By Brett Shaw
Sunday was music’s biggest night, as the most talented stars in the world came together to celebrate this year in music at the 59th annual GRAMMY Awards.
Adele and Beyoncé were the most anticipated and debated recipients, with both women being nominated for song, record, and album of the year. Each took home multiple awards throughout the night, but Adele swept the three major awards.
However, during her acceptance speech for Album of the Year, Adele directly addressed Beyoncé, praising Lemonade as the more deserving album.
“I can’t possibly accept this,” said Adele. “The way you make me feel, the way you make my black friends feel, is empowering.”
The other highly successful nominee of the night was Chance the Rapper, who took home multiple awards including Best Rap Album and Best New Artist. Both his performance and his acceptance speeches focused on his relationship with God. His success validated the growing number of independent artists who do not sign with a label.
Adele’s cold opening performance of her highly nominated song, “Hello”, brought the audience to its feet and set the tone for what would be a night of legendary performances.
One of the most sensational acts of the night was Beyoncé. Following the large announcement of her pregnancy, she delivered a powerful visual and vocal performance of her songs “Love Drought” and “Sandcastles” centered around motherhood.
Another remarkable performance was the unlikely duo of Alicia Keys and country break-out star, Maren Morris. Their dynamic, belting voices came together to perform Morris’s song “Once” from her GRAMMY-nominated album.
James Corden did a phenomenal job hosting the show, using his comedic and musical skill sets together for a hilarious opening musical number. After falling down a flight of stairs, he proceeded with an impressive rap full of pop culture references and digs at Donald Trump.
As with the Golden Globes, Politics were a hot topic on the GRAMMY stage. Many artists utilized their air time to make statements against Trump, the Dakota Access Pipeline, the Muslim ban, and more.
Exiting a white picket fence, wearing a pantsuit and “PERSIST” armband, Katy Perry debuted her new politically charged single, “Chained to the Rhythm”. Audience members leapt to their feet as the picket fence was disassembled to reveal the Declaration of Independence.
Busta Rhymes and A Tribe Called Quest came together for an even larger political stunt. Their controversial performance strongly protested Trump by criticizing his hatred and holding up the Black Power fist.
“I want to thank President Agent Orange for your unsuccessful attempt at the Muslim ban,” said Busta Rhymes.
Multiple tributes throughout the GRAMMYs remembered the musical contributions of recently deceased music legends including Prince, George Michael, and The Bee Gees.
Complete with the purple suit and white guitar, Bruno Mars appeared as a spitting image of Prince. The performance perfectly captured the glamour, talent, and energy that Prince is renowned for.
Adele’s George Michael tribute brought herself and the audience to tears. After a shaky start, Adele actually restarted her performance because she wanted to “get this right.” It all came together to create a raw and emotional moment.
