A night of solemn social commentary and triumphant wins
The 57th Annual Grammy Awards, held this past Sunday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, featured a blend of the surprising and the expected. Crowd favorites raked in the trophies, little-known performers staged upset wins, and strong personalities (read: Kanye West) got up to their usual antics. However, the most striking aspect of this year’s awards was the element of social commentary that grounded many of the high-profile performances. Symbolism, solemnity and direct calls to action marked a show that was ultimately about far more than music.
R&B star Pharrell Williams, who won three trophies early in the night, made waves with a surprisingly serious performance of his hit song “Happy.” Towards the end of a largely jubilant set, Williams and a group of hoodie-clad backup dancers raised their arms in the “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” position, an allusion to the controversial killings of young African-American men such as Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. Later, while presenting the award for album of the year, Prince revisited the topic, asserting that “Like books and black lives, albums still matter.”
Of course, Beyoncé had to have a voice in the conversation. She contributed a pensive, emotional rendition of “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” set against a backdrop of more dancers assuming the “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” pose. John Legend and Common followed her with a stirring performance of their Golden Globe-winning song “Glory” from the acclaimed Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic “Selma.” Overall, it was evident that the performers wanted to remind their audience of the importance of current issues of race and justice, finding the Staples Center an ideal setting in which to deliver their message.
President Barack Obama also used the show as an opportunity to share views on social justice. Speaking via telecast, he encouraged members of the music industry to use their influence to reverse the trend of domestic violence against women and girls. He gave the floor to Brooke Axtell, an activist and survivor of domestic violence, who silenced the crowd with a brilliant spoken-word piece. Katy Perry, well-known for her sexualized, Technicolor stage presence, complemented Axtell with a spare performance of her ballad “By The Grace of God.” Perry, Axtell and many other performers clearly followed Obama’s advice, using their airtime to raise audience awareness of important social issues.
However, the Grammys were not all social commentary and solemnity. Triumph took the stage as beloved British R&B star Sam Smith won four awards, including Best New Artist and Record of the Year. Alternative musician Beck surprised viewers by winning Album of the Year for his lush, pensive “Morning Phase,” beating out Beyoncé and other better-known performers. To the crowd’s horror, Kanye West leapt onstage as Beck accepted his trophy, reprising his interruption of Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMAs. Though he played it off as a joke and did, indeed, let Beck finish, he stated after the show that Beck was less deserving than Beyoncé, and should have given her his award.
This ridiculous interlude aside, the most memorable aspects of this 57th annual Grammys were the artists’ well-merited wins, not to mention their masterful performances and the messages behind them. In a time of growing social tension, the Grammys reminded us that music, always a source of joy and connection, can also act as a force for positive change.
Contact Clare Flanagan at ckflan ‘at’ stanford.edu.