Just when you thought it was safe to watch the Grammys and have it remain untarnished by my wrath- you were wrong!
The 61st Annual Grammy Awards were a sight to behold. The line up was huge, a Dolly Parton and Aretha Franklin tribute, Lady Gaga singing Shallow live for the first time on television and unsuspecting artists forming duos.
After last year's admittedly lacklustre show, the Grammys shook up the hosting duties and the format and it ultimately paid dividends. Saying goodbye to James Corden as host was the Grammys' first step in the right direction. The show didn't need to be about humour or making statements, it needed to get back to its roots- celebrating music.
With Alicia Keys as host it took away the expectation of comedy, allowing for conversations about the power of music to shine through. There were no stunts or outright displays of trying to be political, everyone who featured in the show tonight was there to celebrate their craft on music's biggest night. Something that I wish the other awards shows would take into account when planning their next shows.
The program, while long, didn't make watching feel like a laborious task, but rather a showcase of what music has to offer, as well as a look into the past with tributes to Dolly Parton and Motown, which served to highlight how far music has come while also honouring those who paved the way. The future was also clearly on the minds of the Recording Academy who had an array of up and coming talent perform to thunderous applause from the audience.
While the Grammys took the first steps into a new (and ultimately right) direction, in amongst the moments of triumph were instances of sheer wtf factor. So, naturally I had to dissect the 5 oh my god yes! and 5 oh my god no! moments from the Grammy Awards.
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Let's start with the positives, because on music's biggest night there was a lot to like about the show. The number of awards given out during the live telecast was cut down so that the show felt more like one long concert with a series of interludes rather than a clean cut awards ceremony. The mood was uplifting and celebratory and it served to remind people who take music for granted, just how powerful the written word can be when accompanied by a series of notes.
1. Shallow winning Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Lady Gaga accepting the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for Shallow
Source: Entertainment Tonight
While I am sure that you may have had enough of me going on and on about A Star Is Born, it would be remiss of me to exclude this moment from this particular list, so hear me out for a second. Shallow will go down as the song of a generation. It is an absolute anthem that will feature on teen's playlists when I am well into my 50s. The song itself is a deep and raw exploration into the human condition with a catchy chorus and stunning vocals from Lady Gaga. But winning the Grammy was so much more than just that, it was also recognition for what that song has done for pop music.
And don't get me started on what a poignant and incredibly important acceptance speech Gaga gave because I might not be able to stop.
However, much like Carrie Bradshaw, I couldn't help but wonder, is Shallow's loss in the major categories of Record and Song of the Year a foreshadowing for what is to come at the Oscars? The Oscars have long had the reputation of rewarding works charged with a political message and Shallow's loss to Childish Gambino's This Is America at the Grammys could also fall under the banner of a great piece of work losing out to a song that addressed America's current political and social climate. Anyway, just a thought.
2. Dolly Parton tribute
Dolly Parton singing Here You Come Again alongside Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves
Source: Variety
The Queen of Country was honoured at the Grammy Awards with vocal tributes from her goddaughter Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Little Big Town to name a few. The tribute was a great way to salute an icon, pay homage to the past and thank Dolly for the legacy she has created and for all the fine songs she has given to music lovers the world over. Plus, something most music lovers can agree on is the fact that merely hearing the first few chords of the song Jolene has the ability to turn anyone into a country music lover.
Although I do have to question Katy Perry's appearance in this tribute. Katy is a great artist but she certainly doesn't fit the country vibe. It makes you wonder if the producers of this show forgot about a certain other pop sensation that heralded from country roots?
3. Jennifer Lopez's Motown Tribute
Jennifer Lopez giving her all during the Motown tribute
Source: The Mirror
Seriously, is there anything JLo can't do? While the choice to have Motown honoured by pop goddess JLo was a bit outlandish for some, it fed into the narrative that this year's Grammys was trying to create- the notion that music is such a diverse medium that can be enjoyed and performed by everyone from every walk of life. Music's power often transcends genre and time and having someone so closely affiliated with pop and dance music pay tribute to Motown hits served as a further way to drive that message home.
4. Drake's speech
Drake speaking from the heart as he accepted his Grammy Award
Source: Variety
In accepting his Grammy, Drake made an incredibly thought provoking and touching speech. He touched on the overly opinionated side of the industry before telling other artists in the room that the sheer fact that people come out rain, hail or shine to see them perform means more than whether or not your song or album is hailed the best one of that year. While the Grammys is an awards night, it was a nice reminder to the nominees that winning is only the cherry on top of an already incredibly big cake.
5. "Happy Birthday to me"
Diana Ross during her larger than life tribute... to herself!
Source: Billboard
What a legend. Not only did Diana Ross nail her medley of songs, she also stole the whole show simply by wishing herself a very happy birthday- which is still a month away. While the celebration was premature, the Grammy's decision to honour Diana tonight was a nice change to only seeing older musicians being celebrated when they pass away. Hearing Diana perform songs from her far-reaching catalogue was a treat for the audience.
