It Was A Grand Night At The Grammys

So many great moments at last night’s Grammy Awards. I think this was my favorite awards show cavalcade in forever. First, I have to mention the great performances, beginning with out singer/songwriter Tracy Chapman joining country artist Luke Combs, who had a hit last year covering Chapman’s Grammy-winning “Fast Car.” Combs received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Solo Performance for his cover of “Fast Car.” Chapman has made only 3 public performances since her last tour in 2009, and last performed at the Grammys in 1989, where she won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance that year for “Fast Car.” The surprise duet felt soft and wise, private and personal – ending in a well-earned standing ovation. You can watch the full performance on the Grammy website here. https://youtu.be/SmvQhg3hN1g?si=h4TInnyQJ7_0zbkK Queer country-rocker Brandi Carlile spoke in honor of her friend (and music legend) Joni Mitchell, and then sat next to Mitchell as she performed a stunning, life-lived rendition of “Both Sides, Now.” Believe it or not, this was Mitchell’s first-ever performance on the Grammy Awards. But the 80-year-old icon did scoop up her 10th trophy earlier in the night for Best Folk Album for her 2023 album Joni Mitchell at Newport [Live]. https://youtu.be/awyl_RLlNl8?si=LuedCP_m191KmeCO Throwing the emotions into overdrive, the evening’s final presenter was a surprise appearance by international pop star Celine Dion, in her first public appearance in months as she’s been dealing with stiff-person syndrome. The audience lost its collective mind as she walked on stage to present Album Of The Year. https://youtu.be/Ua9hbpkXdPM?si=E_ynr96tdCX9aEqz Oh, and the awards… Pansexual pop star Miley Cyrus had a big night winning her first Grammys as her smash song “Flowers” won for Best Pop Solo Performance, followed by a win for Record of the Year. Queer rock band Boygenius (Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus) took home three trophies. The band’s album The Record won for Best Alternative Music Album, and their single “Not Strong Enough” won Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song. Bridgers also scored in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category for being featured on Sza’s “Ghost in the Machine.” Out pop singer/songwriter Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas took home the Grammy for Song of the Year for “What Was I Made For?” from the Barbie soundtrack. https://youtu.be/P3XodQDNodY?si=xz8IBsF1UIB1qgog Prior to the three-hour telecast: • Bisexual singer/songwriter Victoria Monét won Best New Artist, and her debut album Jaguar II was later named Best R&B Album. • LGBTQ+ icon Kylie Minogue’s “Padam Padam” won Best Pop Dance Recording, a new category this year. This is Kylie’s second Grammy coming 20 years after winning for “Come Into My World.” • Broadway’s Some Like It Hot, featuring nonbinary pansexual performer J. Harrison Ghee, won Best Musical Theater Album. And… Taylor Swift made history winning two top honors – for Best Pop Vocal Album, and a record breaking fourth for Album of the Year for Midnights. And good news for CBS as the telecast scored the best numbers for the Grammys since 2020 – up 34% from last year’s audience of 12.4 million, which was a double-digit jump from the low of 2022. https://twitter.com/DEADLINE/status/1754603760230515164