A few weeks ago, tragedy struck Los Angeles just as preparations for the Grammy Awards were beginning.
Fires destroyed the houses of thousands of individuals who are still evacuated throughout Southern California, wreaking havoc on the core of the music business.
The Golden Globes kicked off award season in Beverly Hills just two days before the fires, and Hollywood was in full swing. But as fires wreaked unimaginable havoc, requests swiftly arose to call off the Oscars, SAG Awards, and Grammys.
However, for Ben Winston, executive producer of the Grammy Awards, and Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, there was no other choice. The show would continue.
“We bring genuine consciousness to what has happened, and we know that the biggest names in the world are sitting there. We engage in some very serious fundraising for the causes that are now in dire need. We honour our emergency personnel. We feature companies in LA. “It’s worth doing instead of not doing,” Winston, who lives in Los Angeles, told CNN last week.
Some members of our community who are involved in the music industry have lost their houses. “They’ve lost their instruments,” Mason Jr. continued. “One person I know lost his entire studio. This is how they earn a living, using all of his collections and instruments. Therefore, if the show were to be postponed, we wouldn’t be able to raise the necessary funds to help those individuals.”
During a brief pause in the building of the stage for Sunday’s event, Mason Jr. and Winston told CNN that they had a challenging job in establishing the appropriate tone for the ceremony at the Crypto.com venue in the city centre.
“This platform and the Grammys are cool, but they’re not the most important thing in the world,” Mason Jr. added. “Here, some individuals have died.”
Trevor Noah is back as host, and the two believe they have the ideal master of ceremonies to lead a programme that celebrates music and a populace in the process of healing.
“I most likely knew the names of four of my neighbours before this incident. I believe I currently know roughly twenty-three of them. People in Los Angeles are supporting one another, which is a sense of community that I have never witnessed before,” Winston remarked. “I think we can reflect that on the show; there is a different sense of what’s happening here.”
Mason Jr. noted that music can unite people and promote healing. According to him, the programme would feature elements that highlight first responders and raise funds for charitable causes.
Credit: Variety
Mason Jr. declared, “We will undoubtedly honour music and celebrate excellence throughout the year.” “In addition to the amazing performances, there will be a layer of heart and emotion and a story about the heroes.”
More than $4 million in emergency relief has already been given by the Recording Academy and its nonprofit organisation, MusiCares, to music industry members impacted by the wildfires.
Winston noted that by continuing the Grammys, the programme is also helping to keep people employed during a crucial period.
Many in the industry have had a challenging five years due to the ongoing production shutdowns caused by the epidemic, the fires, and the Hollywood strikes. The Grammy telecast employs 6,500 workers from a variety of vocations, according to Winston.
The Grammys will remain the Grammys, Winston and Mason Jr. pledge. The Recording Academy said on Friday that while there would be moments of recognition, such as a special performance by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga, the format will not be changing to a full telethon.
Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, and Kendrick Lamar are among the top Grammy candidates this year, guaranteeing that the evening will be packed with big-name performers.
Beyoncé will be the centre of attention because she has the most nominations of the evening and has already been the most nominated artist in Grammy history. However, the star has not yet won album of the year. Will this year be the year she receives 11 nominations for her genre-bending album, Cowboy Carter?
“I’m going to give you a hot take,” Mason Jr. remarked sarcastically. “I think her chances of winning that thing are one in eight.” I’m not kidding!”
