As we have just passed the one-year anniversary of the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, I began reflecting on how much has changed over the last year. The way we communicated with each other, the way we dress and yes, even the way we conduct award shows has changed and adapted due to the virus.
Ah, award season, now this is something I can get behind. Even with the virus, Hollywood still continues to put on awards shows, and listen, they haven’t been half bad. The Emmys were cute and comical and the Golden Globes were a bit of a hot mess, but this year’s Grammys just might have been my favorite yet.
Sitting down last Sunday evening for the show, I didn’t have the highest of expectations. I thought I would stick around for a few performances and then head back to doing homework. Man, oh man, was I wrong. I was hardly able to take my eyes off the screen because every moment was jammed pack with fantastic content.
The new style they chose to implement this year consisted of having rapid-fire back-to-back performances where three to four groups of artists shared one room and played for each other; this intimate atmosphere full of incredibly talented people was something simply magical. The show kicked off with a triple header of Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and HAIM all performing before the first commercial break. And if you know anything about me, these artists are basically my personal holy trinity of modern music. Each of the performances were kept simple and raw, and it was truly a dream to watch.
Now there were so, so many performances on Sunday that if I talked about them all to the extent in which they deserve, you would be reading this all night and I would develop carpal tunnel. Instead, I will explain my thoughts in three categories: most surprising performance, most impactful performance and best new artist performance.
Most Surprising – BTS. Listen, I am not a part of the BTS army, I haven’t really delved into the world of K-pop, but, baby, I am about to. Since watching this performance on Sunday night, I have watched their performance of “Dynamite” upwards of twenty times. The dancing, the singing, the performance as a whole, A+.
Most Impactful – Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B’s performing WAP. How could I write an article about the 2021 Grammy’s and not mention the cultural reset that is this WAP performance? I have no words to describe this performance effectively. So please, if you haven’t, just take some time out of your day and watch it. You will be forever changed.
Best New Artist – Black Pumas. I have never heard of this band until last night, but their performance gave me goosebumps all over. Lead singer, Eric Burton, has such soul and power in his voice that by the end of this performance I was rooting for this man to win every Grammy.
I was not disappointed by a single performance. They were all fantastic and distinct in their own right. Each artist really took what they do best and ran with it, and they did not disappoint. Never have I truly enjoyed sitting stationary on my couch for four hours straight so much, and trust me over the last year I have done a lot of it.
There is something about music that really does heal the soul. It has been a rough year, a really rough year, but if I were to say something positive about the last twelve months it is that some really incredible music has come out of it. While the Grammy’s has some major issues they need to address within the organization and some questionable choices were made when it comes to the actual awards, I don’t think anyone can deny that the 63rd Grammy awards were anything but extraordinary.
