����TV����

The nomination recognizes , who served as art director on the album’s striking cover imagery in collaboration with Andrew J.S. Critcheloe’s creative vision played a key role in shaping the visual world of , now nationally recognized for its bold, cinematic aesthetic.

The album cover shoot took place largely in Raytown, Missouri, at the home of a local family whose generosity left a lasting impression on the crew. Joining Critcheloe on the project was an alumni team, including as producer, along with , , and , who supported the production as part of the on-set crew. The group affectionately refers to the three recent graduates as “The Three Musketeers,” a nod to their close collaboration.

Mantia said the shoot took place at a family home provided by a local teacher, who opened her home for the album imagery and two related video shoots over the course of a week.

The cover image was shot on the family’s distinctive patchwork living room floor, a detail that has since traveled far beyond Raytown, appearing in international exhibitions and print publications. “They’re this really queer, creative, wonderful family,” Mantia said. “They opened their home to us in such a big way, and that made the project feel even more special.”

For Mantia, the Grammy nomination represents both a significant achievement and a bit of unexpected joy. “It still feels kind of funny to me. It hasn’t really sunk in yet,” she said.

The project is part of a much longer creative journey, stretching back more than a decade to earlier collaborations on Perfume Genius’s video “,” filmed across Kansas City, from the East Bottoms to local theaters.

Watching that history of collaboration culminate in a Grammy-nominated project has been both surprising and deeply meaningful, Mantia said.

The recognition is a significant accomplishment for all five alumni and a point of pride for the ����TV���� community, showing how creative collaborations formed on campus continue to shape work on a national stage. The 68th Annual Grammy Awards is scheduled for Sunday, February 1, 2026, at 7 p.m. CST.