Key events
Adrian Horton
Following a meandering introduction from Madonna shouting out troublemakers and rebels (and brandishing a whip), Sam Smith and Kim Petras take the stage for a performance of Unholy. It’s not one to please CBS viewers – Smith wore a top hat with devil horns, Petras performed in a cage, both were clad in entirely red leather and flicking their tongues – that comes on the heels of backlash to Smith’s sexualized body positivity in their new music video I’m Not Here To Make Friends.
Adrian Horton
We return briefly to the fan roundtable – as a reminder, it’s the new segment in which real people make the case for their album of the year – to meet three more superfans. There’s Christina, who admires Lizzo’s body confidence; Colyn, who cried when he saw Adele in Vegas and once successfully spun a DM with her into a visit to her music video premiere; and Adriana, who first fell in love with Brandi Carlile when she was leaving the Mormon church and praises the queer folk/rock/Americana singer’s encouragement to be yourself.
Adrian Horton
Time for the in memoriam segment – Kacey Musgraves honored country legend Loretta Lynn, who died in October at age 90, with a crystalline rendition of her song Coal Miner’s Daughter.
In an especially sad moment, Quavo, backed by Maverick City Music, sang Without You in memory of fellow Migos member Takeoff, who was shot and killed at age 28 in November. Quavo, who was Takeoff’s uncle, ends by holding up his chains, in what was for me the most touching moment of the evening so far.
And Sheryl Crow, Mick Fleetwood, and Bonnie Raitt honored Fleetwood Mac member Christie McVie with a mournful version of Songbird.
WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – Mr Morale & the Big Steppers, best rap album
Adrian Horton
The rapper, the second-most nominated artist tonight with eight nods, deems the ceremony’s tables and wine satisfactory before thanking his family for giving him “the courage and the vulnerability to share my stories, to share my truth with this album” and the fans for “trusting me with these words.”
The 35-year-old also tipped “the culture, for allowing me to evolve and allow me to make a song like Mother I Sober, that’s special to me.”
Adrian Horton
Harry’s House producer and songwriter Kid Harpoon is the next performer-selected presenter, introducing “my friend Gary, or as you guys know him, Harry Styles.” Clad in a shimmery silver jumpsuit (his third outfit of the evening), Styles performed As It Was with choreography that mimicked the spinning wheel of the music video. The camera cuts to Taylor Swift, again (she’s standing and clapping).
Adrian Horton
Beyoncé is here! A fact that Trevor Noah appears eager to announce – he presents her 31st Grammy to her, casually sitting in the front row with Jay Z, no big deal.
WINNER: Bad Bunny — Un Verano Sin Ti, best música urbano album
Adrian Horton
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known as the Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny, says of his smash album Un Verano Sin Ti, “it’s easy because I just made this album with love and passion…and when you do things with love and passion, everything is easier. Life is easier.”
I unfortunately do not speak Spanish so I will be getting a translation for the rest of the speech, including his dedication to the people of Puerto Rico.
Adrian Horton
Not everyone was (visibly) enjoying the performance from Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder and Chris Stapleton – Twitter has pointed out that Ben Affleck looked like he would rather be…anywhere else.
WINNER: Sam Smith and Kim Petras — Unholy, best pop duo/group performance
Adrian Horton
Sam Smith cedes the floor to collaborator Kim Petras, who becomes the first transgender woman to win the award.
The German pop singer thanked “all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open for me so I could be her tonight.” She especially thanked her friend Sophie, the late trans hyperpop artist who died in an accidental fall in January 2021, and whose “inspiration will always be in my music.”
Petras also thanked Madonna – “I don’t think I could be here without Madonna” – and her mother, for supporting her as a trans youth.
Adrian Horton
A Barry Gordy and Smokey Robinson tribute performance by Robinson, Stevie Wonder and country star Chris Stapleton shredding on guitar has highlighted the awkwardness of the table set-up – many celebrities (Shania Twain, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez, Flavor Flav and others) are dancing to their own rhythm in the large space between tables.
Adrian Horton
Twitter is having fun with the idea that Beyoncé is late because she’s “stuck in traffic.”
Adrian Horton
In case you missed it, here’s video of Trevor Noah introducing Adele to The Rock, the one celebrity she’s wanted to meet but hasn’t, during the opening monologue.
WINNER: Willie Nelson — A Beautiful Time, best country album
Adrian Horton
Shania Twain, in a bright red wig, presents and accepts the award for best country album to 89-year-old Willie Nelson, who is not in attendance.
Adrian Horton
True to form, Taylor Swift has already provided numerous dance moments – she got on her feet for Bad Bunny’s performance, which Twitter has noted.
WINNER: Beyoncé — Cuff It, best R&B song
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“Beyoncé is on her way,” Noah reassures when she does not take the stage to accept her 31st Grammy award, tying the record for all-time wins. The host blames her absence on traffic (?) and Niles Rodgers, who plays on the Renaissance track, accepts on her behalf.
Adrian Horton
Another new bit for this year: a fan focus group for the album of the year award. The first clip from the roundtable introduces us to three of the superfans: a woman who feels Beyoncé’s Church Girl was written for her, another who adores “Benito” aka Bad Bunny, and a great-grandmother from Ontario who is Harry Styles’s #1 fan.
WINNER: Harry Styles — Harry’s House, best pop vocal album
Adrian Horton
The night’s first award goes to Harry Styles for best pop vocal album. Styles described making Harry’s House with two of his best friends as “the greatest experience of my life” and playing it for people “the greatest joy I could’ve asked for.” More interesting: the camera cut to Taylor Swift for a reaction shot, which feels rude.