Just one week after the debacle that was the Academy Awards, the Grammys—in Las Vegas for the first time—showed how to do an awards show right.
I was in the room at the MGM Grand Garden Arena as host Trevor Noah addressed the elephant in the room at the beginning of the 3 ½ hour show, broadcast live on CBS and Paramount+.
“This is a concert where we give out awards. We are going to keep people’s names out of our mouth,” he said, referencing Will Smith’s profanity-laced tirade at Chris Rock to keep his wife’s name out of his mouth after the infamous slap that hijacked the movie industry’s biggest night.
And a concert it was, with 27 performances packed into the show starting off with Silk Sonic, the night’s most decorated act, performing “777.” Next up was Olivia Rodrigo, who also went home with an armful of trophies, with a moody rendition of her hit “Driver’s License.”
Questlove, coming off of his Oscar win for his music documentary “Summer of Soul,” presented the Song of Year award to Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open” after referencing the infamous slap by saying, “I trust that you will stay 500 feet away from me.”
BTS wowed the audience with its rendition of “Butter,” even conscripting Rodrigo for the opening of their dazzling performance.
In a prerecorded video from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, he urged viewers to support his countries war efforts against the invasion by Russia. “Fill the silence with your music. Fill it today. To tell our story. Tell the truth about this war on your social networks, on TV. Support us in any way you can. Any — but not silence,” he said in the solemn message.
John Legend then performed his new song “Free” with Ukrainian artists Siuzanna Iglidan, Mika Newton and Lyuba Yakimchuk.
The recent death of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins weighed heavily on the proceedings with Billie Eilish wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with Hawkins’ face as she performed “Happier Than Ever.”
Hawkins was again eulogized as Cynthia Erivo, Ben Platt, Rachel Zegler and Leslie Odom Jr. performed a Stephen Sondheim medley during the in memoriam segment, which included the late, great Broadway composer who passed away late last year.
Among the other awards handed out during the live telecast, Chris Stapleton’s “Starting over” was named best country album, and Doja Cat featuring SZA, won the Grammy for best pop duo/group performance.
Jazmine Sullivan won best R&B album for “Heaux Tales” and Baby Keem’s “Family Ties” featuring Kendrick Lamar won the Grammy for best rap performance.
Most of the Grammy’s 86 awards were handed out during a non-televised ceremony before the broadcast.
