Beyonce makes Grammys history as the most awarded artist but misses out on Album of the Year
A dancer has revealed the truth behind an on-stage glitch during Harry Styles’ “patchy” Grammys performance of As It Was.
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Harry Styles and his dancers suffered a bizarre technical malfunction at the Grammys which threw off the Album of the Year winner‘s performance of his smash hit As It Was.
The back-up dancers had to scramble when the giant turntable they spent 10 days rehearsing with began to spin the wrong direction.
“What you don’t know is that the moment the curtain opened and it was time to perform, our turntable started spinning in reverse,” dancer Brandon Mathis posted on Instagram.
“Backwards. Freaking all of us out on live television, and there was nothing we could do to stop it. In real time, we had to troubleshoot and try to do a complete piece in reverse.”
Styles almost stacked it as he jumped off the spinning floor to join his band at an adjoining stage.
It comes after comments online that the singer’s voice was also off, with suggestions his tour schedule was too gruelling.
GRAMMYS GOAT BEYONCÉ MISSES OUT ON MAJOR GONG
Harry Styles will return to Australia for his long-awaited Love On Tour concerts in a few weeks as the Album of the Year winner.
The night’s top awards were shared around after Beyoncé claimed her record-breaking 32nd trophy.
Queen Bey had been tipped to win the final gong of the night – a trophy she has been chasing her whole career.
With this year’s winners perfecting their “shock” faces, Styles added a “head in hands” and numerous shakes of his handsome noggin to convey his surprise he beat out Coldplay, ABBA, Adele, Beyonce, Bad Bunny, Mary J Blige, Kendrick Lamar, Brandi Carlile and his buddy Lizzo to win the final prize of the night.
“Shit,” he stated matter-of-factly as he was given the Grammy, after hugging and dancing with a loyal fan on stage.
“This doesn‘t happen to people like me very often ... this is so, so nice,” perhaps referencing that former boy band members rarely go on to create classic pop albums like Harry’s House.
The 65th Grammys (finally) closed out with the long-teased performance of Jay-Z with DJ Khaled and John Legend and other rap guests who nodded in time.
BEYONCÉ MAKES GRAMMYS HISTORY
Beyoncé officially became the Grammys GOAT.
Winning the Best Dance/Electronic Album with Renaissance gave Queen Bey her 32nd Grammy, her fourth so far for this year.
She took several deep breaths as she carefully made her way up the steps in her figure-hugging gown and then at the podium to compose herself.
“I am trying not to be too emotional, I am trying to just receive this night,” she said, taking another pause.
Her list of thank yous included God, her parents, her three children, “my beautiful husband” and the queer community, as well as her late Uncle Johnny who died of HIV when she was 17. Beyoncé dedicated the Renaissance album to him in a note she wrote to fans on its release last year.
Record 👠Breaker👠#GRAMMYspic.twitter.com/Lqn581xNYB
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) February 6, 2023
LIZZO DEDICATES GRAMMY TO PRINCE
American blues giant Bonnie Raitt was almost paralysed with shock when her name was announced ahead of every pop and hip hop superstar in the world to steal the Song of the Year for her heartfelt ballad Just Like That.
The artist, who was given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award last year, was surprised and humbled to receive the coveted award, which is dedicated to songwriters, from First Lady Jill Biden.
Lizzo had the same open-mouthed reaction when About Damn Time took out the Record of the Year trophy.
NOBODY TALK TO ME !!!!! pic.twitter.com/KUibFJjQrD
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) February 6, 2023
Like her tablemate Adele, she had the censor frantically hitting the bleep buzzer with her enthusiastic and emotional speech, dedicating her award to Prince and praising Beyonce for her influence on her career.
“When we lost Prince, I decided to dedicate my life to making positive music,” she said.
ADELE WINS GRAMMY
Instead of getting played off, Adele got bleeped off as she declared “I f...in‘ love you all” or words to that effect after she won the Best Pop Solo Performance gong for Easy On Me.
American free-to-air networks are super scared of letting any F-bombs go to air and incur the wrath of broadcast regulators and the kind of viewers who don’t actually watch music awards shows.
The pop queen had her default cry face on as she took to the podium, telling the audience her partner, sports agent Rich Paul had ordered her not to let the tears flow if she won.
Adele dedicated the award to her son Angelo who inspired the song.
“I wrote the first verse in the shower when I was choosing to change my son’s life,” she said.
