Zelensky? BTS? The 2022 Grammys are wild and full of fun – Next to the Louis CK of all

USAaybe it’s the stability of the Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena) that has kept the Grammys so great in recent years as tonight’s opening ceremony at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is a definite improvement. marked with stellar performances and some really enjoyable wins throughout the night.

First, let’s start with the host, Trevor Noah, who I guess we can expect to host the event for the next 17 years. Of all the major awards ceremonies, the Grammys are perhaps the least host-friendly, as demonstrated by the rapid pace at which the comedian is forced to read the telemeter and the amount of work restrictions he was allowed to do other than announce the night’s presenters and performers. Noah delivers the level of humor he brings every night The Daily Show, which means a lot of the familiar, obvious jokes you read on Twitter four months ago, and some that made you chuckle. Regardless of the quality of his humor, there’s enough good laughs that none of his hosts are awkward. You also can’t deny that the man with the camera-ready face and natural aura is well suited for this type of performance.

Of course, like we all fear, Noah gave a brief, imperative shout-out to The Slap, promising viewers that they “will keep people’s names out of our mouths” throughout the show. Likewise, he looked very smug as he uttered these words. But considering he’s got a whole steak with a rapper nominated for Album of the Year who influenced the events of the night, it’s funny to watch him deliver a speech from his non-confrontational ponytail.

Again, this year’s ceremony was a little over three hours and thirty minutes, but was more watchable than previous years thanks to a number of stops — including stunning, high-quality production. — by the biggest stars of the night, including Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X and BTS. Before they took the stage, Silk Sonic kicked off the show with their signature ’70s R&B pastiche on full screen, performing “777”. It takes trust and a built-in connection with your audience, which both Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak have earned during their time in the spotlight, to usher in this kind of event with a poignant album. But they succeeded, earning the first of many standing ovations throughout the night.

Speaking of accepting the Os, Eilish, after winning the Oscar, performed the ballad “Happier Than Ever” with his brother Finneas as a tribute to the recently deceased Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, whose picture photo of her wearing a t-shirt. Rodrigo delivered another emotional moment of the night with his perfect rendition of his “driver’s license” award for Best Pop Vocal Performance. Everyone’s favorite comedian/internet marketing enthusiast Lil Nas X appears far more relaxed and confident in his dance skills and general stage presence than we’ve seen before here, singing a medley of songs from his nominated album, including “Industry Baby” with Jack Harlow. Although the performance referred to the backlash he received to the “Call me by your name” video by conservatives online, with a flurry of angry tweets and news reports being projected on the big screen, notably it was less self-introducing and stunted than usual. Regardless, the results are quite satisfying.

The best performance of the night certainly went to K-pop juggler BTS, who sang their nominated song “Butter” early in the ceremony. There’s something so exhilarating about these men being so mysterious, swooping down from ceilings and jumping through lasers like they’re in a James Bond movie, while summoning the actors’ agility. Hollywood stunt and perform perfect choreography.

In contrast, Justin Bieber, who left the ceremony empty-handed, performed a slow, fun, and unintentionally painful rendition of the song “Peaches” before Daniel Caesar and Giveon joined him. on the stage. As my colleague Kevin Fallon shared on Twitter, the whole thing is reminiscent of a church choir soloist trying to perform the sexiest version of “Amazing Grace.” Unfortunately, the lyrics, “I took my chickens North, yes (evil bitch)” was never uttered with such seriousness and slowness.

Performances by J. Balvin, HER, Brandi Carlile, and Carrie Underwood were mostly fine but certainly less memorable than the chart-toppers. John Legend’s tribute to Ukraine caught the attention of viewers who criticized the Recording Academy’s pickiness when it came to speaking on international affairs, and was preceded by a surprise introduction from President George W. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Similarly, Lady Gaga’s performance of the nominated jazz duet with Tony Bennett, “Love For Sale”, was posted online. Her and Bennett’s slideshow in the background also makes the man look dead and not just watching the broadcast from his house. Also, the Grammys did a strange thing when they let the tour managers of certain artists present their performances to shed light on all the hardships they faced, especially in a pandemic. But letting them appear in that small role doesn’t really do much to disrupt the dynamic between them and the stars they work for.

On Eilish’s performance, the Grammy Awards paid tribute to Taylor Hawkins with a montage that opened the memo. Rachel Zegler managed to score an invitation to the ceremony, singing an ensemble by Stephen Sondheim, along with Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom Jr., technically, clearly the best vocal performance. of the night.

As I expected, Record and Song of the Year goes to “Leave the Door Open” by Silk Sonic. Olivia Rodrigo took home the awards for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best New Artist — although the awards were slightly overshadowed by the presenters, which is a rare occurrence on the often underpowered television channel. smoke this. Likewise, former Best New Artist winners Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion showed up in matching black Versace gowns to recreate the hilarious moment between Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey at the VMAs 1998. Donatella Versace herself even appeared from the audience to participate a bit. The image of Megan and Dua looking dapper in rubber boots certainly preoccupied Twitter for the next thirty minutes. But no one can argue that Rodrigo doesn’t deserve the freshman award.

Emma McIntyre / Getty

In other news, Doja Cat and SZA won their first Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Kiss Me More”. And Doja has reminded us all that she’s one of the few young musicians with a good sense of humor and personality. Jazmine Sullivan wins Best R&B Performance for her breathtaking concept album Tales of Heaux and gave a great speech specifically for Black women. Arguably, the most disappointing win of the night was Album of the Year, which went to Jon Batiste’s We are. Considering how stacked this category is, his win isn’t necessarily a shock. I’m imagining a lot of voting among Gen Z artists, especially Rodrigo and Eilish. Either way, I think if you poll the music listening community, most people will say they’ve never heard that album, let alone that it exists.

All in all, the Las Vegas Grammys are definitely an upgrade over recent years, save for a few issues. The only regret of the night seemed to be the announcement before the broadcast admitting sexual harasser Louis CK took home the award for Best Comedy Album. Speaking of celebrity issuers, Kanye West, who was banned from performing after a series of threats and troubling comments made to Pete Davidson and Trevor Noah on Instagram, also won awards for the posts. sing “Jail” and “Hurricane” from Donda. Morbius himself was also in the building. Other than that, it was a pretty good night!