On March 14, 2021, America was given the spectacular award show commonly known as “The Grammy’s”. Considering we are still in quarantine, I was amused by the task of them having to pretend they aren’t at a video conference. The show, which attracted a small crowd of nominees outside in Los Angeles, highlighted the efforts of women and the effects of Black Lives Matter demonstrations, gave screen time to employees at small establishments impacted by the pandemic, and paid tribute to artists we lost throughout this difficult year.

 Now let’s sit back and rank best to worst of this award. 

The Best 

The BEST Performance 

Ms. Megan Thee Stallion

While She did not win the album of the year, she won her other 3 awards for the best new artist and the best rap performance for “Savage” featuring Beyoncé. Meghan was the obvious star of the evening with her performances to her acceptance speeches.  The best part of her performance would have to go to Cardi B, the singer whose dance moves were all the authenticity nobody was ready for.

Queen B Makes History

As Beyoncé won Best R&B Performance for the uplifting song ‘BLACK PARADE,’ the Grammy speedometer was up to twenty-eight and set a new world record for the most awards a woman and singer has received.

 Best Glittering Disco Utopia

Dua Lipa

The Potential Nostalgia of Dua Lipa has existed in quarantine throughout its whole existence. Upon This Grammys, the British songwriter and pop singer gave everyone a view from the other side: sparkles, blitz colors, guitar riffs, and dusting dance routines from the 1970s. The dance is more TikTok than Beyoncé—but there is a charm in its simplicity. Their two-song set began with “Levitating,” a funky roller-rink jam with a delightful DaBaby feature, and ended with the powerful kiss-off of “Don’t Start Now.”

Best Use Of the Pandemic:

Taylor Swift With her album Folklore-

No other EP symbolized our pandemic year more fully than “Folklore,” which Swift produced during quarantine and decorated with a warm and cotton home-based beauty. Now, after her 2010 Fearless win and 1989 win in 2015, Swift has three awards from the year. The pop star is the fourth artist – and the first female artist – to win three albums a year, overcoming Adele. Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, and others have been tied together.

Worst

Billie Eilish wins record of the year

As a big supporter of Billie Eilish, I applaud all of her accomplishments but while viewing the Grammys I had been under the assumption that the academy supported the cause, but pretended as if it has always supported and centered Black artists, women, and especially Black women. Billie says she had been “embarrassed” to succeed despite winning. She spoke for me and I for one experienced Deja Vu to Adele praising Beyoncé in 2017 when 25 beat “Lemonade” , and Kendrick Lamar with the notorious Macklemore. The close of the night’s sour note highlighted how far the Academy must still go.

The Grammys Vs Lil Baby

 The Grammy desired, of course, “The Bigger Picture,” the anti-policing violent anthem to make them appear better, but it didn’t have anything to do with Lil Baby himself in my opinion. The effort to get the message across would have been wonderful, in particular given the direct appeal of activist Tamika Mallory to President Biden in the medium term. In response to the success of DaBaby’s BET Awards, a Black man who had been stopped and finally shot by police had horrifically re-enacted. The photos were unnecessary. We all saw the videos in real life, and should not have to see them again.

 Mickey Guyton Gets Robbed

In her debut with the Grammy Awards, Mickey Guyton performed with the influential ‘Black Like Me’ with all of the intensity and strength of someone who must have suffered through every achievement. Given that it was such a powerful portrayal of the black experience in America, performed by one of Nashville’s most gifted vocalists, it seemed surprising that “Black Like Me” lost over to Vince Gill’s “When My Amy Prays” in the Best Country Solo Performance category. Guyton may have missed the award, but her success highlighted the major humiliation of business leaders who are willing to sacrifice talent to uphold the status quo.