A bittersweet evening. The 2020 Grammy Awards was filled with a rollercoaster of emotions on Sunday, January 26, as performers mourned the death of Kobe Bryant, gave vulnerable performances and celebrated some big wins.
The night kicked off with host Alicia Keys acknowledging the former Los Angeles Laker’s death earlier that day in a helicopter crash that killed eight others but reminding everyone about the power of music.
“I know that we’re going to all join together and do what we do in happy times and challenging times. We’re going to sing together, we’re going to laugh together. We’re going to dance together, we’re gonna cry together,” Keys, 39, said. “We’re going to bring it all together.”
The showstopping performances included Lizzo, who opened the show shouting that “This night is for Kobe.” She then launched into a production that included multiple costume changes — and a stellar flute performance. The 31-year-old songstress later won the award for Best Pop Solo Performance for “Truth Hurts.”
Ariana Grande returned to the Grammys after pulling out of the 2019 awards show and delivered a neon-saturated performance of “7 Rings” and “thank u, next.” At the end of her show, Grande, 26, poignantly took off her ring and put it back in a box, perhaps in a nod to her heavily publicized broken engagement to Pete Davidson.
Later, Demi Lovato debuted her new song, “Anyone,” which she penned days before her drug overdose in July 2018. The “Skyscraper” singer, 27, was so emotional that she had to restart the song before delivering a tearful performance that earned her a standing ovation.
The big winner of the night was Billie Eilish, who swept all four major categories including Album of the Year for When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Bad Guy” and Best New Artist. The 18-year-old singer accepted the award with her brother and producer, Finneas O’Connell, by her side.
“I feel like I joke around a lot and I never take anything seriously at these kind of things, but I genuinely want to say I’m so grateful,” Eilish said in her speech for Song of the Year. “I only wanna say that I’m grateful and I’m so honored to be here amongst all of you. I love you to my core. I grew up watching all of you.”
When she was honored with Album of the Year, Eilish revealed her own personal choice for the big win.
“Can I just say I think Ariana Grande deserves this?” Eilish said before adding that she and her 22-year-old brother “stand up here confused and grateful.”
Check out the video above to relive the best Grammys moments!
