The 63rd Grammy Awards were anything but normal. Not only were the awards criticized for snubs for artists such as The Weeknd, but the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the event to be more chaotic than ever.
Hosted by comedian Trevor Noah The Grammys were held in an outside venue, since COVID-19 has caused all artists to perform socially distanced. While the nominees sat in an outdoor tent waiting for their awards, performers were set on socially distanced stages inside with individual sets across from each other.
The event also paid tribute to members of the music industry, both living and dead. Many of the presenters of the night’s awards were owners of local and independent theaters across the country. They all spoke about how they became involved in music and their struggles on sustaining their businesses during the pandemic lockdown.
Like every year, the award show features all members of the music industry who have died in the previous year. However, many artists performed tributes to certain past performers. The most notable performances include Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars paying tribute to rock artist Little Richard and Lionel Richie performing tribute to country and pop icon Kenny Rogers.
As for other performers of the night, many did not disappoint. Unlike other years, there were three performers who opened the night. Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Haim all started off the night performing one song each. The most outstanding artists of the night include Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak as Silk Sonic performing “Leave the Door Open” and the combined performance of Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B. Other notable performances were from Doja Cat, Taylor Swift and Post Malone, who all did not let the pandemic restrictions hold back the level or excitement of their performances.
The award show was not the only thing that made history last night. Beyoncé made Grammys history winning her 28th Grammy Award. She won awards for Best Music Video, R&B Performance, Rap Performance and Rap Song with Megan Thee Stallion. This sets the record for most Grammy wins by a female artist and second-most Grammy wins for any artist. Her 9-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, also won a Grammy for her performance in her mother’s video for “BROWN SKIN GIRL,” making Carter the second-youngest person to win a Grammy.
Megan Thee Stallion’s first Grammy award show also made a mark on the night. Stallion won three awards, including Best New Artist. Meg and Beyoncé also made Grammy history by becoming the first female pair to win the Best Rap Performance category for their remix of “Savage.”
Other records set for the night include Harry Styles winning his first Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance for his hit song “Watermelon Sugar.” Taylor Swift also snagged the award for Album of the Year for folklore, marking the third time she has won the title. Lastly, 19-year-old Billie Eilish won her seventh Grammy in the Record of the Year category for her hit song “everything i wanted.”
While this year’s award show may have looked a little different, these incredible artists were still able to leave the past year with a victory.
