Ok, there may not have been a violent altercation at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, which aired last night from Las Vegas, but that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a thoroughly entertaining affair. Despite being plagued with similar relevancy scandals and internal strife like the Oscars, we got to see the industry’s best and brightest take home some rightly-deserved awards and make some important points in the process. From Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy’s impassioned speech to Billie Eilish’s touching tribute to Taylor Hawkins, here are HUNGER’s highlights from the 2022 Grammys.
Billie Eilish paid tribute to the late Foo Fighters drummer, Taylor Hawkins
‘Bad Guy’ singer, Billie Eilish, delivered a poignant performance of ‘Happier Than Ever’, where she paid tribute to Taylor Hawkins who died on March 25, aged 50, while on tour. Wearing a black, baggy T-shirt sporting the face of the legendary drummer, at the end of the song, she smiled and lifted up the t-shirt to rapturous applause.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy made a surprise appearance
In the midst of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy movingly implored the audience to support his country. Speaking via a recorded message in English, the unexpected guest painted a bleak picture using musical metaphors. “Our musicians wear body armour instead of tuxedoes … but our music will break through anyway,” he asserted, asking musicians to “fill the silence with your music.”
John Legend took the stage immediately after to perform, ‘Free’, as the stage was bathed in blue light. Accompanying Legend was Ukrainian musician, Siuzanna Iglidan, as well as Ukrainian singer, Mika Newton, and Ukrainian poet, Lyuba Yakimchuk, the latter whom have only recently escaped the conflict.
Olivia Rodrigo dazzles on stage
Olivia Rodrigo received her dues last night, taking home Best New Artist and Best Pop Solo performance — a moment she dubbed her “biggest dream come true”. The ‘Driver’s License’ singer also wowed while performing the song that catapulted her into superstardom.
Doja Cat and SZA win their first Grammys
Not even a poorly timed bathroom break or a pair of crutches could stop Doja Cat and Sza from picking up their first Grammy’s best pop duo/group performance for their song ‘Kiss Me More’. Rightly tearful, the two pop stars touched on the fact that this was only the second time that two women had won this category. As Doja stated, “I like to downplay a lot of shit, but this is, uh, it’s a big deal.”
Donatella Versace helped Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion recreated an iconic Whitney Houston moment
None other than Donatella Versace joined Dua Lipa and Megan The Stallion on stage to strip their skirts after they joked about wearing similar outfits as they co-presented the best new artist Grammy. “Ladies, don’t fight,” the designer announced in Italian as she whipped off their skirts to reveal a new ‘fit underneath. The scene was, of course, paying tribute to the time that Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston shared the stage at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards, where they both wore brown dresses before yanking them off to reveal miniskirts underneath.
