Doechii accepts the perfect rap album award for Alligator Bites By no means Heal on the 67th Grammy awards.
Amy Sussman/Getty Photos/Getty Photos North America
conceal caption
toggle caption
Amy Sussman/Getty Photos/Getty Photos North America
When wildfires erupted throughout Los Angeles final month, the Recording Academy confronted a tough query: whether or not or to not transfer ahead with tonight’s 67th Grammy Awards. Finally, the Academy determined canceling the ceremony could be a good greater blow to the 1000’s of Los Angeles space residents who work on the occasion, and they also got here to the conclusion that the present would go on — with a heavy emphasis on the spirit and resilience of the town it calls dwelling.
The Academy’s mission to pay tribute to each the town itself and all of these affected by the wildfires confirmed up as quickly because the present began with host Trevor Noah’s monologue. The band Dawes — whose members Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith misplaced their properties within the fires — have been backed by John Legend, Sheryl Crow and Brittany Howard to carry out a canopy of Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.” Shortly after, host Trevor Noah launched LA native Billie Eilish. Decked out in a Los Angeles Dodgers hat and assembled in opposition to a backdrop of the Southern California mountains, the 23-year-old singer and her brother Finneas infused new which means into their haunting, borderline-creepy love music, “Birds of a Feather,” which is up for each music of the 12 months and file of the 12 months.
However the dedication to Los Angeles was not solely restricted to musical performances. Along with fundraising efforts highlighted by Noah all through the present, the Academy determined to included brief clips of small enterprise house owners who’re a vital a part of the native economic system, resembling a floral designer who launched her store’s mission alongside Grammy winner Doja Cat.
Within the first win of the night time, Florida multihyphenate Doechii shouted out the lengthy legacy of Black girls in hip-hop and the inventive prowess behind her hometown of Tampa as she accepted the Grammy for finest rap album. Her mixtape, Alligator Bites By no means Heal, additionally earned her nominations for finest new artist and finest rap efficiency.
The latter was taken dwelling by Kendrick Lamar in the course of the earlier premiere ceremony, which kicked off an early sweep for his music “Not Like Us,” additionally successful finest rap music and finest music video. The diss observe, which was thought of the definitive mic drop in Lamar’s ongoing beef with Drake, can be up for file of the 12 months and music of the 12 months. Lamar’s album GNX, which he launched in November, just isn’t eligible for tonight’s Grammys.
Sabrina Carpenter, one other finest new artist nominee, additionally scored an early win for finest pop vocal album. The 25-year-old carried out a medley of hits from Quick n’ Candy, her sixth studio album and business breakthrough. Different notable winners of the night time from the sooner ceremony embody Nashville darling Sierra Ferrell (finest Americana album, finest Americana roots music, finest Americana efficiency and finest Americana roots efficiency) and St. Vincent (finest rock music, finest various music efficiency, and finest various music album).
