Will Beyoncé make history at the 2021 Grammy Awards?
Here's a sneak peek of what to expect on music's biggest night.
The 63rd annual Grammy Awards will go down on Sunday night and theGrio is here to guide you through this year’s unconventional ceremony.
Read More: Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion added to the Grammys performance list
The show that was delayed due to the pandemic will be hosted by Trevor Noah and considering his knack for blending comedy and social commentary, we’re expecting some shareable moments from him.
There’s still a lot we don’t know about how organizers will pull off the annual event amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. What we do know is that the ceremony will not be held at the Staples Center, but will go down at an undisclosed location in Los Angeles.
We have also heard that several of the performers will be in the same room during the show, but they will be adhering to social distancing guidelines. Rolling Stone reports that performances will take place across four stages with another one dedicated to presenters.
Jesse Collins is co-executive producing this year’s ceremony alongside Ben Winston and considering the success of the 2020 BET Awards, we think Collins is just the man for the job. He and his company recently produced The Weeknd’s Super Bowl halftime show and will co-produce the Academy Awards next month.
Speaking of The Weeknd, he’s still pretty pissed that his album, After Hours, was snubbed this year. The singer has pledged to boycott future ceremonies and has been open with his criticism of The Recording Academy.
Read More: The Weeknd to boycott Grammy Awards due to ‘secret committees’
“I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys,” he told the New York Times.
We expect to see a mix of life performances, pre-taped segments, and appearances via video, but only time will tell if the adjusted format will be able to deliver the big Grammy moments we have come to expect.
There are a lot more performances slated this year Including Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, DaBaby, Doja Cat, Brittany Howard, Mickey Guyton, Bad Bunny, and Dua Lipa among others. Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak will also take this stage as their newly formed duo Silk Sonic.
Read More: Beyoncé says community ‘strengthened, inspired’ by Meghan following interview
This could be a history-making year for Beyoncé who’s nominated for nine awards. If she brings home five of them, she’ll replace Quincy Jones as the living artist with most Grammy wins. If she wins four awards on Sunday, she’ll have nabbed more trophies than any other female artist. If Beyoncé brings home eight awards, she’ll become the artist with the most Grammy wins ever.
The superstar is going up against herself for Record of the Year with “Black Parade” nominated alongside “Savage,” her collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion.
B isn’t the only Carter nominated this year. Her daughter, Blue Ivy, has already made history as one of the youngest nominees ever, after earning a nomination for Best Music Video for “Brown-Skinned Girl.”
And Blue’s father, Jay-Z, could bring home a win as a co-writer on “Black Parade” if it wins Song of the Year, making Sunday night a real family affair for the Carter clan.
Megan is also poised for a big night with four nominations, including Best New Artist, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance.
Other contenders in the Best Rap Performance category include Big Sean ft. the late Nipsey Hussle, the late Pop Smoke, and Charlotte N.C. rapper Da Baby facing off against ATL’s Lil Baby.
Another interesting aspect this year is that we will be paying attention when country awards are handed out thanks to Mickey Guyton. The singer is already blazing trails as the first Black woman to be nominated as a solo artist in the country category. Her song “Black Like Me” is up for Best Country Solo Performance.
Read More: 2021 Grammys postponed over COVID-19 concerns
We’ll also be watching out for Brittany Howard, whose album Jaime is nominated across four different categories. The Alabama Shakes frontwoman made quite an impact with her first solo project nabbing five nominations, including Best Rock Performance, Best R&B Performance, Best American Roots Performance, Best Alternative Album, and Best Rock Song. That’s what we call versatility.
The 2021 Grammy Awards will be broadcast live on Sunday, March 14 at 8 p.m. on CBS and Paramount+.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!
