5 Georgia moments we loved at this year’s Grammy Awards
The 68th annual Grammy Awards, which aired Sunday night, included historic moments, like Reba McEntire‘s Grammys performance debut and Bad Bunny winning album of the year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos, the first Spanish-language project to nab the honor.
Sunday’s three-hour show was also filled with laugh-out-loud clips (an aloof Cher hilariously reading the record of the year winner as Luther Vandross, Trevor Noah announcing that Nicki Minaj wasn’t in the audience yielding hearty applause from the crowd) and political statements (Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish and Olivia Dean speaking out against ICE during their acceptance speeches).
Georgia nominees, however, didn’t have a strong showing at this year’s ceremony. JID, Lecrae and Summer Walker, double nominees, didn’t win in their respective categories.
But there were still some notable moments from metro Atlanta artists:
The Marías’ performance
The Marías are a Los Angeles-based band, but lead singer María Zardoya was raised in Snellville. The four-piece group, which headlined Shaky Knees last year, were among the eight acts nominated for best new artist this year (losing to Olivia Dean). They opened the ceremony’s second-annual best new artist medley with a performance of the extended version of their hit “No One Noticed,” switching to Spanish lyrics of the song at the end. It was a subtle showcase of the band’s soothing bedroom pop that earned applause from Billie Eilish (who later won song of the year).
Durand Bernarr wins
Veteran R&B singer and new Atlanta resident Durand Bernarr won his first Grammy in the best progressive R&B album category for “Bloom.” Though the award was presented during the premiere ceremony, Bernarr’s memorable speech became the star of the show (and a meme).
“Happy Black History Month for the rest of my life … to all the independent artists out there and to every butch queen who was made to feel like you were too much, I’m the proof that you needed and the sign you’ve been waiting for,” Bernarr said during his speech, before falling to the ground with excitement. “Be yourself.”
Angie Stone, Malcolm-Jamal Warner remembered
The Grammys’ in memoriam tributes were a highlight of the night. Reba McEntire, surprisingly making her Grammy performance debut, opened the segment with her song “Trailblazer.” Post Malone performed a stirring tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, and Lauryn Hill led a star-studded tribute to D’Angelo.
Pictures of Atlanta artists Angie Stone and Malcolm-Jamal Warner were shown on the big screen, with Raphael Saadiq giving an additional shoutout to Stone during the D’Angelo tribute (Stone mentored and later dated D’Angelo, with whom she shared a son).
Atlanta lawyer Joel Katz, whose client list included Michael Jackson, Alan Jackson, James Brown, Jimmy Buffett and Ludacris, was also recognized during the in memoriam segment.
Teyana Taylor’s dress
Fresh off her Golden Globe win and Oscar nomination, Atlanta resident Teyana Taylor hit the Grammy stage with a skin-tight dress deserving of its own award. Taylor, who was nominated for best R&B album (losing to Leon Thomas for “Mutt”), wore a custom, curve-hugging Tom Ford dress that instantly makes you want to hit the gym.
She was joined by Nikki Glaser to present best pop vocal album, awarded to Lady Gaga’s “Mayhem.”
“Your eyes really are up there,” Glaser told Taylor on stage, admiring her physique. “Sometimes, I forget.”
A Columbus artist wrote the record of the year
Kendrick Lamar was a big winner. The artist, who surpassed Jay-Z to become the Grammys’ most-awarded rapper, had the most nominations of the night. He won five of nine awards, including record of the year (“Luther”) and best rap album (“GNX”). Columbus singer and songwriter Ink helped pen the SZA-assisted hit “Luther,” which was also up for song of the year. The single won best melodic rap performance.
Though Ink technically didn’t win for record of the year (that award honors producers, whereas song of the year honors songwriters), she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Sunday the song winning record of the year was still a “great moment” for her.
“It’s been a long time coming and a great journey,” Ink said in a statement. “And it feels even better with such an amazing team.”
About the Author
DeAsia is a music and culture reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She focuses on the intersection of arts, culture and diverse communities, as well as how emerging social trends are being expressed through the lens of the Atlanta aesthetic. DeAsia's work can be seen in Pitchfork, Essence, Teen Vogue, Elle and more.
