The Best, Worst, and Most Shocking Moments of the 2023 Grammys
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 05: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Beyoncé accepts the Finest Dance/Digital Music Album award for “Renaissance” onstage in the course of the sixty fifth GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Enviornment on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photograph by JC Olivera/WireImage) Credit score – WireImage—2023 WireImage
The sixty fifth annual Grammy Awards passed off Sunday evening on the Crypto.com Enviornment in Los Angeles. Within the lead-up to the awards ceremony, all eyes had been on Beyoncé, who got here in with 9 nominations, to see if she would break the document for probably the most awarded artist in Grammy historical past—and she or he did. After profitable 4 awards, she now has 32 underneath her belt, beating the earlier document holder, the late conductor Georg Solti, who had held the document since 1997 with 31 wins. Beyoncé made historical past after being awarded the Grammy for Finest Dance/Digital Album and delivered a tearful speech during which she thanked the queer group and her Uncle Johnny, who closely impressed her 2022 album Renaissance, in addition to her husband Jay-Z and their youngsters. The second was deflated considerably by the Recording Academy awarding Album of the Yr to Harry Types for Harry’s Home, with many criticizing the establishment for failing to award the prize to Beyoncé all 4 occasions she’s been up for it.
The evening was not simply concerning the large wins and disappointments: there have been high-energy performances all through the present, together with from Dangerous Bunny, who opened the ceremony with “El Apagón” and the merengue/bomba banger “Despues de la Playa” and introduced Caribbean rhythm to the Grammys stage. Different highlights from the evening included Brandi Carlile, Mary J. Blige, a shifting in memoriam tribute that featured Kacey Musgraves, Quavo, Maverick Metropolis Music, Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, and Mick Fleetwood, and a hip hop anniversary tribute that was a who’s who of the style (minus various notables).
There have been many who gained their first awards tonight, together with Viola Davis, who achieved EGOT standing after profitable an Grammy for Finest Audiobook, Narration & Storytelling and additional made historical past changing into the third Black girl to achieve probably the most coveted standing within the leisure business. Nigerian artist Tems obtained her first statue tonight for her characteristic on Future’s “WAIT FOR U,” which gained Finest Melodic Rap efficiency. Kim Petras made historical past as the primary brazenly transgender girl to win within the Finest Pop Duo/Group Efficiency Award, for “Unholy” with collaborator Sam Smith.
All through the evening, there have been many candy moments (like Brandi Carlile’s spouse and youngsters introducing her), some uncomfortable ones (various of host Trevor Noah’s jokes), and lots of really stunning ones. Listed here are the very best, worst, weirdest, and most surprising—and there legitimately had been a number of of these—moments on the sixty fifth annual Grammy Awards.
Most Stunning: Harry Types wins Album of the Yr
Earlier than Harry Types was introduced because the winner of the coveted Album of the Yr award, your entire enviornment was silent for a second. Then host Trevor Noah opened the envelope and had certainly one of Types’ followers learn his title. Types appeared simply as shocked as everybody else when he took the stage to just accept his award. “I’ve been so so impressed by each artist on this class with me at a number of totally different occasions in my life,” he mentioned in his speech. “I’m so so grateful.” It was some of the surprising moments of the evening as people across social media anticipated Beyoncé to win the evening’s largest award for Renaissance after being snubbed prior to now. This was her fourth nomination for Album of the Yr and the fourth time she’s misplaced on this class, although the evening was definitely not a bust for Bey…
Finest: Beyoncé turns into the most awarded artist in Grammy historical past
Give her the entire awards as a result of she deserves them. The Recording Academy actually wished to rectify its previous errors, although her loss in Album of the Yr invited simply as a lot criticism for the establishment as gratitude. Finally evening’s awards ceremony, Beyoncé made historical past because the world acquired to witness her win her thirty second Grammy award in the course of the televised portion of the ceremony, the place she gained for Finest R&B Tune for “Cuff It” (although she had not but arrived to just accept it) and Finest Dance/Digital Album. The latter award was introduced by James Corden, who acknowledged the historic second. When she accepted the award, she mentioned “I’d prefer to thank the queer group in your love and for inventing the style.”