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Now onto the moments that induced confusion and anger.
1. Aretha Franklin tribute
The Grammys' pay homage to the Queen of Soul
Source: Perez Hilton
Before the tribute to Aretha Franklin, the Grammys aired their 'In Memoriam' segment. Underneath Aretha's name was the label 'The Queen of Soul.' Fade to black, and pictures of Aretha fill the backing screens and three ladies break out into a rendition of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.
And you know who the Grammys employed for this tribute? Three relative nobodies. They gave Aretha the label of Queen of Soul but couldn't honour her iconic legacy with actual star power? Where was Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson, Gladys Knight, even Dionne Warwick (who was in the audience) would have been a better fit. While the three ladies who did perform the tribute did a lovely job, the lack of star power for Queen Aretha almost felt a little disrespectful.
2. Ariana Grande's no show
Ariana was a notable no show at this year's Grammy Awards and the producers only had themselves to blame
Source: CNN
Arguably one of the biggest solo artists at the moment, Grande was noticeably absent from music's biggest night. This all stems down to the fact that Grande wanted to perform her latest hit 7 rings, but the recording academy had other ideas. They thought they reached a compromise by allowing Ariana to perform the song... if they were allowed to pick the other songs she performed. Ultimately Grande decided to not only cut her performance, but not attend the night altogether.
The rumour mill went into overdrive and the Grammys' producer had to release a statement that suggested that Grande didn't have enough time to pull a performance together- something that Ariana denies.
Moving aside from the rumours, the fact that Ariana Grande was missing from tonight's proceedings shows a huge misstep from the recording academy. They should have been begging Ariana to perform her recent mega hits, not dictating terms, showing that while the Grammys set off down the right path, there were a few hiccups along the way.
3. Live performance of Shallow
Gaga exuding Lady Gaga vibes during her performance of Shallow
Source: Entertainment Tonight
As each performer stood on the stage singing their hearts out, I couldn't help but say thank you, next, simply because I was so excited to see Lady Gaga perform Shallow live on television. Lyrically and vocally it is demanding and I was so excited to hear those notes and THAT scream executed to perfection live and in a room full of music's biggest stars.
Instead, what the audience received was Lady Gaga's rendition of Shallow. And while that might not make sense, humour me for a little bit.
Shallow is Ally and Jackson's song, because after all they perform it in a movie. Now, out of context of the movie, we could have had Lady Gaga pretending to be Ally in order to sing this song with the proper context and gusto that it requires. However, the version of Shallow showcased at the Grammys was instead Gaga's reminder that while she can act, at the end of the day she is still Lady Gaga, a musician who ad libs and has a penchant for screaming lyrics.
This version was instead Lady Gaga who was portraying Ally who in turn was playing Lady Gaga, as one Twitter user so thoughtfully put it. Put simply, it felt like watching Ally singing Shallow once she was offered a record deal and coloured her hair. The performance was different and a touch jarring and quite shallow but it had the potential to be an incredible first television performance of a very good song.
4. Beyonce are you there?
Not even the Louvre was enough to score Bey and Jay some Grammys love
Source: YouTube
If I was Beyonce I wouldn't have attended the Grammys either. Seriously though, what does Bey have to do to earn more love from the Grammys? Ape S*i* is not only a great song and duet between Beyonce and Jay Z, it was also accompanied by one of the best music videos in the last ten years. Despite all this, Bey and Jay weren't nominated in the major categories for Record and Song of the Year.
To add further insult to injury, Beyonce, arguably one of the best artists of all time has never won an Album of the Year Grammy, but a relatively unknown country music singer by the name of Kacey Musgraves has? Colour me confused. I don't understand why Beyonce isn't celebrated more by the Grammys when her music has defined a generation.
5. Record of the Year
Childish Gambino in a still from his highly controversial This Is America music video
Source: Observer
The Record of the Year honour went to Childish Gambino's This Is America. As a song, judged solely on the merits of the lyrics and the composition, it's underserving of such an accolade.
It is only when viewed in conjunction with the film clip that this song earns its merits. However, this was not an award for a music video. Sometimes the winners of these awards never make sense to me. In a category with I Like It, Shallow and God's Plan to name a few, there were far more deserving winners based on the song and its contents.
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And with that, the Grammys and my breakdown of proceedings are over for another year. While it wasn't a flawless show, it certainly gave the Oscars a few pointers about what and what not to do. However, the Oscars do already have the upper hand with the confirmation that Bradley Cooper will be there alongside Lady Gaga for a performance of their Oscar nominated song, Shallow.
AN: While my reference to Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga at the end there may be my excitement and utter obsession talking, it is also a shameless plug for my next piece which will be an in-depth analysis into why A Star Is Born deserves the Academy Award for Best Picture.
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