Last Night At The Grammys: Swift Success, All The Tributes, And Poor Adele
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Last night served as a reminder that it's Taylor Swift's world, and we're all just aspiring to join her squad.
The 1989 singer won "Album Of The Year" at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards Monday night, and the hearts and minds of many as she used her acceptance speech as a response to those who have taken credit for her success in recent days. Cheers to you, Mr. West.
"As the first woman to win Album of the Year at the Grammys twice, I want to say to all the young women out there, there are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame" said Swift. "But, if you just focus on the work and you don't let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you're going you'll look around and you will know that it was you and the people who love you who put you there."
Swift not only opened the show with her performance of "Out Of The Woods," but essentially closed it out with her Album victory over critical darling Kendrick Lamar. The Compton poet and performer had all of the momentum barreling towards the finish line after a charged performance earlier in the show. The stage seemed set to reward Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly and its examination of the black experience, but the nod went to Swift. When they left Record Of The Year as the last award of the evening and brought out Beyoncé – who herself has gotten spotlighted for her recent "celebration of blackness" – it seemed destined to go to Kendrick. Again, it did not. That honor went to "Uptown Funk" from Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars.
Then Pitbull dressed Sofia Vergara as a taxi and we all went to sleep. That's a real thing that happened. Google it.
Before that and beyond the performances from Swift and Lamar, the Grammy stage was packed with tributes for most of the evening. The Eagles delivered a smooth and sleepy rendition of "Take It Easy" along with one of song's original authors Jackson Browne, in honor of Glenn Frey. There was a bluesy jam for B.B. King featuring Bonnie Raitt, country winner Chris Stapleton, and gifted guitarist Gary Clark Jr.
Lionel Richie had the benefit of being alive for his tribute, featuring performances from John Legend, Tyrese, and Luke Bryan. Demi Lovato though brought the thunder during her take on "Hello," overshadowing even Richie himself who closed out the set.
Alice Cooper and his all-star group Hollywood Vampires paid homage to Lemmy of Motorhead, and there was even a tribute of sorts to Alexander Hamilton with a knockout performance from the "Hamilton" cast live from New York, but the biggest tribute of all was rightfully saved for David Bowie. Lady Gaga started with dazzling designs projected on her face, traveling through the evolution of The Thin White Duke. Then the jumpsuit-clad Gaga sashayed her way through the hits of Bowie along with a hydraulic piano and longtime collaborator Nile Rodgers. It was theatric, at times campy, but ultimately awesome.
For the most part the Grammys played out as expected, with the exception of Adele. A technical difficulty disrupted the 25 singer's performance of "All I Ask" early on and forced her flat through most of the performance. "The piano mics fell on the piano strings, that's what the guitar sound was. It made it sound out of tune" tweeted Adele later. "S*** happens."
Indeed it does. She'll surely get another chance next year when 25 is nominated for all of the awards. The album just missed the cutoff this year. See you in '17, Adele.