Much like Iggy Azalea’s hair and uncooked Ramen noodles, the 57th Grammy Awards were bland and strange, leaving much to be desired.
Aside from standout performances by reliable favorites (Rihanna, Paul McCartney, and Kanye West, as well as Beyoncé, Common, and John Legend, and Lady GaGa and Tony Bennett) the Grammys were pared back. The majority of the performances were somber, slow, mellow, and the award recipients predictable, with safe, boring speeches.
Pharrell ended his acceptance speech for Best Pop Solo Performance with: “This is super awkward, and I’m gonna moonwalk my way off the stage right now.”
He didn’t actually moonwalk. He was just awkward.
That speech is essentially a metaphor for the whole show — you think there’s going to be an exciting moonwalk, but then there’s no delivery.
LL Cool J’s hosting, for the fourth consecutive year, was lackluster. Aside from a strange moment before Kanye West’s solo performance where he threw out inspirational quotes (“Dreams don’t have deadlines, believe in yourself”), I frankly forgot that he was even the host.
Last year, the show opened with an iconic Beyoncé performance featuring a chair and her superstar husband, starting it off on a high note. The rest of the show followed suit, with big, bold performances from blockbuster artists (remember Imagine Dragons and Kendrick Lamar? Lorde? Taylor Swift?). This year, however, the show opened with AC/DC, setting a trend for the evening – a theme of combining old and new.
With artist pairings like Jessie J and Tom Jones, Hozier and Annie Lennox, and Ed Sheeran, John Mayer (back and better than ever), Questlove, and Herbie Hancock, the Grammys were clearly trying to reach a diversified audience – not just you, but you and your mom, you and your dad, maybe even you and your grandma (Tony Bennett and Lady GaGa performing “Cheek To Cheek” was genuinely delightful). Having Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj introduce Madonna’s performance, which featured some questionable clothing choices and the all-time worst use of matadors, was another example of attempting to combine fresh talent with irreplaceable legends. Note that I say “attempting to combine,” as not all efforts succeeded. The fantastically talented Hozier and living legend Annie Lennox was a mind-blowing combination, as was Ed Sheeran and Electric Light Orchestra. But on the other hand, Jessie J and Tom Jones just didn’t match up.
Beyond just reaching a wider age range, the Grammys were appealing to new genres with three country performances (Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, and Brandy Clark) and a Latin performance (Juanes). The additions were most likely in response to criticism that the Grammys have received in the past — the lack of diversity at an awards show celebrating achievements in an industry that has historically dealt with diversity issues.
While I applaud the Grammys for their attempt at variety, it fell flat. The addition of new genres of performances did nothing to liven up the show. I kept hoping that it would hit its stride eventually, but salvation did not come until the very end.
There was hope that Kanye West’s performance, hitting the Grammy stage after six years, would pick up the show. Kanye West is known for memorable, high intensity performances. “Only One” is yet another change in music style for West, an artist who changes his sound and never misses the mark. The song is toned down, emotional, and intimate. His performance was just that — him, a spotlight shining up, and the camera only on him. It was…nice. It’s rare to be able to describe a Kanye West performance as nice. While I love the song, I felt slightly let down. However, Kanye West ended up being the highlight of the show, when he jumped on stage as Beck beat out Beyoncé for Album Of The Year, jokingly referencing the infamous Taylor Swift moment from the 2009 Video Music Awards.
Surprisingly, that was one of the only light moments of the show. The majority of the performances were markedly more serious, including Katy Perry’s tribute to Brooke Axtell, a survivor of domestic violence, with her song “By The Grace of God.” Interestingly enough, this tribute was preceded by an introduction from Brooke Axtell herself, as Rihanna and Chris Brown sat in the audience. Twitter user Erin Mahoney (@_erinmahoney) raised an important question: “If the @TheGRAMMYs are so concerned with ending violence against women & girls then why does Chris Brown continue to be nominated and invited?”
This tribute was one in a series of social justice messages scattered throughout the show. A cameo from President Obama to talk about the “It’s On Us” initiative to end campus sexual assault, references to Ferguson, and many “hands up, don’t shoot” poses brought a sobering note to what is usually one of the lively, lighter awards shows.
On a whole, it has been a year of music that is intimate, personal, and emotional. From Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” to Hozier’s “Take Me To Church,” many of the year’s hits have been slow, deep, and powerful. In fact, many of these ballads have come from relatively new artists. Hozier, for example, came seemingly out of nowhere to dominate radio airwaves and music charts. “Take Me To Church” was nominated for Song Of The Year, but lost to Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me.” Sam Smith, a British soul singer, essentially cleaned house, taking Song Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best New Artist. Frankly, this did not come as a surprise, as most predicted he would walk away with several awards. What did come as a surprise, though, was Beyoncé losing out on Album Of The Year to Beck (“Morning Phase”), even though she rightly received an award for Best R&B Performance for “Drunk In Love.”
The show picked up some speed with Rihanna, Kanye West, and Paul McCartney’s performance of “FourFiveSeconds.” The performance stuck to another trend of the night – less theatrics and showmanship, more focus on pure vocals and pure talent. Another performance that followed this model was Ed Sheeran’s simple, beautiful, and genuine rendition of “Thinking Out Loud,” accompanied by John Mayer, Questlove, and Herbie Hancock. While the show was nevertheless slow, it was a treat to see performances where music was the main focus, not drama, crazy costumes, or elaborate sets. That’s what the Grammys should be about — celebrating authentic, real talent.
Another interesting element of the show was their choice of transitions in performances. Usher’s tribute to Stevie Wonder led into a country performance by Eric Church, which was then followed by Rihanna, Kanye West, and Paul McCartney. The Grammys clearly wanted to keep audiences engaged by scattering heavyweight performances throughout the show, rather than saving them all for last.
It was, however, the last performance that made moves toward redemption for the show. Beyoncé was a saving grace, in every sense of the word. Performing the gospel song “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” she brought the house down with her raw, unparalleled talent. There truly may not be an artist who can live up to Beyoncé. Her vocals were the best they’ve ever been, as she continues to one up herself. This performance was a segue into John Legend and Common’s performance of “Glory,” from the movie Selma. This was an interesting choice for a final performance. It was moving and powerful, with a strong social justice message, showing that the Grammys are attempting to use their platform to spread meaning.
Overall, the 2015 Grammys were just boring. Not even Sia’s “Chandelier” performance featuring Kristen Wiig could save the show. There were minimal Taylor Swift dancing-in-the-audience shots, which is a last resort talking point for most award shows. Frankly, it was a forgettable show.
The general reactions I felt through the show can be summarized by Kanye West, who can always be counted on to provide quality reactions:
I motion for the Tupac hologram to host in 2016.
*all opinions are that of the writer*
Watch the 2015 Grammy performances here