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Grammys rule with tributes

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Just in case you missed the three and a half hour spectacle, the 2016 Grammy Awards, I’m here to round-up the most important, funny and awkward events that took place on Feb. 15.

I’ve been looking forward to the Grammys since the nominations were announced in December. Two long months later, I’m happy to say that the show did not disappoint. My high expectations were met, except for a couple of awards that I thought should have been given to different artists.

One of the greatest and most hilarious moments of the night occurred before the show even started. Bow Wow, who you may remember from the early 2000’s, was in charge of kicking off the show. Unfortunately, it seemed as if his watch was a couple minutes off. With a minute and a half to go until the show started, he confidently stated, “The 58th annual Grammy Awards are getting ready to start, now!”

The viewers at home were then left to watch Bow Wow struggle to keep his cool until the show actually started, which he did by dancing around the audience.

After the most unsuccessful beginning to an awards show, we were treated to a spectacular performance of “Out of the Woods” from Taylor Swift. The song concluded with glitter falling from the ceiling, coating the audience.

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The performance was amazing, but immediately Swift was spotted in the audience, wiping a tear from her eye, telling people around her that she “missed that note.” Luckily her date for the night, Selena Gomez, was able to console her.

I had very high hopes going into the Weeknd’s performance, and he did not let me down. He started with an electric rendition of “Can’t Feel My Face,” which got the crowd on their feet and Adele lip-syncing. He transitioned into his newest single, “In The Night,” but changed the melody to make it slower. He was accompanied by a pianist and a cellist, and his voice was pitch-perfect. I always find it refreshing when an artist sounds as good live as on the record, and the Weeknd definitely was.

A defining element of this year’s Grammy’s were tribute performances. The first was dedicated to Lionel Ritchie, who was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. With five different artists singing through his most popular songs, the tribute seemed a little long. Demi Lovato was a standout among the others, belting Ritchie’s “Hello.”  The performance ended with Ritchie himself crooning to the audience. It looked as if he had been itching to get out of his seat and sing his songs the moment the tribute started, and he totally owned the stage.

Five performances later, one of the most iconic performances in Grammy history happened. Kendrick Lamar, nominated for 11 awards that night, appeared on stage wearing chains around his wrists. Lamar theatrically took the audience through “The Blacker the Berry” and “Alright.” He even performed new material that covered the killing of Trayvon Martin in 2012 and modern-day slavery.

Lamar brought intensity and gravity to the Grammy stage. He used his performance to raise awareness about issues, such as oppression, that are prevalent in society today. It was definitely one of the best moments of the night.

Shortly after Lamar rocked the stage, a controversial performance came from Adele. Her album “25” was not eligible to be nominated for any Grammys this year, but she was still invited to perform. She sounded incredible singing “All I Ask,” but I must be tone-deaf because many people said she was off-key and did not hit any of the high notes. Adele later admitted on Twitter that she was not at her best due to a problem with the piano microphones.

Many more tribute performances followed, but the most notable was Lady Gaga’s tribute to the late David Bowie. Everyone knew that Gaga would do Bowie justice, but we weren’t prepared for the spot-on performance. Gaga whipped through eight of Bowie’s biggest songs and incorporated amazing costumes and technology. She fully embodied Bowie, and her voice was fantastic.

With a whopping 20 performances, the Grammys felt like a glamorous, televised musical festival. Only eight awards were actually presented during the show.

The fight for Album of the Year was a two-man competition between Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp A Butterfly” and Taylor Swift’s “1989.”

Many, including me, thought that Lamar deserved the award for his impactful album that discussed race in America and his struggles with fame. The album started a conversation in society, but in the end Lamar was beat out by “1989.”

Despite the one award mishap, this year’s Grammy Awards was one for the record books. Outstanding performances consistently kept viewers on the edge of their seats, and the awards were given to artists who worked hard and produced amazing music in the past year.

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