She was presented the award by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
50 YEARS OF HIP HOP CELEBRATED
Good luck to anyone still to perform at this year’s Grammys because the legend-stacked 50 Years of Hip Hop mash-up just owned the show.
A dizzying cavalcade of ground-breaking rappers curated by Questlove and including Big Boi, Busta Rhymes, De La Soul, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Missy Elliott, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Mele Mel & Scorpio, Ice-T, Method Man, Nelly, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Rakim, RUN-DMC, Salt-N-Pepa and former awards host Ll Cool J smashed through some of the biggest hip hop songs of the past five decades.
Jay-Z was among the audience members rapping and bouncing along to the historic moment, with the mash-up lasting more than 10 minutes.
Mic. Drop. #GRAMMYspic.twitter.com/CaKl8vIBkG
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) February 6, 2023
This celebration of hip hop is so so special.
— Miss TLC (@IAmMissTLC) February 6, 2023
To go from originally awarding the rap category off-air to this? EVERYTHING.
Thank goodness they knew enough to include Questlove on the musical direction.
I wish it was an hour long, honestly. #Grammyspic.twitter.com/rsnlcoyo7C
SAM SMITH DELIVERS DEVILISH PERFORMANCE
It comes after a facially refreshed Madonna was a shock addition to the presenter‘s list, surprising everyone when she was introduced to usher in the performance of Unholy by Grammy winners Sam Smith and Kim Petras.
“So here's what I’ve learned after four decades in music. If they call you shocking, scandalous, troublesome, problematic, provocative or dangerous, you are definitely onto something,” she said, before cueing the audience “that’s where you make some noise” for her speech.
“So I am here to give thanks to all the rebels out there forging a new path and taking the heat for all of it.
“You guys need to know that your fearlessness does not go unnoticed. You are seen, you are heard and most of all you are appreciated.”
Smith and Petras’ performance was also plagued by the sound issues which have made all the singers’ vocals echo through the giant arena.
OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN REMEMBERED AT GRAMMYS
The loss of so many influential and loved musicians over the past 12 years prompted The Grammys to schedule possibly the longest In Memoriam section in entertainment awards history.
Kacey Musgraves kicked off the first section with Coalminer’s Daughter in tribute to Loretta Lynn, with Olivia Newton-John also receiving applause when her image flashed onto the black screen.
Migos singer Quavo led the next chapter in honour of his late nephew and bandmate Takeoff who was fatally shot in a Texan bowling alley last November.
Old performances of David Crosby and Jeff Beck soundtracked further tributes while Sheryl Crow and Bonnie Raitt linked with Fleetwood Mac founder to honour the late Christine McVie.
Kacey's voice + Loretta's guitar = full body chills. #GRAMMYspic.twitter.com/QywVb4GevX
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) February 6, 2023
‘DISCO CHEWBACCA’ STYLES’ PATCHY PERFORMANCE
For his third costume change of the evening, Harry Styles looked like a disco Chewbacca with his silver-tasseled onesie.
The television director made the camera pan to his former flame Taylor Swift as she was upstanding for the patchy performance of As It Was.
Styles appeared to have some issues with his inner-ear monitor during his set which recreated the hit song’s video.
For Aussie music followers, the staging was reminiscent of the spinning disc Isaiah Firebrace had to battle for his 2017 Eurovision campaign in 2017.
We asked @harry_styles to bring back his leather outfit but apparently it caused too many trips to the emergency room in 2021 :/ pic.twitter.com/q2C4DtuOMh
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) February 6, 2023
STEVIE WONDER, SMOKEY ROBINSON GET CROWD DANCING
Lizzo took to the Grammy’s stage in a short black number as she delivered a special performance of her hit Special with a gospel choir.
It came after Stevie Wonder had the entire audience on their feet with his jam sesh to celebrate Motown legends Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson, who were named the MusiCares Persons of the Year for their inestimable contributions to pop music.
We're so glad that you're here with us, @lizzo â¤ï¸ pic.twitter.com/xwNu2NjlPP
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) February 6, 2023
Every star from Ben Affleck with wife JLo to beanie-wearing Coldplay frontman Chris Martin sang along while Swift proved she will always be the first superstar to her feet when the live music vibes start hitting.
Sam Smith and Kim Petras have owned the global airwaves with their steamy pop smash Unholy and were the worthy winners of the Pop Duo/Group Vocal Performance award.
Smith insisted their friend Petras accept the trophy to mark the first time a transgender woman has won a Grammy.
