At the GRAMMYs, the red carpet is rolled out and singers pull out their best, and sometimes worst, looks in hopes of leaving with an award. This year, singers of all shapes and sizes came together for an epic night at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The night was full of surprising performances and some that didn't quite meet expectations.
The 62nd annual GRAMMY award show occurred on January 26, 2020, the same day that the news of the passing of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven other people had just been announced. This did not seem to stop the crowds of celebrities from coming. The host of the show this year was Alicia Keys, a musical legend and a philanthropist. Though this day was full of sadness, the tributes that they held for both Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Hussle, who passed away earlier in the year, were real and heartfelt. Alicia Keys and Boys II Men sang a tribute for Bryant and John Legend sang a tribute to Nipsey Hussle. The love and emotion felt by those in attendance and those watching at home for these two incredible people was out of this world.
Many talented artists performed throughout the night. Billie Elish, Lizzo, Tyler the Creator, Lil Nas X, Demi Lovato, The Jonas Brothers, among others, took the stage during the award show. The talent displayed by these artists was through the roof. Opinions vary on who put on the best show. Some say it was Tyler the Creator, who rocked the house with his performance of “Earfquake” and “New Magic Wand.” Others argue that it was Demi Lovato, who delivered her first major performance since being hospitalized for a drug overdose in 2018, singing her new song “Anyone.”
Some shows, however, were subpar. Aerosmith’s performance has been considered loud, messy, and underwhelming. They sang classic songs like “Walk this Way” and “Livin’ on the Edge.” Lizzo’s performance could also be seen as underwhelming. It has been said that it was muddy and messy. Her orchestral arrangement of “Truth Hurts” did not work. Her voice sounded overmatched, and her piped-in recorded vocals sounded overpowering.
The biggest surprise of the night was Billie Eilish’s epic night. She won all four of the major GRAMMYs she was nominated for. She took home Record of the Year for “Bad Guy,” Album of the Year for “when we all fall asleep where do we go?”, Song of the Year for “Bad Guy,” and Best New Artist. DJ Khaled also took home an award he was not favored to win for Best Rap/Sung Performance. The biggest snub of the night was Ariana Grande. She was nominated for five GRAMMYs and did not win any of them.
Some other notable winners include Best Country Duo/Group Performance given to Dan + Shay for “Speechless,” Best Gospel Album given to Kirk Franklin for “Long Live Love,” Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media given to Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper for “A Star is Born,” and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance given to Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cryus for “Old Town Road.”