The sixty fourth annual Grammy Awards promised a return to (relative) normalcy following a scaled-down 2021 ceremony that largely befell outdoor. In Las Vegas for the primary time, and with the pop spectacle dialed again up, the present’s most impactful moments have been typically its least flashy: a sober plea for assist from President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine; Doja Cat’s teary second on the microphone; performances on rooftops that put a highlight on a distinct crop of artists. (Excessive-octane dwell moments from Billie Eilish and H.E.R. made a big effect, too.) Listed here are the present’s highlights and lowlights as we noticed them.

Two spot on performances that have been too uncooked to really feel petty, Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” and Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever” — a few final yr’s most potent and dramatic breakup songs — injected some much-needed feeling into the primary half of the present. (Condolences to the younger males these songs have been allegedly written about.) Though the ceremony, as typical, couldn’t fairly resolve on its goal demographic, it was the youth — these younger girls, particularly — who carried the mantle of relevance, but additionally of efficiency, with robust sufficient dwell vocals for any pop skeptics among the many CBS trustworthy.

Rodrigo did not go full Eilish 2020, successful solely one among her nominations within the Massive 4 classes, finest new artist, plus finest pop vocal album and finest pop solo efficiency. However hopefully the lengthy pictures of her throughout Eilish’s onstage rock explosion have been extra about their songs’ emotional kinship than making an attempt to power a faux rivalry. Rodrigo, 19, and Eilish, 20, ought to most likely get used to this stage; the Grammys are past fortunate to have them each. JOE COSCARELLI

The Oscars had a second of silence for Ukraine; the Grammys had a videotaped speech from Volodymyr Zelensky, the nation’s president, who didn’t mince his phrases. “The struggle. What’s extra reverse to music? The silence of ruined cities and killed folks,” he started. It’s not possible to steadiness the indulgence of an awards present with the horrors of struggle, however Zelensky was strategic, calling on pop for its capacity to transmit data: “Fill the silence together with your music. Fill it immediately to inform our story,” he urged. John Legend adopted him with a hymnlike new music, “Free,” joined by a poet, Lyuba Yakimchuk, a singer, Mika Newton, and a bandura (zither) participant, Siuzanna Iglidan, from Ukraine. It was a heartfelt, dignified gesture. JON PARELES

For a night in any other case mild on real chaos, Doja Cat and SZA’s win for finest pop duo/group efficiency was a welcome jolt of messiness. First, a lone SZA slowly hobbled as much as the stage on crutches (“I fell off the bed earlier than I got here right here,” she defined later) earlier than recognizing Doja hustling as much as the stage and saying, “Lady, you went to the lavatory for like 5 minutes, are you severe?” Doja appeared rattled and winded sufficient that the story checked out, and as she ascended the stage to simply accept her first Grammy, she advised the world, “I’ve by no means taken such a quick piss in my entire life,” with the comedian timing of a seasoned stand-up. After amassing herself and smoothing out her costume, although, pop’s favourite troll all of a sudden acquired uncharacteristically emotional. “I prefer to downplay a variety of [expletive],” she mentioned by tears, “however it is a massive deal.” For an artist who typically revels in fantasy, irony and otherworldly artifice, it was an endearingly down-to-earth second. LINDSAY ZOLADZ

Nas, who’s 48, nodded at his classics: “I Can,” “Made You Look,” “One Mic” — certain. Child Keem, Kendrick Lamar’s cousin and protégé, gained an award for a reasonably bizarre music — cool. Jack Harlow rapped effectively and censored himself artfully throughout his “Trade Child” verse with Lil Nas X — OK, good. Nonetheless, rap couldn’t assist however really feel like an afterthought on the ceremony, regardless of having separated itself again and again because the lifeblood of the music trade within the streaming period. Few of the style’s rising stars, or their heroes, have been current, not to mention featured, whereas rock was referenced repeatedly. The winner of two rap awards within the preshow, Kanye West’s absence, mandatory as it could have been, was obtrusive. And even a gesture that might generously be seen as inclusionary — dubbing Virgil Abloh, the inventive director of Louis Vuitton males’s put on who died final yr, a “Hip Hop Trend Designer” — was extensively acquired on-line as dismissive or minimizing. The mistrust runs deep, and the therapeutic has but to start. COSCARELLI

