The Grammys returned on Sunday night at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The highly anticipated awards show was a memorable night for many artists, especially women. Victoria Monét, one of the second most nominated artists, secured three Grammys, including for best new artist. SZA, who earned two awards, delivered an emotional speech as she accepted her best R&B song Grammy for her hit single, “Snooze.” Another heavily nominated artist, Coco Jones, took home her first Grammy, for best R&B performance, for her popular “ICU.”
From inside the arena, theGrio witnessed a few celebrity interactions, exchanges and audience reactions in real time that you may not have been able to catch while watching from home.
We broke down five unseen moments from the 66th Grammy Awards show that made the event even more memorable.
Audience reaction to Trevor Noah’s Epstein joke
Comedian Trevor Noah was tapped as host for the 66th annual Grammy Awards celebration. Throughout the night, Noah delivered several laugh-out-loud moments. However, one joke filled the voracious crowd with gasps instead of chuckles.
The former host of “The Daily Show” made a Jeffrey Epstein punchline, referring to the sex-trafficking case where unsealed court filings revealed names of politicians and socialites who were connected to the billionaire. “All right, we’re back at the Grammys, with all the stars that weren’t on Epstein’s list,” Noah said. The audience released a collective breath of astonishment and disbelief.
Fantasia and Beyoncé hugging after Tina Turner tribute
Fantasia Barrino was one of the four acts that paid homage to some of music’s late legendary artists. The “Color Purple” star stole the show as she rocked the stage, honoring Tina Turner with an electrifying performance of one of Turner’s most popular singles, “Proud Mary.” Dressed from head to toe in a bright, gold ensemble, the songstress’ upbeat arrangement had the arena dancing and singing along to the classic tune.
Once Barrino finished delivering her stellar rendition, she was met with an abundance of applause and a cheerful standing ovation from her peers and other attendees. Before heading backstage, she shared a special moment with a surprise guest, Beyoncé, who was also mesmerized by her outstanding performance. The two embraced each other in a heartfelt hug afterward.
Celebs lining up to meet Beyoncé, who showed up to support Jay-Z
The singer made a special appearance at the awards show in full support of Jay-Z, who won the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. Wearing a silver, checkered short set with a white cowgirl hat to match, Beyoncé’s connection with her Houston roots was on full display as she watched her husband receive the prestigious honor.
Immediately after Jay-Z finished his speech, a swarm of honorees and guests gathered around Queen Bey, stealing a moment whenever they could before the show returned on air. Singer and songwriter Victoria Monét, who took home three Grammys Sunday night, successfully snagged a photo with Beyoncé. Rapper and singer Lizzo also shared a moment with the “Renaissance” singer and had what appeared to be an intimate conversation during commercial breaks.
Audience reaction to Jay-Z shading the Grammys in his acceptance speech
The rapper took the time to share his critiques of the Recording Academy’s decision to snub Beyoncé for the album of the year category. The “Alien Superstar” vocalist lost to Harry Styles in 2023 and had lost in the same category for her “Lemonade” album, when she was up against Adele in 2017.
Public chatter quickly ensued and soft conversations among attendees about Beyoncé’s loss to Styles started. As Jay-Z spoke on the issue, audience members showed their agreement with the businessman, nodding their heads and verbally expressing their consensus on the decision made by the Recording Academy voting committee last year.
Niecy Nash-Betts and Jessica Betts taking group photos with Grammy attendees
The adorable couple did not go unnoticed during the Grammy ceremony. The pair opted for mid-tier arena seating instead of sitting with the nominees up front or near the main stage. Surrounded by a group of people, the two women were seen taking group photos and selfies with other attendees during commercial breaks.
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