A LITTLE GRAMMY RECAP
As the first month of this new year comes to a close, I thought what a better way to jump back in than with a little recap of the GRAMMYs. This past Sunday night, the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards attracted a star-studded red carpet, with artists anticipating who will take home some of the industry’s most coveted awards that night.
The show opened with Kendrick Lamar’s XXX, an unapologetic critique of American patriotism. With the American flag behind him, and marching soldiers in camouflage and ski masks surrounding him, he says the words, “America, God bless it if it’s good to you.” The most memorable moment is when the soldiers discreetly turn into red-hooded figures and one by one, each fell with a rhythmic gunshot and flames behind them. Lamar has always been one for politically charged music and he was not afraid to make his political commentary known through his artistry that night. Dave Chappelle interrupted with a chilling statement, “The only thing more frightening than watching a black man be honest in America is being an honest black man in America.” Lamar later accepts the award for Best Rap Album, making sure to give Jay-Z props and endorsing him for president.
Cardi B made her GRAMMY debut with the leader of the evening, Bruno Mars, who took home six GRAMMYs, three of which are the most sought-after—Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year. The duo gave us “In Living Color” vibes with “Finesse” and even threw in a little “Bartier Cardi” in the performance. All was well and it was, of course, a crowd favorite. Cardi’s big moment was from the red carpet where she talked about feeling butterflies about the evening and joining in a bit about Donald Trump. All in all, the loved hip-hop star was well-received and made her mark.
The #metoo movement was alive and well as performers arrived for the show, wearing or carrying a white rose, joining in solidarity to support the movements against sexual harassment and inequality. Although it was not my favorite performance, Kesha delivered a heartfelt performance of “Praying,” surrounding by a choir of women dressed in all white. Some notable artists who joined Kesha include Cyndi Lauper, Camila Cabello, Julia Michaels, Andra Day, and Bebe Rexha. In my opinion, this performance was not Kesha’s best, but it was raw, wrenching, and necessary in the current social climate.
Another great moment was SZA’s performance of “Broken Clocks.” Although she didn’t walk away with a GRAMMY, she was the only nominee for Best New Artist who had the opportunity to perform her entire song on her own that night. SZA’s “Broken Clocks” was full of pure passion and a vibe that let the audience know she can stand her own. That night, Camila Cabello also spoke up for dreamers in a sincere message, Childish Gambino took a stake with “Redbone,” and was joined by J.D. McCrary, who was strong, poised, and didn’t miss a note. J.D. McCrary is set to play the role of young Simba in the upcoming live-action film, “Lion King.” During the night, Sam Smith gave a little gospel, which is almost never represented at the GRAMMYs, and Rihanna let us know she was having the most fun during “Wild Thoughts” with DJ Khaled. I was very disappointed with the song choice for the tribute to the Las Vegas victims. The cover of Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven” was a very somber moment that evening, but slightly confusing.
The show, for the most part, was good and had some very great moments. As the industry continues to transform and move forward, will there be changes in how awards are given? We are inundated with music now more than ever as more music seems to be made with every passing moment. Great talents go unnoticed everyday, a barrier we are all trying to break through. Alessia Cara spoke to this exact idea when she accepted her award for Best New Artist, and emphasized that there is great talent out there that is unacknowledged due to many different variables like “popularity” or “numbers games.”
“Everyone deserves a shot.” –Alessia Cara
As always,
TMARC ♠️
