The 2025 Grammys: variations and similar ol’
I’m a day late as a result of I needed to observe the Grammys final night time and discuss them this morning. They have been each the identical and totally different…however the variations have been most essential.
First, was the deal with the LA fires. As a former resident of Pacific Palisades I used to be saddened to study that my former home is gone, together with my entire neighborhood. I used to be extra saddened for the household that purchased it earlier than I moved to Mexico. Whereas they weren’t within the music business – as many individuals who misplaced properties in each the Palisades and Altadena have been – they probably misplaced all the pieces.
So I used to be very blissful to see the Grammys flip themselves so right into a fund raiser for the organizations serving to households, and particularly musicians who usually lease and haven’t any insurance coverage, and even gave a few of their promoting time to companies that misplaced all the pieces. I beloved the adverts the place the enterprise house owners talked to us and have been then joined by a rock star, who pressed the message house.
What else was totally different? Nicely, for one, Taylor Swift didn’t win any awards final night time. Regardless of being nominated in six classes for her album The Tortured Poets Division and the music “Fortnight. ” However, should you have been watching, she was a category act, cheering for the winners, standing for each applause, speaking with different singers, and handing Beyonce’ the award for Greatest Nation Album . Since Swift received Album of the 12 months final 12 months for Midnight, it was stylish for her to step again and cheer others, even Sabrina Carpenter, who received within the Greatest Pop Vocal Album for Quick and Candy, ( which I really feel was misplaced – The Tortured Poets Division was gentle years higher in my view).
The Beyonce’ win – properly deserved – for Cowboy Carter, was totally different. 5 years in the past should you predicted a black lady would win Greatest Nation Album, you’ll have been laughed out of the barroom. I really like nation music, however it’s so good to see it transfer out of the pickup- truck-beer-whiskey-she left- me field it has been in (in equity, it has been climbing out of over the previous few years). Artists like Beyonce and Shaboozey carry a contemporary outlook and themes to one in all America’s music kinds. It does make me recall that Black cowboys have been current within the American West from the mid-Nineteenth century accounting for an estimated 25% of cowboys from the 1860s to Eighteen Eighties, a minimum of 5,000 people.
It additionally made me take into consideration how the Academy responded to The Weekend’s request that it expanded its range, including over 3,000 girls voting members since 2019, exceeding their authentic aim of including 2,500 girls voting members by 2025. The Academy has elevated its racial range since 2019, with a 65% improve in individuals of shade since 2019, together with a 90% improve in Black or African American members and 100% progress in Asian or Pacific Islander voting membership.
There have been many different variations like Charli XCX’s rave get together on stage with boldface names, Chappell Roan’s very direct criticisms of the document labels for making tens of millions on their stars whereas paying them a pittance (though I’m not certain about her princess hat), the publicity given Raye within the Greatest New Artist section which is often an afterthought, and Doechii’s choice for Greatest Rap Album, solely the third lady to win the dignity in a heavy male setting.
Talking of heavy male setting, it was not there final night time. The vast majority of the televised awards went to girls. Apart from Kendrick Lamar’s wins for Report and Tune of the 12 months males have been barely seen within the present, because the creativity of the ladies overwhelmed them, a minimum of within the eyes of the Academy voters. (I did like Benson Boone’s flip over the piano – no marvel he wanted a jumpsuit.) My preliminary depend is 14 girls took house main awards in comparison with 7 males. And did you discover the big variety of feminine guitarists within the stage bands, particularly St. Vincent.
What was the identical ol’ factor? Trevor Noah’s internet hosting, which was excellent ,however didn’t stray from the same old mannequin, aside from when he stated that Sabrina Carpenter was funnier than he was and possibly ought to host subsequent 12 months’s present. The tribute to Quincy Jones, which was great, did remind of earlier tributes. However I nonetheless beloved it. There have been outrageous and flattering outfits, as regular. And it was filled with adverts, a minimum of within the stream I watched.
The Latin Awards weren’t particularly shocking, a minimum of to me. Shakira within the Greatest Latin Pop Album, Carin Leon for Boca Chueca, Vol1 in the Greatest Musica Mexican Album (not my selection, I’d have picked Chiquis or Peso Pluma), and Rawayana for Greatest Latin Rock Various Album, though I’d have chosen Maintain Me Fed by The Warning.
All in all, the Recording Academy is to be congratulated for a great present with just a few headscratchers, properly deserved awards throughout, and the dedication of the efficiency to elevating cash for individuals made homeless by the fires. I’m glad I waited a day and watched it.
Patrick O’Heffernan
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