The 61st Annual Grammy Awards

Some protest and others participate, both in the name of diversity

Danielle Agnello / A&C Editor / The USD Vista

The 61st Annual Grammy Awards show astonished its viewers with an opening performance from Cuban-American singer and songwriter, Camila Cabello. The Latin-Pop artist belted her top-charting song “Havana” during an extravagant performance that included appearances from J Balvin, Ricky Martin, Young Thug, and renowned Cuban-American jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. 

What better way to kick-off the Grammys than with a vibrant ornate set, taking its nearly 20 million viewers to an authentic Cuban street as Cabello danced her way down a fire escape onto the stage. Cabello joined Thug, Martin, and Sandoval in the street jam of liberated dancers stepping swiftly to the movements of the traditional Salsa. Sandoval’s stellar solo effortlessly led the audience to Balvin’s “Mi Gente.” Colombian Singer, J Balvin opened with a bang along with a roaring political stance as he seemingly read a paper with the cutting headline “Build Bridges Not Walls” prior to bursting into song.

Sophomore Adriana Azarloza watched the 61st Annual Grammy Awards and had a lot to say about this year’s performances and award winners.

“I was so happy to see that the opening act at the Grammys featured Latinx artists, as I feel that this group is often underrepresented in the music world,” Azarloza said. “This year’s Grammy Awards were big for Latinx artists and hip-hop, which I thought was a breath of fresh air.”

The opening performance of this year’s Grammy Awards, televised on Sunday, Feb. 10, took a small step in a monumental effort to acknowledge Latinx in the American market and music industry. Despite the Recording Academy’s attempt to diversify the annual celebration of musical talent, rap artists including Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and Childish Gambino still refused to perform at the ceremony due to the Grammy’s previous lack of recognition for the hip-hop community.

In another vigorous effort to modernize the face of the Grammys, the Recording Academy appointed Alicia Keys as host of the 2019 awards ceremony. At the well-known Staples Center in Los Angeles, Keys set the tone of female empowerment as she invited artists Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez, actress Jada Pinkett Smith, and former first lady Michelle Obama to share the stage with her. Key’s opening monologue acknowledged all the brilliant women who continually embody a unifying source as she discussed the power of music. 

“It is so exciting to be here because music is what we all love,” Keys said. “Music is what it’s all about. You know, everybody is out here shining and I’m so proud to bring us together, to honor this moment. Because music is what we cry to. It’s what we march to. It’s what we rock to. It’s what we make love to. It’s our shared global language, and when you really want to say something, you say it with a song, am I right? Or am I right?”

Music’s biggest night celebrated the talent of all those who contribute to the industry, especially those who persistently share their stories through their distinct voice.

“Back in the Bronx, music gave me a reason to dance,” Lopez said. “From hip-hop to freestyle, pop, soul, and Salsa. And it kept me moving and it kept me moving from the block to the big stages and even bigger screens. It reminds me where I come from, but it also reminds me of all the places I can go. Music has always been the one place we can all feel truly free.”

After each of the women shared their understanding of music and its specific purpose in their life, Keys fired up the audience to embark on the 61st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony.

“Tonight we celebrate the greatness of each other, all of us, through music!” Keys said. “Thank you so much, ladies, for your light, your message, your love, your sisterhood. I love you so much.” 

The year of 2019 is the year the Academy finally decided to reform and restructure their presentation of the award-winners in some notable way. Evidently, the Academy focused on reaching out to a more extensive audience than they have in previous years considering their awareness of current social and political issues.

Bearing in mind that the modern music business is dominated by hip-hop, this year’s Grammy awards tailored its ceremony with respect to this reality. More hip-hop and R&B awards were announced during the main telecast of this year’s Grammys than ever before. Drake took the stage to accept his trophy for best rap song for his sensational “God’s Plan” on the live telecast. His shocking appearance was topped by his undermining of the Recording Academy.

“This is a business where sometimes it’s up to a bunch of people who might not understand what a mixed-race kid from Canada has to say or a fly Spanish girl from New York or anybody else, or a brother from Houston right there, my brother Travis (Scott),” Drake said. “But my point is you’ve already won if you have people singing your songs word for word, if you’re a hero in your hometown. Look, if there’s people who have regular jobs who are coming out in the rain, in the snow, spending their hard-earned money to buy tickets to come to your shows, you don’t need this right here. I promise you, you already won.”

Drake’s speech came to an abrupt end when he was cut off while taking a stand against the Recording Academy. 

“I loved what Drake had to say in his acceptance speech for his hit song, ‘God’s Plan,’” Azarloza said. “In essence, he said that even though winning a Grammy is an honor, it’s not necessary to make good music that impacts the community around you. I thought his words served as motivation to so many artists that do not get recognized by record companies, yet possess real and raw talent.”

Many other artists, including Beyoncé and Rihanna, didn’t even attend the ceremony. Whether their absence was due to their conflicting schedules or their revolt against the Grammy Awards remains a mystery. Hopefully the Recording Academy received the message loud and clear regarding what their audience would like to see in next year’s show. The viewers will certainly be expecting the Academy to turn the small steps it took in this past ceremony into sweeping strides toward a more accurate representation of the music industry.