滨迟鈥檚 world, and she just allows us to live in it.
After weeks where she attracted endless attention for her and a against her, the squarely back on her art. 鈥淢idnights鈥� earned Swift her fourth career Grammy for album of the year on Sunday, an achievement no one can match.
It breaks a tie with Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder, who each won the honor three times.
鈥淔or me, the award is the work,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ll I want to do is keep doing it.鈥�
And she will (more on that later). Swift was the last example of an action-packed show where women earned the biggest honors and had the majority of the most memorable performances. Miley Cyrus powerfully belted 鈥淔lowers, which won record of the year. Billie Eilish鈥檚 ballad from 鈥淏arbie,鈥� 鈥淲hat Was I Made For?鈥� was song of the year for her and co-writer Finneas O鈥機onnell, her brother. Singer-songwriter Victoria Mon茅t .
There were so many riches that , with Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, won three Grammys and didn鈥檛 even make it onto the CBS portion of the show.
Making the best pop vocal solo performance the televised show鈥檚 first award 鈥� where all five nominees were women 鈥� was a savvy hint to what was coming.
TRACY鈥橲 TURN
Bringing the reclusive Tracy Chapman on to duet with country singer Luke Combs, who had a massive hit covering her 鈥淔ast Car鈥� this past summer, was spine-tingling. In a pre-taped segment leading into it, Combs eloquently described what the song meant to him growing up. Clearly moved, Chapman鈥檚 eyes glistened when the crowd roared as she played the 1988 song鈥檚 unforgettable guitar riff. She鈥檚 kept to the background as Combs brought the song to a new generation, and chose a wise place to reemerge.
SOME FLOWERS FOR MILEY
Not to diss more elaborately-staged affairs, but there was a certain power to Cyrus鈥� performance of 鈥淔lowers.鈥� It was just her and the song, essentially. There was no question she could carry it, and she even inserted a couple of ad-libs: 鈥淚 just won my first Grammy!鈥� Her acceptance speeches were packed with personality. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e forgotten anyone,鈥� she said, after a requisite list of thank-yous, 鈥渂ut I may have forgotten underwear.鈥�
JAY-Z NEVER FORGETS
In accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, Jay-Z proved he has a long memory. He recalled the times that rap artists were outspoken about not getting enough attention from the Grammys commensurate with music sales, even boycotting a show 鈥� although 鈥渢hey went to a hotel to watch the Grammys,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 a great boycott.鈥� Jay-Z considers it an injustice that his wife, Beyonc茅, has never won album of the year despite her . 鈥淲hen I get nervous,鈥� he said, 鈥淚 tell the truth.鈥�
JONI鈥橲 RETURN
Joni Mitchell鈥檚 return to the stage earned her a Grammy and her performance Sunday was another emotional highlight. Surrounded by musical friends like Brandi Carlile, the 80-year-old Mitchell sat in an easy chair that resembled a throne, tapping her cane as she sang 鈥淏oth Sides Now.鈥� Her voice, which she had to recover after suffering a brain aneurysm, brought a richness and perspective to the song that could only be hinted at in the original. Like Chapman, she was visibly moved by the audience鈥檚 reception, betrayed by laughter after she finished.
TOUCHING TRIBUTES
Let鈥檚 be honest, those 鈥渋n memoriam鈥� tributes to people who died in the past year usually signal that it鈥檚 time for a bathroom break. Not so here. Stevie Wonder honored on a chilling 鈥渄uet鈥� with a filmed Bennett on Wonder鈥檚 鈥淔or Once in My Life,鈥� then sang Bennett鈥檚 鈥淭he Best is Yet to Come.鈥� Annie Lennox, saluting , sang 鈥淣othing Compares 2 U,鈥� with two of the late songwriter Prince鈥檚 accompanists. And Fantasia Barrino shook the walls with 鈥淧roud Mary鈥� to honor .
LATE 鈥楲IGHTS鈥�
The Grammys no doubt intended Billy Joel鈥檚 performance of his first new song in 30 years, 鈥淭urn the Lights Back On,鈥� to be a big show-capper. But the Grammys鈥� previous three hours were a hard act to top.
HARD WORK
To the public, it sometimes seems that stars arrive suddenly, but Mon茅t and SZA offered charming reminders of all the hard work and dreams that go into success. After disarmingly thanking 鈥渢he champagne servers of tonight,鈥� Mon茅t described the 15-year journey that took her to a best new artist award. 鈥淢y roots have been growing underneath the ground for so long 鈥� and I feel like today I鈥檓 sprouting,鈥� she said. There was a brief pause before SZA accepted an award for best R&B song, since she was changing backstage. But she was overwhelmed after recalling, with the trophy presented by Lizzo, the days a decade ago when they opened shows in small clubs. She hustled offstage when the tears flowed. 鈥淚鈥檓 not an attractive crier,鈥� she said.
PROMO TIME
Yes, we understand that artists are always on the lookout to promote their work. But when Swift took time in accepting an award to announce that in April, and said she would share cover art on social media, it felt 鈥� cheap. Like she was hijacking the event for her own purposes, with news she knew would overshadow much of what was happening. U2, beamed in from a concert at their Las Vegas residency, felt like they were promoting an arena instead of their own work, lost as they were in the razzle-dazzle. Two forgettable moments for two big stars.
TREVOR KNOWS
Props to Trevor Noah for his job as host. His enthusiasm for the music world can seem puppy dog-like, but it beats insult comics and ironists Opening the show from the arena鈥檚 floor, walking around to point out the stars, Noah built spirit for people there and at home alike. He got in some good lines, too, like when he noted Universal Music was . 鈥淗ow dare you rip off all the artists,鈥� he said. 鈥淪hame on you. That鈥檚 Spotify鈥檚 job.鈥� As Swift arrived late, he said that as she walked in the room, 鈥渢he economy around these tables improve. Lionel Richie becomes Lionel Wealthy.鈥�
Unlike her , Swift appeared to be enjoying Noah.
READ ALSO:
