Happy New Year everyone! It is now 2022, or as so many people have pointed out, it is “2020 two.” I am not sure if that’s funny or depressing, but I know I don’t want 2020 on repeat, so get vaccinated and wear a mask. In December, a new COVID-19 variant, omicron, made its unwanted appearance, which is now leading to the world slowly shutting down again, so let’s do what we can to avoid a “2020 three.”
Despite all this, movies are still coming out, music is still being made and the award show season is here, sort of. That being said, let’s learn about the GRAMMYs! The 64th Annual Grammy Award show scheduled for Jan. 31 in Los Angeles has now been postponed until who knows when due to COVID-19. Regardless, I am excited to inform you, readers, more about the GRAMMYs with the hope it happens sometime later this year.
The GRAMMYs originated in the 1950s through the Hollywood Walk of Fame project. Recording executives made a list of people they thought would qualify for a star on Hollywood Boulevard. These industry leaders added to this idea by creating specific awards that artists could win for their craft.
The name GRAMMYs came from the “gramophone,” which was the original record player. The first ceremony was hosted in 1959 in Beverly Hills, California. The most popular of the awards an artist can win are Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist of the Year. Other awards are given for things such as choreography, composing and music videos.
A highlight of the GRAMMYs is certainly the red carpet. With the glamour of the dresses and the sleekness of the suits, if you have any interest in fashion, you certainly wouldn’t want to miss the red carpet.
Another memorable moment is the performances, not necessarily the artist on the stage but in fact the audience and how they are reacting to the songs, whether it is an awkward cover of a song that leaves an audience sitting down as the camera pans down to their goofy-looking expressions or a rocking song that has the audience jumping up and down and dancing. I have to say that watching the artists and celebrities dance is quite humorous.
I know a couple of people who have been lucky enough to attend the GRAMMYs in person, and in spite of not being close to the red carpet action, they loved every minute of the production. And that is how they described it, a massive production. What viewers at home do not see is that the GRAMMY stage is in fact multiple stages connected to one another. So while we are watching H.E.R. strum her guitar on a stage that seems like it’s only a few feet away, the presenters are preparing to present the awards for Best Record of the Year on a different stage.
Another behind-the-scenes tidbit I learned was the process the A-listers had to go through in order to leave their seats. Whether it’s to use the restroom or make a phone call, they have to be escorted at the right time so that the camera will not film them leaving, and then someone has to sit down in their place as to not show an empty seat next to Ariana Grande.
It is such a trip to be in a stadium setting where anything can be happening on the floor and to look all around you and see that everyone is dressed in high fashion and glamour. There are also amazing live performances by musical artists of so many music genres. Where else can you see such a thing in performance over just a few hours?
All in all, I certainly hope the GRAMMYs are happening soon, as it would give us all something to look forward to.