INTERNATIONAL: After a postponement was made due to the “uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant,” the 64th Annual Grammy Awards was shifted from 31 January in Los Angeles to 3 April in Las Vegas. Comedian Trevor Noah hosted the glitz and glamour live show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, televised by CBS.
Nominations for the awards were announced in November, and included artists such as pianist and bandleader, Jon Batiste, who led a field that ranged from rap to jazz music with 11 separate nominations. This was followed by Justin Bieber, Doja Cat and H.E.R who had eight nods each, embraced newcomer and teen pop sensation, Olivia Rodrigo, with 7 nominations, followed by veteran crooner, 95-year-old Tony Bennett, who won his first Grammy in 1963 and received 6 nominations for the night.
Nominees in the top three categories - album, song, and record of the year - were increased to 10 from eight for the first time this year. According to Recording Academy Chief Executive Harvey Mason Jr., "Adding more nominees is a way to cast a wider net for more music, more artists, and more genres.”
Olivia Rodrigo, the 19-year-old singer of heartbreak ballad "Driver’s License," was crowned Best New Artist, and won Best Pop Vocal album beating out Doja Cat, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, and Justin Bieber.
Doja Cat and SZA won pop duo/group performance. Just days earlier, Doja Cat had announced her retirement after openly talking about her unhappiness with work/life balance and how she is no longer enjoyed making music.
Halfway through the show, host Trevor Noah introduced a surprise appeal for support from Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, before a performance led by John Legend. Zelenskiy asked the people to spread the truth about the war on Ukraine on all social media platforms, and to help in any way they can as long as they are not staying silent, so that the people of Ukraine can be free.
Zelenskiy said, “Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded in hospitals, even to those who can't hear them. But the music will break through anyway. We defend our freedom to live, to love, to sound...Fill the silence with your music. Fill it today, to tell our story. Support us in any way you can. Any, but not silence."
In the debut performance of his new song “Free”, John Legend was joined by Siuzanna Iglidan from Odesa, Ukraine, who was playing a traditional instrument called the bandura. Mika Newton from Burstyn, Ukraine also joined the stage to sing with Legend. Her sister is serving in the Ukrainian army. Lyuba Yakimchuk, who fled from Donbas, Ukraine just days earlier, later joined the stage to read her poem.
Multi-genre artist Jon Batiste and R&B duo Silk Sonic took two of the top honors at the ceremony. Silk Sonic, a duo made up of artists Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak, claimed the song and record of the year awards for their 1970s inspired hit "Leave the Door Open."
Batiste landed the night's top prize, Album of the Year, for "We Are," an album inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. During his speech, Batiste said that he believes there is no best musician, best artist, best dancer, best actor, because the creative arts are subjective. He continued that he just puts his head down and works on the craft every day with his love of music.
