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The 67th Grammy Awards will probably be held on Feb. 2 at Crypto.com Area in Los Angeles. The ceremony will rejoice a number of the yr’s greatest artists, together with Beyoncé (the highest nominee, with 11 nods), Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift, and reportedly pay tribute to the firefighters who labored to comprise the wildfires that ravaged Southern California this month.
Ben Sisario, who reviews on the music trade for The New York Occasions, will probably be within the area on Sunday to cowl the present. In an interview on Thursday, he defined what he’ll be watching, and what could look totally different this yr. This dialog has been edited and condensed.
You reported on the academy’s determination to carry the Grammys regardless of the wildfires. Are you able to stroll me via your reporting, and any predictions on how the present could look this yr?
The fires broke out on Jan. 7. In a short time, there was chatter within the music trade about what they had been going to do with the Grammys.
Within the fast disaster, there have been numerous voices, privately, calling on the Grammys to postpone. Folks had been apprehensive about security, but in addition if holding the Grammys can be a foul search for the music enterprise.
The opposite opinion, which was the opinion of the Grammys group, was that they hoped the present was far sufficient out, and that there was potential for the Grammys to be a rallying occasion, a logo of resilience for Los Angeles.
Lower than per week after the fires broke out, they introduced they had been going ahead as deliberate. However numerous different occasions occur across the Grammys: events, brunches, dinners. Most had been canceled, formally, to preserve assets. The cash that the massive labels and expertise businesses would have spent on events, many mentioned, can be donated to reduction efforts. Nevertheless it was additionally a manner for them to quietly ship a message that they weren’t happy about shifting ahead.
I reached out to the individuals who produce the Grammys and requested, can I discuss to you about your determination making? I had a great interview with Harvey Mason Jr., the top of the Recording Academy, the group behind the Grammys; and Ben Winston, the principle producer of the printed present. They had been fairly candid, saying mainly, There are individuals who could disagree with us, however we predict that is the fitting factor to do.
The Grammys will nonetheless be giving out awards. There’ll nonetheless be performances by huge stars. However they need the present to additionally concentrate on the reduction efforts, on elevating cash and highlighting what’s occurring. Winston was upfront in saying that he desires to discover a steadiness between a critical present that can elevate cash, and in addition a enjoyable present that will probably be entertaining.
The Grammys have been criticized, particularly about its failures to award ladies and Black artists in a number of the larger classes. What modifications have you ever seen, or not seen, in how the Grammys function?
This has been an enormous strain level for the Grammys within the final decade. Drake, Frank Ocean and Kanye West are a number of the huge stars who’ve been outspoken, declaring that Black artists usually get plenty of nominations however then lose within the high classes. Probably the most nominated artist of all time is Beyoncé, with 99. She’s misplaced album of the yr 4 occasions; she’s up for her fifth nomination within the class with “Cowboy Carter.” She’s perceived as a game-changing artist, so it’s form of surprising that she’s misplaced so many occasions.
The Grammys have additionally come beneath numerous criticism for the best way their voting system works. There have been accusations of unfair practices, together with descriptions of nameless committees that might overview all the nominations, and make choices about who will get on the poll. They had been generally overruling the membership, which was seen as doctoring the method. They’ve change into way more aware since these accusations got here out. They removed numerous these committees. They’ve carried out so much to attempt to present, We don’t put a thumb on the size.
There are some high-stakes contests between artists like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Chappell Roan. Any predictions?
I don’t wish to make predictions. However I believe what occurs with Beyoncé is what Grammy watchers are paying probably the most consideration to.
It was a very huge yr for girls in pop. Taylor Swift might be the largest star on the planet, and she or he had an enormous yr. However she set a report final yr by profitable album of the yr for the fourth time. Will they offer it to her a fifth time? We’ll see. Billie Eilish only a few years in the past was a teenage disrupter who got here out of nowhere, and now she’s an awards present darling. Her dedication to the craft is essential to Grammy voters.
Chappell Roan is a captivating, thrilling artist. She’s a type of in a single day successes that took years to get there. The Grammys wish to certify any individual as a breakout success.
How are you masking the occasion?
For me, Grammy evening could be very unglamorous. I’m in a media room deep within the bowels of Crypto.com Area, elbow to elbow with dozens of different journalists. We’re continuously writing, watching a reside feed. And so they carry winners in to take questions.
Protecting the Grammys is like masking the World Sequence, or one thing the place there’s one million stats. Is that this the primary particular person to win on this class from this nation? Is that this the youngest particular person? Did they lose twice, and win as soon as? I often make a truth sheet to maintain on my little nook of a bench within the media room.
Typically there’s moments when, should you’re watching at house, you throw the popcorn up within the air. That’s the joy of reside tv, of an awards present the place there may be numerous unpredictability. Normally, the story of the evening occurs within the final 5 minutes, as a result of that’s when album of the yr is given out. Its exhausting, and it’s form of a rush, however it’s additionally thrilling.
