In the lead up to GRAMMYs 2021, we've decided to take a look back at some of the most iconic moments which previous editions have brought us. For better or for worse, there's no denying that the Grammy Awards are always a spectacle.
There's so much which goes down on this one night each year. Whether it's the outfits, the speeches, the performances, the Kanye West appearances—viewers always get to leave with a fair share of conversation-starters. Here's hoping that this weekend isn't any different.
An unexpected collaboration
Back when he was the most controversial name in hip-hop, Eminem came under fire for his lyrics due to which many perceived him to be homophobic. These allegations came to rest when the rapper brought out Elton John to perform Stan alongside him, in a performance which ended with the two holding hands as they accepted praise from the audience.
When?
GRAMMYs 2001
Two legends of R&B
It'll be a long time till we see a GRAMMYs stage lit up like this again. Prince and Beyoncé only ever performed together once, and it resulted in this medley which the world hasn't stopped talking about till this day. Purple Rain to Baby I'm A Star, a snippet of Crazy In Love, and the purple-suited rockstar ends it all off with an iconic quote, "Don't hate us 'cause we fabulous."
When?
GRAMMYs 2004
The best way to end an acceptance speech
How often do you find yourself replaying someone's acceptance speech? Unless you're mentioned in them, they can often be a bore to sit through. That being said, Kanye winning Best Rap Album for The College Dropout was certainly an exception. It's emotional, it's powerful, and it ends off on an absolute stunner of a line. Polarizing as he may be, Kanye knows how to work a room.
When?
GRAMMYs 2005
Robots have souls too
There's a tinge of recently flaired nostalgia involved here because of the duo's unexpected break-up, but this Daft Punk performance featuring Pharrell Williams and Stevie Wonder will forever go down as a classic. It's a surreal contrast between the jazz band out in the open and the robots behind their DJ booth. Then, front and centre, you have two of the finest soul singers we know today.
When?
GRAMMYs 2014
A statement
Though he got snubbed for Album Of The Year, Kendrick Lamar delivered a hauntingly brilliant performance of The Blacker The Berry and Alright from his album To Pimp A Butterfly. A politically-charged project about the black experience in America— it now came accompanied by equally powerful visuals, delivered on one of the biggest stages which music has to offer.
When?
GRAMMYs 2016
Underpants?
Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun of Twenty One Pilots made quite the spectacle when they decided to bid their trousers goodbye while on their way to accepting the award for Best Pop Duo / Group Performance. It's quite the heartening story behind it—as they go on to explain in their speech—about a promise which they made to themselves long before they became world-famous.
When?
GRAMMYs 2017
"We can share"
Perhaps, the only time an artist has decided that they don't deserve the award whilst in the process of accepting it. Adele even went on to break her GRAMMY in half, offering a piece to Beyoncé whom she felt deserved to win Album Of The Year for her work on Lemonade. Unfortunately, all videos of that moment seem to have been taken down. You might be able to find a few pictures surfing around though.
When?
GRAMMYs 2017
That's all the time we have, folks
Finally, we have the Drake's microphone being cut off as he proclaims that the artists there don't need an award to justify their success. It's an uplifting message which the producers decided to take offense to, maybe because they thought that it undermined the GRAMMYs. Their decision backfired though, as it led to the speech going viral and catching a lot more attention than it normally would have.
When?
GRAMMYs 2019
GRAMMYs 2021 can be streamed live on March 15 at 8 AM (SGT).
