WHITE MIGHT AT GRAMMYS NIGHT
White roses as accessories marked hope for equality at music frat’s biggest night
Activism against sexual harassment is on an alltime high in the West. And the who’s who from the entertainment industry have been stepping forward to voice their support. In a show of solidarity at the Golden Globes earlier this month, film and TV celebs wore black and sported Time’s Up pins on the red carpet, as part of the Time’s Up movement (against sexual perpetrators). And the ‘fashion blackout’ made the world sit up and take notice. Taking a page from that, music stars turned up with white roses at the Grammys ceremony in New York on Sunday, in support of gender equality. “A white rose symbolizes respect, pays homage to new beginnings and expresses hope for the future... We like the sound of that. #TIMESUP at the #GRAMMYS,” read a post from the official Twitter handle of Time’s Up movement. And the biggest names in music followed suit in creative variations. The likes of Miley Cyrus and Kelly Clarkson carried a white rose stem in their hand. “It reflects hope, peace, sympathy and resistance,” Clarkson told E! television. Many others, including Rita Ora, Cardi B and Pink, pinned up white roses on their ensembles.
Lady Gaga wore white rosebuds and a Time’s Up pin on the shoulder of her lace bodysuit that she paired with a dramatic skirt. During her performance of ballads, Joanne and Million Reasons, she whispered, “Time’s up.”
Rosebud accessories were also spotted — Lana Del Rey wore roses on her wrist, Camila Cabello accessorise her clutch with some, and Kesha had a rose motif embroidered onto her suit.
Men, including Khalid, Sam Smith, Sting, Zayn Malik and host James Corden, too, pinned white roses on their lapels. “I hope we keep striving forward for equality for absolutely everyone,” Smith said during his performance.
It was an emotional moment, when singer Kesha delivered a powerful statement on gender equality, as she led a fierce performance on Praying, an autobiographical song directed at music producer Dr. Luke, whom Kesha accused of rape and psychological torment. She broke into tears and hugged the fellow women singers, who were part of the chorus. Host James Corden, with tears in his eyes, said, “Music often resonates more than the spoken word ever could.”
As for the big wins at music’s biggest night, Bruno Mars beat Jay-Z and won top honours.
Apart from the award distribution and the solidarity towards the movement against sexual harassment in the showbiz industry, the 60th Grammy Awards was also big on celebrity performances.
The show opened with a mix of rap, rock, and comedy, featuring Kendrick Lamar, U2, and Dave Chappelle. Lamar, who has a history at the Grammys of combining performance art and music, enthralled the audience with a medley of songs, while camouflaged dancers marched in front of images of the American flag.
Later on in the show, three country artists gathered in a solemn tribute to the victims of the mass shooting at a Las Vegas country music festival and the bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in England, in 2017. Seated in front of the names of victims, the stoic singer-songwriter Eric Church seemed to struggle behind his sunglasses to get through a performance of Eric Clapton’s Tears in Heaven, along with Maren Morris and Brothers Osborne.
English singer Elton John, who performed Tiny Dancer with Miley Cyrus, made a subtle but powerful acknowledgment of the Time’s Up movement, with a white rose placed on the piano.
ELTON JOHN MADE A POWERFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE TIME’S UP MOVEMENT.