A rising Houston star will represent Houston at this weekend's Grammy festivities in Los Angeles — but not in music. Khaliah O. Guillory, founder and CEO of Nap Bar, an immersive relaxation experience available now a mobile pop-up format, will be part of the Grammy Gift Lounge.
She will also provide a Better Sleep Box for the iconic Grammy swag bag given to performers, presenters, and executives.
That means Grammy VIPs — including Billie Eilish, Burna Boy, Dua Lipa, Luke Combs, Olivia Rodrigo, Travis Scott, and returning host Trevor Noah — will get a chance to experience Nap Bar's MetaSnooze Virtual Reality Experience. The relaxation experience will transport them to calming environments and provide a break from the Grammy festivities.
The MetaSnooze Virtual Reality Experience transports users to a calming environment for rest and relaxation. Photo courtesy of Nap Bar
Guillory says she is excited for all the performers to come through the Gift Lounge, but hopes to meet JayZ. "I am not sure if he will be here because the gifting lounge is only for the performers, presenters, and executives," she tells CultureMap. "To be honest with you, I am just excited to share and expose Nap Bar and our MetaSnooze Virtual Reality Experience with everyone. This is a rigorous industry, and they need to be rested and recharged so they can provide the heartbeat of the world, which is music."
Nap Bar's Better Sleep Box, part of the Grammy gift bags, includes a soy-based candle, vegan pillow mist, a blackout sleep mask, and downloadable Theta Brain Wave sounds. Lash Fary, founder of Distinctive Assets, has assembled the Grammy swag bags for 25 years.
This year, many brands in the gift bags — valued at $36,000 — are female-owned, minority-owned, or family-owned businesses, according to Lash Fary, founder of Distinctive Assets, who has assembled the Grammy swag bags for 25 years.
"When you think about the gender and pay gap, especially with women and women of color, I think this is a way to make it an equitable experience for all. It is also a way to give minority businesses brand exposure in a completely different way," says Guillory.
Nap Bar's Better Sleep Box includes a soy based candle, sleep mask, pillow mist and downloadable Theta brainwave sounds. Photo courtesy of Nap Bar
When Guillory started Nap Bar in 2019, she knew it would be successful — but never set her sights on the Grammys. The business owner credits meditation and manifestation for her continued success and says the road to the Grammys has sometimes been challenging.
It all began with a chance encounter with a music executive at South by Southwest in 2022. After many introductions, fundraising, and hard work, the entrepreneur's dreams are finally coming to fruition in 2024.
As for her Grammy showcase, a mail delay almost derailed the brand's Grammy chances, but after United Airlines stepped in, Guillory and her team made it to Los Angeles this week with all of their products. "I won't feel relaxed until I am back in Houston and everything is said and done," she says. But I am so excited; this experience will catapult Nap Bar to a completely different level. It is going to be amazing – I can just feel it."
