2022 Grammys restore viewers’ faith in awards shows after Oscars fiasco

Viewers tune in to their television sets April 3 for the 64th annual Grammys for three-and-a-half hours of heartwarming speeches, honorable recognition and contemporary music. Photo illustration by JAKE NEEDHAM, Staff Photographer

What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas; unless it happens live at the Grammys.

The 64th annual Grammys, which took place April 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on the Las Vegas Strip, was a memorable night with tearful acceptance speeches, countless performances and heartfelt, history-making moments that made up for the controversial March 27 Oscars.

When Avril Lavigne announced the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance winner as Doja Cat and SZA's "Kiss Me More," it made for a notable chaotic moment. SZA slowly made her way up to the stage on crutches due to an injury that occured when she fell out of bed. 

But where was Doja Cat during one of the most important times of her life? She was not in the audience eagerly awaiting her award, but actually in the bathroom. When she finally made her way onto the stage, she said, “I have never taken such a fast piss in my whole life.”

“The fact that (Doja Cat) was coming back from the bathroom when SZA was accepting the award was hilarious and very on brand for her personality,” said Jack Safir, a junior creative producing major who watched the award show. “(Doja Cat is) just a very talented artist, and it was a very well-deserved award for her.”

Lady Gaga, who was nominated for the same award alongside Tony Bennett for “I Get A Kick Out Of You,” spread out SZA’s dress train as SZA made her way to the stage, as the graceful loser she is. What goes around comes around, though, and Lady Gaga later won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for her work on ‘'Love For Sale” with Bennett.

“I would expect nothing less of Lady Gaga. Her performance was also inspirational,” Safir said. 

Another feat of humanity occured when comedian Trevor Noah, host of “The Daily Show,” introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who delivered a virtual speech urging the audience to spread the word about the turmoil surrounding Ukraine on social media. 

“Fill the silence with music,” Zelensky said in a pre-recorded message. “(Musicians) sing to the wounded in hospitals — even to those who can't hear them. But the music will break through anyway.”

Someone who truly sang to the wounded was singer-songwriter Jon Batiste, who cheerily performed his song "Freedom.” Claire Carroll, a senior business administration major, told The Panther it was as if this was a purposeful tribute to the struggles for freedom in Ukraine. 

“You could tell the other musicians were excited to be there and watch (Batiste), which I feel like doesn't happen a lot when people of that caliber are interacting with each other,” Carroll said. “They don't show their fan behavior as much, so it was nice (Batiste) brought that out of everyone.

Batiste later won Album of the Year, though he looked confused when his name was announced.

“I believe this to my core: there is no best musician, best dancer, best actor,” Batiste said during his acceptance speech. “The creative arts are subjective, and they reach people in their lives when they need them enough. It's like (the arts have) a radar to find the person when they need them the most.”

A slightly less humble, though playful speech was made by Silk Sonic, a duo consisting of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, after winning both the awards they were nominated for. The pair of performers walked away from the night having secured Best R&B Performance and Record of the Year.

“We are really trying our hardest to remain humble at this point,” Mars said in the acceptance speech. “But in the industry, we call that a clean sweep.”

Although Silk Sonic opened the show with their iconic song, “Leave the Door Open”, it was BTS’s “Butter” that was the talk of the show with band member V and pop-star Olivia Rodrigo exchanging a flirty moment before the performance kicked off.

“The moment I saw them whisper to each other, I thought to myself, ‘This is literally going to be the next — if it isn’t already — Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez couple of the current middle schoolers all over the world,’” said Jessica Wilson, a junior creative producing major who tuned in April 3.

Another iconic element of the show was when people who worked behind the scenes with some of the evening’s most popular artists were invited on stage to introduce the celebrities they collaborated with. Nicole Massey, Billie Eilish’s production manager, introduced Eillish and her brother FINNEAS to the stage for a live rendition of “Happier Than Ever.” 

“(Eilish) started in the interior of a house while singing the smooth calm part of (‘Happier Than Ever’), and then in the little musical break, she climbed a staircase to the second floor,” Carroll said. “FINNEAS went nuts on the guitar, and there was the projection of rain, which was cool, because it looked so real,” Carroll said. 

The night of wholesome history-making moments was like a refreshing glass of water after the stressful mess that was the Oscars.

“It was phenomenal and everyone in the room again were just excited to be there, going nuts and you could tell it was a fun show to be a part of and watch,” Carroll said.