“Sam, I love you so much and this song has been such an incredible, incredible journey for me...Sam graciously wanted me to accept this award because I am the first transgender woman to win this award,” Petras said.
Petras, who heads to Australia this month for Sydney WorldPride, dedicated the Grammy win to the late indie pop artist and her friend Sophie, Madonna for her advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community and her mother who “believed I was a girl.”
Congrats Best Pop Duo / Group Performance - @SamSmith & @KimPetras "Unholy" #GRAMMYspic.twitter.com/Zr8TfzjWeS
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) February 6, 2023
BEYONCÉ MIA AT GRAMMYS
Beyoncé was missing in action when she was named a winner.
So did Beyoncé get stuck in traffic, as host Trevor Noah blamed? Surely they can scramble a chopper?
It was left to legendary guitarist Nile Rodgers to accept her award when Cuff It was named the Best R&B Song bringing her to a tie with late conductor Sir Georg Solti for the most Grammys in history with 31 gramophone trophies.
Rodgers paid tribute to his one-take performance on the track.
“I heard this song and I said ‘I want to play on that right now!’ It was one take...it was just what I felt in my heart.”
Later in the ceremony, Noah on screen jokingly welcomed Beyoncé to the event.
STYLES TAKES HOME GRAMMYS GONG
The 65th Grammy Awards booked Puerto Rican rap superstar Bad Bunny, the most streamed artist in the world, to kick off this year‘s main ceremony with a Latin street party which brought fellow superstars Taylor Swift and Jack Harlow to their feet.
Comedian and television personality host Trevor Noah wasted zero seconds weaving the biggest news story in America into his opening monologue, suggesting he would be wandering around the room like a Chinese spy balloon as he pointed out Harry Styles, Lizzo, Adele and LL Cool J in the room. He mentioned Beyonce and Jay-Z were there but there was a conspicuous lack of vision of the pair at the front row tables. Perhaps they got stuck in traffic..
The awards amped up the cute factor with Brandi Carlile‘s wife Catherine and their daughters Evangeline and Elijah to introduce her performance of Broken Horses, which had already picked up three awards in the earlier non-televised ceremony.
The first on-air gong, presented by J Lo, was won by Styles with Harry’s House for Best Pop Vocal Album.
“This album, from start to finish, has been the greatest experience of my life,” he said, sporting a classic hotel busboy suit with sequinned top after blowing out eyeballs with his harlequin jumpsuit on the red carpet.
ALL EYES ON BEYONCÉ
Beyoncé edger close to making history as the most awarded artist in Grammys history, having beaten our own Rufus Du Sol, winning Best Dance/Electronic Recording with her hit Break My Soul.
She also collected Best Traditional R&B Performance for the song Plastic Off The Sofa from last year‘s triumphant Renaissance album.
Another leading nominee, singer songwriter Brandi Carlilie, has also celebrated early wins in the “premiere” ceremony where the majority of trophies are handed out before the televised event, winning Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song with her track Broken Horses.
A week after the devastating news Ozzy Osbourne’s continued health struggles after spinal surgery forced him to cancel his UK and European tours, the beloved veteran rockers has something to celebrate.
Osbourne’s spirits as he desperately aims to return to the concert stage were further lifted with a win for Best Metal Performance for Degradation Rules, featuring his Black Sabbath brother Tony Iommi.
His Patient No.9 album, which also featured the late great guitarist Jeff Beck who died of bacterial meningitis last month, was Best Rock Album.
And British indie rockers Wet Leg, who will open for Harry Styles on his upcoming Australian tour, celebrated two wins for Best Alternative Music Album and Best ALternative Music Performance.
New York-based Australian jazz bassist and composer was celebrating a coveted Grammy win for her contribution to the New Standards Vol. 1 record by Terri Lyne Carrington, which picked up the Best Jazz Instrumental award.
While there are dozens of awards to be presented before the televised extravaganza, it is the red carpet and the coveted performance slots which steal the focus of fans.
Among those confirmed to give their hits an airing – or honour pop icons who have died in the past year – are nominees Bad Bunny, Styles, Carlile, Lizzo, and Sam Smith and Kim Petras.
An all-star cast including LL Cool J, Missy Elliott, Run DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, Questlove and Grandmaster Flash will pay tribute to 50 years of hip hop.
Before they took to the stage with host Trevor Noah directing the show, all eyes were on the red carpet.
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Originally published as Beyonce makes Grammys history as the most awarded artist but misses out on Album of the Year
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