A Bittersweet Celebration: Reviewing the Grammys
This year’s Grammys took place in Los Angeles’ Staples Center, and the tone of the red carpet and stage was somber after the tragic death of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant just hours prior. Many artists dedicated their performances to him. Despite the unthinkable tragedy, the night carried on with its scheduled performances and festivities celebrating the advances in music has made over the past year.
The night opened up with a stunningly choreographed and performed two-song set by Lizzo, followed by Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton, and a fairly underwhelming set by the Jonas Brothers. No Disney Channel pop-rock band is going to produce the most incredible, sophisticated or cutting-edge music. Despite this, the Jonas Brothers have begun to take themselves more seriously without bringing the music up to par. Lizzo then returned to the stage to accept the Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance for her hit song, “Truth Hurts.”
After everyone had settled in, one of the best performances of the night took place on stage. Tyler, the Creator was joined by Charlie Wilson and Boyz II Men to perform his songs “EARFQUAKE” and “NEW MAGIC WAND.” Tyler’s stage set was a makeshift neighborhood with the rooves on fire. This was done with a mix of effects on a large screen and actual fire, which perfectly punctuated the intensity of the song and the performance. Tyler is a showman like no other in his prime right now, and his performance was a glimmer of hope in a frequently disappointing sonic landscape.
I was quickly brought down to Earth by one of the least impressive performances of the night. One of the events from the Grammys was a tribute to Prince, primarily featuring Usher. Usher is a talented artist, and it is most certainly not my place to rag on his original work, but I took issue with this tribute. Prince has been a huge influence on my sense of creativity, and that’s why I had a problem with this tribute.
If I am ever going to be led to believe that someone as talented as Prince is alive today, then I need to see in that person the same things I saw in Prince that inspired so many people. This tribute rounded out Prince’s edge and nearly erased what Prince fans try to keep alive about his music. This was bittersweet, as I think we should all try to remember Prince’s legacy as the music industry continues to evolve, but I also believe that a better tribute was possible, and I felt cheated by what the Grammys gave us.
Billie Eilish took home five Grammys, including Song of the Year. I am not a huge Billie Eilish fan and don’t make it a point to listen to her music; however, her performance was one of the highlights of the show. She brought out a raw and sincere vocal performance that we don’t always get out of her mega-hits. It would take a while to analyze all of the nominees that she beat and whether or not they deserve it more, but overall I am not dissatisfied with Eilish’s victories.
The Grammys this year were an interesting forecast for the near future. The mediocrity of certain performances is no longer depressing, but accepted, and therefore makes glimmers of hope like Tyler, the Creator, and yes, even Billie Eilish, the best part about the show.
I am hopeful for the future of music as the internet in many ways has democratized it and the Grammys may only still be alive because of their prestige.
We will continue to watch the Grammys each year and cheer and walk away feeling all sorts of different ways about it, but we must take all of the night’s events with a grain of salt—because, more than ever, the future of music is now in our hands.