Brandi Trujillo earns top jazz prize Las Vegas Black Music Awards

BRANDI TRUJILLO

Former Charlotte resident Brandi Trujillo earned Jazz Artist of the Year at the annual Las Vegas Black Music Awards for the single "Mr. Godbody."

Brandi Trujillo’s Charlotte roots shaped her art.

Trujillo, stage name “The Goddess,” brings Charlotte to Las Vegas through music, spoken word and mental health advocacy. She credits the Queen City, where she spent more than two decades, with inspiring her work through people, places and experiences.

Trujillo got her start in ceremonial-based healing through sound frequencies and mantras, gathering people to begin their journeys of liberation.

“I was literally in a space of holding space for other people sonically so they can meditate, they can feel these instruments, frequencies, vibrations and tuning balance their body and their energetic body,” she said.

Trujillo credits Charlotte’s people and communities with shaping her work.

“So many people in so many places that have been very impactful in my life,” she said. “I’m grateful to hold their inputs, their legacies, their stories. I feel like I’ve been blessed to learn a lot about different generations, different cultures, different ways of being in this lifetime through the people I’ve met.”

Trujillo relocated to Las Vegas this year, where she continued to develop her creativity. She was nominated in two categories at the 2026 Las Vegas Black Music Awards – Spoken Word Poet of the Year Performance and Jazz Artist of the Year. Trujillo took home the Jazz Artist of the Year award for her single “Mr. Godbody,” which combines storytelling, sensuality and music. She said the inspiration came from a moment in a friendship when she was recognizing intentionality and change.

“It was spring and I was sitting out with a good friend of mine at the time and having real life discussions and later I had a whole download of information and that form just came from my spirit,” Trujillo said.

The move to Las Vegas brought a creative shift for Trujillo, who said she appreciates the city’s artistic and poetry community. She showcased her work at open mic nights and even performed in parking lots while crediting her formative years for preparing her for the city and opportunities that came with it.

“I’m grateful to be in Vegas right now with my consciousness, my awareness, and that early childhood development, because I don’t have the distractions and things that most people have,” she said. “I look at Vegas as like a settlement of work that I came here to experience and relationships that I came here to cultivate, build with, and contribute to.”

Trujillo said she wants to tell stories that remind people of what love really looks like and make music that honors femininity and the human spirit. Her goal is to inspire and bring new narratives to the forefront.
“Usually when you want to see something that's not in reality, in abundance, that means you’re supposed to move your feet towards it,” she said. “I’ve been really feeling that call and that push to become more of a visual storyteller as well, and tell love stories, and tell stories that honor how intuitive and beautiful and brilliant Indigenous people are all over the world. When we stand in our gifts, skills, and talents, we inspire other people to do it.” 

Alongside storytelling, Trujillo was also recently crowned Miss Bharat Worldwide 2026 at the Live in Triumph pageant. During her yearlong reign, she’ll focus on mental health awareness, suicide prevention and community service.

“I want to use this platform this year to demonstrate a holistic lens and approach to demonstrate what empathy and care looks like and move our feet and our awareness from the models that we know don’t work,” she said.

Trujillo is continuing the work of Miss Bharat title while growing BRYCELY, her company focused on cultural experiences and connection. Her goal is to create experiences that bring people together.

“When it comes down to it, whatever inspired me and moved me, whatever I am being blessed to experience, I want to share because I think it will make a meaning or impact or tell a great story, remind people of how powerful they are in choosing their art forms,” she said.

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