Music was, is and will always be a huge part of my life, and so it is with great shame that I must admit I forgot about the Grammys until the moment they came on. The beauty of this, however, is that I had no expectations and was pleasantly surprised by this year’s show. While there were a million great things (and a few not so great things) about last night’s show, we at HerCampus UIC wanted to take the time and share 5 moments that almost stopped our hearts last night.
1) Kanye West Performing “Only One”With projects that can be best described music, art, fashion, and more, its hard to deny that Kanye is an a creative genius. Whether you hate or love Yesus, its almost impossible to se his performance at the Grammys last night was as anthing less than an epic one. Performing “One One,” and homage to his late mother and philanthropist Dr. West and his daughter Nori, Kanye’s first performance left me (and many others) teary-eyed and eagerly awaiting the next Yeezus drop.
2) Ed Sheeran’s Grammy’s Debut.
It’s one thing to snag an invite to the Grammys after releasing your first album. It’s another to then be asked to perform. But to be asked to perform alongside Herbie Hancock, Jeff Lynn, John Mayer and Questlove the same year you release your first album is something so amazing only Ed Sheeran can explain to us.
3) Katy Perry Tackles Domestic Violence Head On
As the Academy is a notably white/hetro/male-dominated organization, seeing the subject of domestic violence directly addressed during the show was refreshing to many viewers. Performing her ballad “By the Grace of God,” Katy Perry reminded us both of her gospel roots and her history as a domestic violence survivor. Also sharing the stage with Perry was Brooke Axtell, a performance artist and domestic violence survivor whose spoken word piece about domestic violence and left viewers with the clear message that “authentic love does not devalue another human being.”
4) Rihanna Performs “Four Five Seconds”The moment I found out the Grammys were coming on I had one question: Is Rihanna Performing?????
Much to my ecstasy not only did RiRi get a slot on stage, but she performed her new single “Four Five Seconds” alongside Kanye West and Paul McCartney in a scaled back performance that focused on Rihanna’s vocals and let us know that although she may seem calm and refined these days she, like many of us, is always just 4-5 seconds from losing it.
5) Beyonce, John Legend, and Common With incidences such as the Ferguson protests, the Eric Garner verdict, and countless other moments, 2014 was a year that left many of us feeling like we were back in 1965. Despite its Oscar snub, Selma got a nod at the 2015 Grammy awards in the form of an EPIC performance of Common an John Legend’s song Glory which was created for the movie. Introduced by Beyonce after a soulful rendition of Take My Hand, Prescious Lord and, suppoorted by an all-black male choir, the performance was a strong end to the night and reminded viewers on the most important night in music that yes, black lives do matter.