The Grammys can recruit anyone to open the show. They picked Camila Cabello. Don’t know her? You should.
Last year #GrammysSoMale and Grammy president Neil Portnow saying “Women need to step up” dominated conversation. For the 61st Awards, Academy voters highlighted deserving women, artists of color, and passionate, progressive music resulting in a show (mostly) worth watching.
Looking at the lineup you could predict what would be amazing and what would be lousy (beer bong burnout Post Malone and a flat Red Chili Peppers). Stuff you need to dig up on YouTube today: Best Rap Album champ Cardi B grinding on grand piano so hard Madonna might have blushed on “Money,” Dolly Parton with half a dozen superstars doing everything from “Jolene” to “After the Gold Rush,” and Brandi Carlile performing “The Joke” like the folk ballad, country barn burner, gospel hymn and rock epic it is.
In keeping with the substance-and-style theme flash: Early in the night, Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” — a song and video that examined the ugly intersections of race, racism, violence, capitalism, art, and entertainment — won best music video and rap/sung performance.
Many more of biggest, best and most deserving names in music took home golden gramophones. Maybe the most nuanced and visceral songwriter working today, Carlile, nabbed best American roots performance, American roots song and Americana album. Right behind her, Kacey Musgraves won huge with best country album, country song and country solo performance awards. Lady Gaga went home with best pop solo performance, pop duo/group performance and song written for visual media.