What You Should Know About Best New Artist Grammy Winner Esperanza Spalding

If you were watching the Grammys Sunday night you know you witnessed one of the biggest upsets in Grammy history in the Best New Artist category that left millions of viewers asking, "Who?"

With an all-star list of nominees like rapper Drake, British Top 40 darlings Florence and the Machine and Mumford and Sons, teen heart throb Justin Bieber and jazz songstress Esperanza Spalding. Before last night Esperanza Spalding was known for playing to some of the biggest names in Hollywood and Politics, including President Barack Obama during his Nobel Peace Prize celebration.

This morning though, everyone around the world knew Esperanza's name, and the controversy that surrounds her stunning win for Best New Artist. What is usually a category filled with stunning upsets, what sets this win apart from the rest was the immediate backlash against Spalding from Justin Bieber's "Bieleber" fans.

Esperanza Spalding's Wikipedia page was defaced and at one point completely re-written. Her Facebook and Twitter account's were filled with hateful messages and angry tirades from fans left asking, "Who is Esperanza Spalding?"

The following are a few things you should know about this amazing jazz songstress that will hopefully help you better understand who she is and answer your question of who she is.

What You Should Know:

Esperanza Spalding is a 26-year-old musical prodigy who hails from Portland, Oregon. She taught herself to play the violin at the age of four and joined the prestigious Chamber Music Society of Oregon the next year. Already a big feat for a young girl destined to one day win the Best New Artist Grammy.

Spalding is of African-American, Welsh and Spanish ancestry.

She can list not only Barack Obama and his wife Michelle as fans, she has also performed, "If I Was Your Girlfriend" for Prince at the BET Awards in 2010. She has performed several times for the President and his family and is one of the big names in Washington, including performing at the John F Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts.

Spalding isn't just a gifted singer and violinist, she has played the guitar, oboe, clarinet and is proficient on the double bass. In 2004 at the age of 20 Spalding became the youngest faculty member at the Berkley College of Music in the college's history.

While Esperanza is a darling among big names in Hollywood, she doesn't like to conform to the Hollywood style or attitude. Passing on celebrity stylists for vintage fashions, Spalding enjoys clothing free of trends and has a style compared to Eartha Kitt and Ella Fitzgerald.

The critics love her with USA Today calling her, "eclectic and charming," while People Magazine said, "Her soulful songs and masterful bass playing have made Esperanza Spalding a rising star."

She's been around for a few years. Esperanza Spalding debuted in 2006 with her album, "Junjo" and followed it up with, "Esperanza" in 2008. "Esperanza" spent a record 70 weeks on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart. Her album that took her to the top spot at the Grammys, "Chamber Music Society," went to #1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart soon after its release. She is also a big name on the Jazz Festival circuit.

She gives credit to fellow artist Alicia Keys for giving her the inspiration to become a top selling artist. Keys, winner of the 2002 Best New Artist Grammy, went on to enjoy a career working with artists such as Usher and Jay-Z.

Esperanza's future is bright, and while many of Bieber's fans are angry over him losing the New Artist Grammy, the negative backlash can only serve to help this amazing singer become a huge star outside of the Jazz circle.