Not each Grammy spectacle works out for the most effective. However two over-the-top song-and-dance numbers this yr made their factors each visually and musically. As a substitute of making an attempt to imitate the CGI extravaganza of his video for “Montero (Name Me by Your Identify),” Lil Nas X — a social media mastermind — flashed web reactions to it, surrounded himself with menacing, black-clad drummers, then went bare-midriff to bounce in entrance of a gleaming bust of his personal head, large enough for a carnival float. He and the ensemble switched to glittery marching-band uniforms for his duet with Jack Harlow, “Trade Child” — a high-kicking, cheerleading victory parade.

Jon Batiste introduced the candy-colored palette and long-limbed, high-stepping strikes of his “Freedom” video to the Grammy stage, however in actual time and much more delirious, surrounding himself with dancers of wildly assorted shapes, sizes and cultural signifiers. Batiste was by turns a piano virtuoso, a vaudevillian, a preacher and an instigator; he led his forces into the viewers and danced his method onto Billie Eilish’s desk, the place she enthusiastically joined him in singing “Freedom!” PARELES

Final week’s Oscars left a foul style in everybody’s mouths, and even earlier than The Slap Heard Around the World, there was already some chatter that the present’s jokes on the expense of nominees had been a bit too acidic. In mild of all of the controversy, it wasn’t stunning the Grammys needed to current themselves as a sort of anti-Oscars, and the host Trevor Noah wasted no time, proclaiming in his opening monologue, “We’re going to be dancing, we’re going to be singing, we’re going to be retaining folks’s names out of our mouths” — about as well mannered a reference to Will Smith’s Oscars outburst as an individual may muster. However because the present went on, Noah’s bland, gee-whiz tone felt an increasing number of like an unlucky overcorrection, blunting the perimeters of his jokes such that they hardly had an impression in any respect. In introducing Jared Leto, Noah even breezed proper by the bottom hanging fruit within the 2022 joke e book: Making enjoyable of the accents in “Home of Gucci”! Nobody was asking him to take meanspirited swipes, however a well-placed zinger right here or there would have given the present some wanted spice. ZOLADZ

Typically the Grammys give us uncommon moments of marvel that might solely be dreamed up within the universe of fan fiction. Think about the opening of BTS’s “Butter” efficiency: Because the James Bond-themed presentation began, the digicam panned to BTS’s V (Kim Taehyung) and Olivia Rodrigo, the place the pair have been seated subsequent to one another within the viewers, chatting. For an entire 18 seconds, V leaned over and whispered what we will solely assume have been candy nothings into Rodrigo’s ear. Jaws dropped; eyelashes batted. It was maybe essentially the most flirty second in BTS historical past. I ship it. ISABELIA HERRERA

Perhaps it was the transfer to Las Vegas, perhaps it was the pent-up need to decorate up after two years of distanced and/or postponed awards, however the Grammys crimson carpet was alight with over-the-top, exuberant style. Megan Thee Stallion appeared to be channeling a complete massive cat enclosure in her one-shouldered, slit-to-the-waist Cavalli; Lil Nas X, a sci-fi warrior angel in pearl-encrusted Balmain; and St. Vincent, essentially the most extravagant boudoir in organza ruffled Gucci. Even Woman Gaga, whose entrance look was awfully traditional silver display screen magnificence, turned into a mint inexperienced satin strapless quantity to carry out — with probably the largest bow in existence on her behind. In the meantime, the most effective bling wasn’t simply bling for bling’s sake: It was bling with which means. Jon Batiste set the tone with a silver, gold and black harlequin sequin go well with whose colours have been an ode to his hometown New Orleans, and Brandi Carlile mentioned her “40-pound” bejeweled Boss tux was a homage to Elton John. Although in the long run, one of the putting outfits of the entire night time was the least fancy: Billie Eilish, performing in a shirt that includes Taylor Hawkins, the Foo Fighters drummer who died in late March. It was a style assertion of the best form. VANESSA FRIEDMAN

