Whether you are a huge Grammy fanatic, eagerly living for this moment each and every year, or you were just watching to see who trips (spoiler alert: Josh Duhamel, we’re looking at you), this year’s Grammys had something for everyone, from twitter-worthy outbursts to thought-provoking, tear-worthy moments. Here’s a rundown of the night’s biggest events, just in case you were too engrossed in your midterm studying to watch.
The Outfits
Yes, there were major fails and ravishing triumphs, but that’s part of the fun of watching! There were celebs like Taylor Swift, who wore a metallic, color changing Elie Saab dress that showed off her long legs and took our breath away, and then there were some like Sia and her “mini-muse” Maddie Ziegler who were not as spot on, wearing matching white wigs that were teased to the extreme. But the real winner of The Most Talked About award is a tie between Rihanna and her dress that never seemed to run out of material and Iggy Azalea, whose hair looked like a cross between Challah bread and a bird’s nest.
The Performances
Of course, the Grammys is nothing without its long list of musical performances. From Arianna Grande to Madonna, there were a number of memorable moments. One of my favorite artists, Hozier, performed his ultra popular song, “Take Me to Church” with Annie Lenox, which then morphed into her version of the song “I Put a Spell on You,” which will also be seen on the “50 Shades of Grey” soundtrack. Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga blew everyone away with their rendition of “Cheek to Cheek,” which brought me back to my Broadway-loving days. One of the most anticipated performances of the night was the collaboration of Rihanna, Kanye and Paul McCartney performing their new hit song “FourFiveSeconds,” and RiRi stole the show. Sia rendered everyone speechless and confused with yet another one of her performances of her hit tune, “Chandelier,” with the now famous Maddie Ziegler and a surprise guest, Kristen Wiig.
The Moment That Almost Was
Probably the most scandalous moment of the night was when Beck won Album of the Year. Beck, who is the mastermind behind the hit song “Loser” of the early 1990s, won Best Rock Album last night, over 20 years later. While everyone on Twitter, and undoubtedly the whole world, was asking “#WhoisBeck?” Kanye decided to make a little statement of his own. He went up to the stage as if he was going to drop another,“Imma let you finish” moment. But alas, he withheld his rant, stating later that he wouldn’t want to do anything that put his daughter and wife, Kim Kardashian, at risk. Unlike in 2009 when most people wanted to reprimand Kanye for interrupting Taylor, everyone, especially me, was rooting for Yeezus to bring some sense to that win. Even Beck said he was expecting Beyoncé to win.
Beyoncé
Speaking of Queen B, she won our hearts last night from the moment she stepped on the Red Carpet. She wore a stunning Proenza Schouler dress that showed off her body but kept it classy and proved black was still way in. And when she and Jay-Z won Best R&B Performance, they proved to everyone that they are a match made in heaven. What divorce rumors, right? Bey, as humble and gracious as ever, accepted the award while choking up, thanking Jay and Blue, among other things that I don’t remember because I was too busy gushing over her awesomeness. Her final performance just threw me over the edge of Beyoncé fever.
Serious Topics
Beyoncé’s performance of “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” was one of the more serious moments of the night. Gwyneth Paltrow introduced the performance by saying that “now, more than ever, we need understanding and to acknowledge the feelings of others.” Her performance was among one of the many times that Ferguson and present-day racial inequality made an appearance. Common and John Legend performed their song “Glory” from the movie “Selma” immediately after, leaving everyone with goosebumps.
Katy Perry also hit a serious note with her performance of “By the Grace of God” from her most recent CD, inspired by her tumultuous relationship with Russell Brand. Brooke Axtell, a survivor of domestic violence, told her story before Perry performed, with President Obama urging everyone to end violence against women and girls as well. Axtell proclaimed that “authentic love does not silence, shame or abuse,” urging women in these relationships to seek help because they are “worthy of love.”
Sam Smith
And then there is Sam Smith, the big winner of last night’s Grammys. He won award after award, and proved with his acceptance speeches that he really is one of the most genuine celebrities right now. He started off his night with winning Best New Artist, went on to win Record of the Year, then Best Pop Vocal Album, and topped off his night with winning Song of the Year. I didn’t think he could impress me and make me love him anymore, until his last trip up to the stage, when he thanked his ex for breaking his heart and making his album possible. There’s not a better way to say, “sucks to suck.”
Honorable Mention
Congratulations are in order for Kendrick Lamar, who won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for “I,” Eminem, who won Best Rap Album for the sixth time (a new record), and Paramore, who won Best Rock Song for “Ain’t it Fun.” Also, let’s not forget, my personal favorite, “Frozen,” won Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media and Best Song Written for Visual Media for everyone’s favorite song, “Let it Go.”