After an incredibly unusual year, it was reassuring that the Grammys, “Music’s Biggest Night”, was still able to take place: it brought a sense of normalcy and ease that the familiar event was still able to occur, especially since the music industry has taken such a large hit in the past twelve months with concerts (for example) being rightfully cancelled. Many argue that this year’s Grammy event was the best in history: there was barely any audience and it was solely focused on the individual artists’ music, which produced a feeling of intimacy. Here are some key moments from the night in an easy-to-digest manner:
Harry Styles eccentrically kicked off the night singing “Watermelon Sugar”. He brought loads of energy and happiness to the show and wore a full leather suit and feather boa! Harry won Best Pop Solo Performance for this piece and delivered a humble speech.
Billie Eilish and Finneas performed “Everything I Wanted” beautifully. Billie later won Record of the Year for this piece, and she delivered a gracious speech where she claimed that the other artists perhaps deserved it more than she did.
Taylor Swift was one of the night’s biggest success stories: she won Album of the Year for Folklore and became the first woman to win that award three times. This album meant a lot to her because it was so personal, genuine, and experimental. Taylor performed a medley of songs from her two 2020 albums, including “Cardigan,” “August,” and “Willow.” Her breathtaking performance had a cottage and forest-esque background.
Megan Thee Stallion won the award for the Best New Artist and for Best Rap Performance, which she accepted alongside her idol, Beyonce.
Dua Lipa performed two of her songs, “Levitating” and “Don’t Start Now,” and won Best Pop Vocal Album for Future Nostalgia!
H.E.R won Song of the Year for her powerful and emotion-filled single “I Can’t Breathe” which gorgeously echoes the Black Lives Matter movement.
Mickey Guyton performed a beautiful version of “Black Like Me” and was the first Black woman nominated for a solo country Grammy!
BTS performed an extravagant rooftop performance of their number one hit, “Dynamite” which was exploding with joy.
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak debuted a gorgeous Delfonics tribute titled “Leave the Door Open.”
After such a devastating year full of losses, the Grammys chose to approach the In Memoriam tribute in a different sense. Lionel Ritchie honoured his old friend Kenny Rogers by singing “Lady,” Brandi Carlile performed an acoustic version of the late John Prine’s “I Remember Everything,” and Brittany Howard belted a rapturous “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
Overall, the Grammys 2021 was surely one to remember. With the COVID-19 pandemic, many people and organizations have had to learn to be flexible and to engage their creativity: it’s applaudable and inspiring that the Recording Academy was able to execute their event seamlessly during this unprecedented year.
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