Finest: Dangerous Bunny’s high-energy opening efficiency
After Noah opened the present, he kicked issues over to Dangerous Bunny, who instantly set the usual for performances. He introduced out a bunch of dancers who cajoled the entire celebrities to their ft as he sang a part of the anthemic “El Apagón.” They paraded by the aisles as they made their option to the primary stage, the place he serenaded the viewers with “Despues de la Playa.” As if the efficiency couldn’t get extra dynamic, the stage was stuffed to the brim with a full band, a seashore setting, and an excellent larger crowd of dancers. Dangerous Bunny shouted out his dwelling nation of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Throughout his efficiency, viewers watching with closed captions observed that they had been having a tough time maintaining with the Spanish lyrics because the phrases “Singing in Non-English” appeared on-screen:
Worst: Trevor Noah’s Jokes
That is Noah’s third time internet hosting, and his jokes have been higher. A lot of them reached for low-hanging fruit just like the Chinese language balloon incident, Trump studying Spanish due to Dangerous Bunny’s album, and the Crypto.com enviornment having an escape plan to the Bahamas. To be honest, internet hosting is a tricky gig. However possibly it’s time to do because the Golden Globes did with Jerrod Carmichael and check out some new expertise.
Finest: Kim Petras’ historic win as an brazenly transgender girl
Sam Smith and Kim Petras had been introduced with a Grammy for Finest Pop Duo/Group efficiency for his or her collaboration, “Unholy.” Smith, already a Grammy winner, gave Petras the stage to just accept the award on their behalf. “Sam graciously wished me to just accept this award, as a result of I’m the primary transgender girl to win this award,” Petras mentioned. “I simply wish to thank all of the unimaginable transgender legends earlier than me who kicked these doorways open.” She devoted the award to Sophie, the Scottish producer and musician who died in 2023 and who, she mentioned, “informed me this might occur and all the time believed in me.”
Weirdest: Followers argue over who ought to get Album of the Yr
The largest criticism of any awards present is sort of all the time their period and penchant for working over time, and the pointless filler that’s typically the trigger. This 12 months, the Grammys determined to enlist mega followers of every Album of the Yr nominee to make the case for his or her favourite artist. Followers of Beyoncé, Dangerous Bunny, and Harry Types had been launched within the first a part of the phase, and each made a passionate, private case for the artist they wished to win. I didn’t even want to look at the remainder of the phase to know it will find yourself my least favourite a part of tonight’s festivities. Whereas we will see what the producers had been going for, the main focus group vibe felt very compelled and, if we’re being trustworthy, a waste of time at an awards present that’s already three and a half hours.
Weirdest: Lizzo and Harry Types’ music decisions
These two artists have a lot expertise as performers and have delivered at earlier award reveals. In 2021, Types dripped with sensuality and had impeccable rhythm as he carried out “Watermelon Sugar.” Lizzo’s killer vocals and bodacious dance strikes paired with memorable visuals had been on show at her BET Awards Efficiency again in June 2022. However tonight’s performances had been lackluster by comparability, even with Types’ shimmering ensemble. He carried out “As It Was” and the entire thing simply felt uninteresting and pitchy. The present felt like a deviation from the electrifying performances he’s been giving throughout his 15-show residencies at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York Metropolis and the Discussion board in Los Angeles. The music Lizzo selected to carry out, her album’s title monitor “Particular,” didn’t excite in the way in which it was supposed to. Her voice is magnificent and she or he, together with Harry, might have chosen songs that had been extra suited to the event—”About Rattling Time,” performed out as it’s, for Lizzo, and “Satellite tv for pc” for Harry.
Finest: The Grammys highlights the historical past of hip hop
To rejoice 50 years of hip hop, the Recording Academy gathered lots of the largest names within the style’s historical past. The medley introduced collectively everybody from Blackthought, Run DMC, LL Cool J, A Tribe Referred to as Quest, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt-n-Pepa, Flava Flav, Ice-T, Queen Latifah, Methodology Man, Large Boi, Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, and Nelly to GloRilla and Lil Uzi Vert. Every performer had their time to shine and play snippets of their most memorable songs. A few of the most indelible performances got here from artists like Queen Latifah, who carried out her iconic 1993 single, “U.N.I.T.Y.,” Nelly, with “Sizzling in Right here,” and Missy Elliot, who in fact carried out “Get Ur Freak On.” The phase did obtain some criticism for not together with numerous notable girls within the style like Lil Kim, Nicki Minaj, Eve, Trina, and Megan Thee Stallion.
Most Stunning: Bonnie Raitt and Samara Pleasure win main awards
Even Bonnie herself was shocked and when First Woman Dr. Jill Biden introduced her because the winner for Tune of the Yr for “Simply Like That.” It took her a second to course of the truth that she had crushed out the largest pop stars of the twenty first century: Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Harry Types, Adele, Kendrick Lamar, and Lizzo. Raitt, whose final win was in 2012, saved her acceptance speech temporary, explaining the inspiration behind the music and mentioning John Prine, whose beloved “Angel From Montgomery” she famously coated, as an inspiration. Jazz singer Samara Pleasure’s win additionally got here as a welcome shock when she gained the award for Finest New Artist, beating out widespread artists together with Anitta, Omar Apollo, Moist Leg, and Måneskin.
