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A year after the Grammys were labeled "irrelevant" at best, "badist" and "racist" at worst, the biggest musical night in the world has made a palpable little progress.
Tonight's Grammys (February 10), which represented more and more a collection of shows than award shows, have finally decided to highlight some of the women – past, present and future – who represent popular music. Of the 18 performances presented, 14 were either a solo female act or a women-led ensemble. Last year, only seven of the 20 performances focused on women.
The evening began with Cuban-American pop star Camila Cabello performing her Latin fusion hit "Havana". She was crowned by singers Yolanda Adams, Fantasia and Andra Day paying tribute to the late Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.
Between the two, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Maren Morris and Kacey Musgraves, the record-holder of the year, paid tribute to Dolly Parton (who herself included Parton); host Alicia Keys played two pianos simultaneously in a magnificent mix of already winning songs; Jennifer Lopez and Smokey Robinson conducted a tribute to Motown and Diana Ross sang her 1970 ballad entitled "Reach Out and Touch", among several other notable performances.
But it was the former First Lady of the United States who destroyed the house before she could even speak.
Michelle Obama surprised everyone when she appeared on the stage early in the series alongside Keys, Lady Gaga, Lopez and Jada Pinkett Smith, to discuss the power of music and inclusion. . "Music helps us to share our dignity and our sorrows, our hopes and our joys," she said, to the delighted applause of the room full of celebrities hit by the stars. "It allows us to hear each other, to invite each other."
It was a smart move for the Grammys, which blew viewers as it struggled to reflect the diverse state of popular music, to bring out the most popular woman in America who preached equality and equality. empowerment. Nevertheless, it would have been a meaningless gesture if the night had not really progressed towards these ideals.
In addition to the many women's performances, the awards themselves have shown a little more diversity than usual (although there is still a long way to go). None of the four grand prizes have been awarded to a White: Donald Glover, also known as Childish Gambino, became the first hip-hop artist to win the song of the year (he also won the title of the year). Country artist Kacey Musgraves won the album of the year, Dua Lipa, the best new artist, while Cardi B became the first female soloist to win the rap song of the year. ;year.
But even as he tries to diversify, the Grammys continue to make their way. Longtime executive producer Ken Ehrlich has been publicly contested with pop star Ariana Grande in the days leading up to tonight's show; Grande claimed that the producers would not let her express herself creatively and sing what she wanted to sing. (And yet, they allowed an awful collaboration between Post Malone and the Red Hot Chili Peppers?) On their side, hip-hop icons Kendrick Lamar, Drake and Childish Gambino all declined the offer to perform at of the ceremony, although they have won at least one award.
The Grammys were better this year, but it was hard for them not to be. The real test will be whether they can build on this progress next year and avoid falling back into homogeneous irrelevance.
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