by her mother, eventually expanding her creative world to include singing, songwriting, dancing, acting and radio.
That background matters because Cheri has never approached music as simply someone standing behind a microphone.
She understands songs from the inside out.
Her influences cross R&B, soul, jazz, rock, house and hip-hop, giving her music a broader palette than the traditional boundaries of contemporary R&B might suggest. She has spoken about coming from a musical family and growing up surrounded by different styles and generations of music.
But influences only take an artist so far.
What separates Cheri is the identity she has gradually carved out for herself.
Her voice can be smooth and vulnerable one moment and confident the next. There’s an intimacy to her delivery that works particularly well with songs about relationships, independence, disappointment and knowing when it’s time to move forward.
That last theme has become increasingly important in her recent work.
Building a Catalog One Chapter at a Time
Cheri’s development can be heard across a catalog that shows an artist becoming increasingly comfortable with who she is.
Her earlier projects established her as a songwriter as much as a vocalist. Producer and artist Donnie Klang, known from Making the Band 4 and his association with Bad Boy Records, became an important early collaborator, producing Cheri’s debut EP Before the Music and later Silent Siren, Vol. 1.
Silent Siren offered another glimpse into that evolution. Cheri described the project as coming after a period of personal and musical growth, with the recording process allowing her naturally quiet personality to give way to a more expressive artistic side.
More music followed.
Her Phoenix EP expanded the catalog, while singles including “On 2 the Next” and “Boy Toy” continued moving Cheri forward.
“On 2 the Next” was inspired by the frustrations and complications of modern dating. Cheri explained that she wanted the song to speak to people unwilling to settle for the wrong relationship simply because they wanted to be with someone.
It’s a subject perfectly suited to her musical personality — emotional without becoming helpless, romantic without losing independence.
And she’s continuing to release new material.
Her latest single, “Lie,” arrived May 29, 2026, adding another chapter to a catalog that also includes “Boy Toy,” “On 2 the Next,” “Pumpkin’s Groove,” “Worthy,” “Get It Right” and “Protect My Heart.”
Why This Nomination Matters
The Josie Music Awards occupy an interesting place in the music industry because their focus is on independent artists — musicians building careers outside the machinery traditionally associated with major-label success.
That makes Cheri’s nomination particularly fitting.
Independent artists aren’t waiting for permission anymore.
They can record music, build audiences, create visual identities and reach listeners directly. But that freedom also means doing much of the work themselves. There isn’t necessarily a giant corporation engineering every career move behind the scenes.
Recognition in that world has to be earned differently.
Cheri’s journey has been built over years rather than overnight.
And perhaps that’s why Vocalist of the Year feels like the right category for this particular milestone.
Production trends change. Social platforms change. Algorithms certainly change.
A distinctive voice doesn’t.
The nomination recognizes the instrument Cheri has spent much of her life developing.
Nashville Is the Next Stop
On September 20, Cheri will arrive at one of the most recognizable venues in American music.
The Grand Ole Opry House is synonymous with musical history, but for one night it will become a showcase for the present and future of independent music as nominees from numerous genres gather for the 12th Annual Josie Music Awards.
For Bria Cheri, simply being part of that night marks a considerable achievement.
She isn’t arriving in Nashville because of one viral moment. She’s arriving after years of writing, recording, performing and figuring out exactly what kind of artist she wants to become.
That distinction matters.
Because careers built slowly can sometimes become the careers that last.
Cheri now finds herself at one of those fascinating points where preparation and opportunity begin meeting each other. There’s a growing catalog behind her, new music in front of her and an industry accolade putting her name in front of another audience.
Whether she leaves Nashville holding the award remains to be seen.
But something important has already happened.
Bria Cheri has earned her place in the room.
And on September 20, when some of independent music’s brightest artists gather at the Grand Ole Opry House, this R&B singer from Queens won’t simply be watching the moment.
She’ll be part of it.