I’m not even mad on the pants. However a staid and foolish prolonged piano intro, a sloppy pseudo-jam session and shoddy bleeping undermined Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” efficiency — and his ongoing quest to be thought-about a severe R&B singer. On an evening the place Silk Sonic and Jon Batiste cleaned up with studied professionalism, the junior varsity-ness of Bieber and firm’s exhibiting didn’t really feel subversive, it simply fell flat. COSCARELLI

Likely with a watch on the present’s weak rankings, the Grammys — which used to find time for performances of jazz, classical music and different not-so-commercial genres — have centered in latest instances on hits, whilst its 80-plus classes acknowledge niches galore. However there are nonetheless music lovers alongside the Grammy metrics workforce, and the web is their protected area and comfort prize. The pre-prime-time awards, the place practically all of the classes get handed out in a brisk web-only ceremony, repeatedly characteristic very good performances and this yr was no exception: Alison Russell recasting her “Nightflyer” as passionate string-band chamber music, Ledisi presenting a regally tormented model — in French, then English — of “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien,” Jimmie Allen suffusing nation with filial delight in “Down House” and Mon Laferte working herself as much as gale-force fury in “La Mujer.” The prime-time present additionally allowed itself glimmers of music from past the pop charts, sandwiching some advertisements with snippets of out of doors performances as exuberant as something on the primary stage: salsa from the Cuban singer Aymee Nuviola, worship music from Maverick Metropolis Music and labyrinthine progressive bluegrass from Billy Strings. Eventually, the present promised, they’ll be on the Grammy web site. PARELES

It’s no secret that the Grammys have been having hassle reserving A-listers these previous few years, so when you may assure a family title like Woman Gaga, you higher give her the most effective seat in the home and hold a digicam on her all night time. Gaga appeared keen as ever to carry court docket, posing for pics with BTS, rocking out to the Brothers Osborne, and even holding SZA’s practice to assist her get onstage with out tripping over her crutches. However her most memorable second needed to be her gloriously theatrical and somehow-also-touching tribute to her ailing duet accomplice Tony Bennett. Vamping her method by jazzy renditions of “Love for Sale” and “Do I Love You,” Gaga as soon as once more proved she has the vary and (with apologies to a formidable Rachel Zegler) by some means out-theater-kidded the present’s Sondheim tribute. ZOLADZ

J Balvin isn’t recognized for his vocal presence. So it was stunning that the Colombian star selected to open his Grammys efficiency with “Qué Más Pues?,” his lukewarm pop-reggaeton collaboration with the Argentine singer Maria Becerra. José at all times has one thing up his sleeve, although: After a minute and a half duet with Becerra, the lights got here down and Balvin ascended a lighted staircase in an all-crimson ensemble, flanked by masked, seated dancers in neon bleachers. As he began up his Skrillex-produced EDM jaunt “In da Getto,” the dancers, illuminated by an electrical blue glow, broke out coordinated arm choreography. The actions have been tight, jagged and slick: assume synchronized swimming, however edgier and with much less water. Each well-conceived and executed, it was a refreshing reprieve from the cartoonish visuals and leopard-print buzz-cuts Balvin is understood for. HERRERA

The 24-year-old songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist H.E.R. (Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson) has discovered a daily place at awards exhibits. That’s good, as a result of she at all times has one thing to say, with each a message in her lyrics and a musicianly presence. She flaunts her abilities as a singer and participant, her mixture of historic information and up-to-the-minute consciousness. Her newest Grammys look was sometimes knowledgeable and flamboyant. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis — from the Time and from Janet Jackson albums — flanked her on keytar and bass as she sang “Harm,” a music about being taken with no consideration. Then H.E.R. moved on to a drum package, slamming out cross-rhythms, earlier than shifting to what was known as a Grammy Second: a youthful musician becoming a member of in on an oldie. This yr, she stepped up alongside Lenny Kravitz for his 1993 hit, “Are You Gonna Go My Manner,” each singing and strapping on a guitar, presenting herself not as a disciple however an equal. PARELES

Grammy voters may select amongst six nominees in the most effective comedy album class, together with Chelsea Handler, Lewis Black and Nate Bargatze, however by some means sufficient of them voted for the man who admitted to a number of allegations of sexual misconduct. I want I had a joke for that, but it surely’s simply miserable. ZOLADZ

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