El Paso’s very own Khalid named ‘Songwriter of the Year’

HOLLYWOOD, California -- Khalid, Post Malone, and Halsey are the big winners at this year’s BMI Pop Awards.

Khalid and Post Malone took the award for Songwriters of the Year, while Halsey and co-writer Delacey nabbed Song of the Year for “Without Me.”

Since there was no in-person awards show this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, BMI created a page on its website where fans can watch video messages from this year’s winners.

In Khalid’s message, he says, “I wanna give this out to all the Black creators out there, all the Black pop creators out there. Don’t limit yourself to a box. The sky is the limit.”

“It’s a huge honor and I’m so blessed and so lucky to be able to work with super talented people,” Posty says in his video acceptance speech.

Halsey says in her video that “Without Me” changed her life “in ways I could never have imagined.” She goes on to thank Justin Timberlake and the other writers of “Cry Me a River” for letting her interpolate that song’s bridge into her own.

“‘Cry Me a River’ was my favorite break-up song as a child and it helped inspire my new favorite break-up song -- my own! Thank you guys!” she adds.

The BMI Pop Awards also honored the songwriters and publishers of the 50 most-performed pop songs of the previous year, including Ariana Grande's "7 Rings," the Jonas Brothers' "Cool," Sam Smith and Normani's "Dancing with a Stranger," Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes' "Senorita," and more.