Kobe honored, Eilish succeeds at Grammys

Written by: Jake Love, staff writer

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – On Sunday, Jan. 26, the Staples Center of Los Angeles hosted the 62nd annual Grammy Awards, producing numerous memorable performances and exciting winners.

The unexpected death of basketball star Kobe Bryant earlier that day overshadowed the event, as many adored the player. The artists honored Bryant at various points during the ceremonies, with some performers presenting copies of Bryant’s jerseys while on stage. Host Alicia Keys and a cappella group Boyz II Men gave an a cappella tribute to Bryant. 

The performers also honored Nipsey Hussle, a rapper who was shot and killed in March. Bryant and Hussle were portrayed on graphics together throughout the event. Hussle won a posthumous Grammy for Best Rap Performance for “Racks in the Middle.” 

The ceremonies included multiple acclaimed performances. Demi Lovato’s performance of “Anyone” received the most praise, as it was her first public performance since suffering a drug overdose in 2018, becoming so emotional that she restarted the performance midway through the song. Lovato received a standing ovation for her effort. 

Demi Lovato performing at the 2020 Grammys. 

Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’s performance of “Old Town Road” won praise, as did Lizzo’s performance of “Truth Hurts.” Lizzo won the Best Pop Solo Performance award for the song, as did Lil Nas X and Cyrus for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.  

Billie Eilish flourished in the awards, winning Best New Artist, Record of the Year (recognizing the recording of the song, i.e. including engineers and producers) and Song of the Year (specifically recognizing the composition of the song) for “Bad Guy,” and Album of the Year for “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” 

Some other notable winners are Tyler, the Creator, who won Best Rap Album for “IGOR,” and Willie Nelson, who won Best Country Solo Performance for “Ride Me Back Home.” 

Additionally, For King and Country won awards for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for “God Only Knows” and Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for “Burn the Ships.” 

To see the full list of winners, click here

Jake Love is a staff writer for the Triangle. He is an English major with an emphasis on creative writing and is from Soddy-Daisy, Tenn. He enjoys reading and consuming large amounts of caffeine.