The 65th Grammy Awards came and went on Sunday, Feb. 5; one of my personal favorite nights of the year. Whether you tuned into the four-hour spectacle or were caught up through your Instagram or Tik Tok feed, this year’s show celebrated music, the artists and the harmony of humanity.
As a big hip-hop fan, the 50-year celebration of hip-hop was the best part of the evening. This piece was a never-ending Russian doll of influential artists representing their style and era of hip-hop. Genre pioneers like Grandmaster Flash, L.L. Cool J. and Missy Elliot started us off with their classical hip-hop styles, which were then juxtaposed with Lil Uzi Vert and his song “Just Wanna Rock”. Needless to say, I was vibing from my bed and hollering as each artist popped on stage. Bringing together hip-hop’s legends and modern creators was a powerful nod to the roots and growth that the genre has experienced.
Now, let’s talk about Sam Smith. A figure who has escaped controversy his entire career … until this year. At the Grammys, he was nominated with Kim Petras for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their song “Unholy,” … and they won?! Crickets. “Unholy” was popular on my Tik Tok feed, but not for positive reasons. “Unholy” is lyrically and conceptually very different from Sam Smith’s previous iconic songs. Due to this visionary style change, I was caught incredibly off guard by this weird, weak and strange song from the usual powerful ballads he creates. Regardless of your opinion on “Unholy,” Kim Petras’s acceptance speech after their win was hugely impactful. She celebrated her growth in confidence and emphasized influential transgender individuals who inspired her in the industry. Kim Petras and Sam Smith proved to be class acts and slayed their performance with the utmost confidence, so I’ll give it to ‘em!
Lizzo spoke for me when referring to Beyoncé as “the artist of our lives!” Unless you are living under a rock, you’ve heard that Beyoncé has officially won the most Grammys in the history of the event. After James Corden announced ‘Queen B’ as the recipient of the Best Dance/Electronic Album of the Year, the audience broke into a standing ovation, as did I, in my room, alone. While Beyoncé’s work is nothing short of monumental, her “Hive” tends to embarrass themselves when displaying their support. During Harry Styles’s acceptance speech for album of the year, fans in the audience were heard shouting, “Beyoncé should’ve won!” This delinquency is something that ‘Swifties’ (a.k.a Taylor Swift fans) recognize all too well. When winning Best Female Video back in 2009, Taylor Swift was upstaged by Kanye West as he ranted about how Beyoncé should’ve won in front of the entire audience and on live TV. Taylor displayed her solidarity towards Harry this year by standing in the middle of the seated audience to provide him with support. I sobbed.
Controversial opinion incoming: “Harry’s House” was absolutely deserving of Album of the Year. From “As It Was” to “Matilda,” this collection of upbeat and sentimental songs had 2022 in a chokehold. Competing with artists like Adele, Beyoncé and Lizzo will result in some close competition, but Harry’s album stood the test of time and remained on the charts (and our Tik Tok feeds) throughout the year. No wonder he won! Most adorable moment of the 65th Grammy Awards? The sweet lady who announced Album of the Year, do yourself a favor and go watch it, it is precious!
In short: Beyoncé is queen, but the Hive needs to chill, I miss the old Sam Smith, hip-hop is a constant slay, Taylor is so classy (and so was her dress), Harry deserved that win and Adele’s reactions to awards and commentary were priceless.
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