Grammys Crown New Icons, Snub Veterans

The sixty-eighth Grammy awards kicked off with a performance from Bruno Mars and Rosé singing their hit song “APT.” Immediately following was a fun and energetic performance of “Manchild” from Sabrina Carpenter, where she revealed herself on a set in a white, aviation-themed costume with backup dancers dressed as businessmen, astronauts, and surgeons, to name a few. The performance’s vibrant energy brought the crowd to their feet as they danced along with Carpenter.

Several performances followed “Manchild,” one of them being Addison Rae’s “Fame is a Gun,” which was immediately frowned upon due to Rae’s use of lip sync and her Britney Spears-like dancing, with many accusing the singer of trying too hard to be like Spears. However, others were appreciative of Rae’s performance, deeming that it was able to bring Spears’ iconic moves back to the stage. The star performance of the night, though, is undisputedly “Man I Need” by artist Olivia Dean, who was also named Artist of the Year.

This year's Grammy Awards weren’t just focused on the music; most winning artists used their platform to speak on their political opinions, which left the audience roaring in applause. The bravery from these artists to voice their opinion not only made an impact on the crowd but also the millions of people that were watching. Take Billie Eilish, who left the stage with her head up high after she said, “No one is illegal on stolen land.” Similarly, Bad Bunny continued what Eilish started, starting off his speech with the words: “ICE out.”

The ceremony was also a time to honor artists that have passed away. In honor of the late Ozzy Osborne, Post Malone, Slash, and Chad Smith, lead drummer of Red Hot Chili Peppers, came together to bring his music back to life for one last show with a performance of Black Sabbath's biggest hit, “War Pigs.” The Osbournes, who were in attendance, were left speechless and teary-eyed, later expressing their sincere appreciation for the trio’s tribute.

At the end of the show, reactions to the winners were mixed. Many Sabrinia Carpenter fans were left upset, saying Carpenter, who did not win any awards, was robbed and that she deserved to win because she was nominated six times. Meanwhile, Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny made history when he won three Grammys, including the prestigious Album of the Year award for his album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, the Best Música Urbana Album for the same album, and the Best Global Music Performance Award for his song “EoO.” The beauty of the Grammys has always been the way it has brought all kinds of different artists and people together to celebrate each other, and seeing that after sixty eight years that has never changed is truly something beautiful within the music industry.