Clockwise from top left: Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B;Trevor Noah; Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars; Noah Cyrus; Taylor Swift; Beyoncé and JAY-Z; BTS’ Jungkook (Screenshot: Paramount+)
To quote a Slack message from A.V. Club editor Alex McLevy in our Grammys war room, “Welcome to the 2021 Grammy Awards Performances!”
Indeed, The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah hosted a ceremony that was light on acceptance speeches and heavy on applause for Harry Styles, Haim, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Dua Lipa. Here are some of the most memorable moments, looks, and performances from the telecast.
Trevor Noah, live (almost) from the Staples Center
Though “music’s biggest night” often takes place in the Staples Center, this year Trevor Noah hosted from the plaza outside downtown Los Angeles’ massive stadium, with a mix of pre-taped and live performances taking place on a series of stages set up in the nearby Los Angeles Convention Center.
Harry Styles continues his evolution into Mick Jagger
Donning a leather jacket and floor-length green boa but sans shirt, Harry Styles opened the show with .
Billie Eilish and brother Finneas perform “Everything I Wanted”
Before performing during the televised ceremony, Billie Eilish won the 2021 Grammy for Best Song Written For Visual Media for her song which was released last year before . If the film comes out as currently planned (in November 2021), Eilish could win an Oscar for the song two full years after it was released as a single.
Tremors reunion!
During an ad for wireless service Visible, Kevin Bacon reunited with his Tremors costar Michael Gross.
It took almost 30 minutes to get to the first award of the evening, and then a few seconds longer for us to find out that Megan Thee Stallion won Best New Artist as last year’s winner, Lizzo, struggled with the envelope.
Noah Cyrus loses gracefully
Best New Artist nominee Noah Cyrus wore this and we thought she’d want you to see.
DaBaby’s “Baby Boomers”
While DaBaby was center stage during his performance of “Rockstar,” it was his backup dancers of over-the-hill “Baby Boomers” that had people asking, “Is that Margaret Atwood?”
Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortez advertize for CBS
How many eyes to you see in this frame from Bad Bunny and Jay Cortez’s performance of “Dákiti”?
Dua Lipa gives us a show
After an opening string of lower-energy performances, Dua Lipa gave us a medley of her hits (including “Levitating” feat. DaBaby) accompanied by three different looks.
Silk Sonic takes us back to the ’70s
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak were a last-minute addition to the Grammys lineup, performing as their first song as Silk Sonic, “Leave the Door Open.”
Miranda Lambert wins
Taking home the second trophy of the telecast, Miranda Lambert won Best Country Album for Wildcard.
Taylor Swift performs folklore
Taylor Swift went barefoot and ethereal to performing a medley of songs off folklore with the help of Jack Antonoff.
Harry Styles changes boas
To accept his Best Pop Solo Performance award for “Watermelon Sugar,” Harry Styles switched out green for purple…and a whole lot of plaid.
In Memoriam medley
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, Brandi Carlile, and Lionel Richie, paid tribute to Little Richard, John Prine, and Kenny Rogers respectively. Brittany Howard and Chris Martin closed things out with a rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Icky points to in the subsequent commercial break.
We celebrate country for a quick second
Trevor Noah made a point to introduce Mickey Guyton as the first Black woman to be nominated for a Grammy in a country category…only to have her serve as opening act for Miranda Lambert and Marren Morris (and John Mayer).
Anderson .Paak wins Best Melodic Rap Performance
Anderson .Paak used his Best Melodic Rap Performance win for “Lockdown” to ask everyone to use their “voice.”
Bad Bunny wins his first gringo Grammy
Benito Martínez Ocasio , with each being a game-changer in Latin trap. But the album that earned the nomination—and won Best Latin Pop Or Urban Album—at the 2021 Grammys is his best yet, (Yo Hago Lo Que Me Da La Gana). This marks his first time winning a Grammy that isn’t a Latin Grammy. []
H.E.R. W.I.N.S.
“I Can’t Breathe,” Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.) won Song of the Year, which is awarded to the writers of the winning tune.
Cardi and Megan somehow perform “WAP” on CBS
Ahead of Sunday’s telecast, there were lots of questions about how Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion would perform their explicit song of 2020, “WAP.” But .
Beyoncé gets a surprise
After Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion accepted the Best Rap Performance award for Trevor Noah terrified Queen Bey by stopping her mid stage exit to inform her and the audience that the Best Rap Performance win left her tied for the most Grammy wins by any woman in history. (More on that later.)
Post Malone starts a coven?
Post Malone’s performance of “Hollywood’s Bleeding” appeared to end with him releasing his coven out into the world to do his bidding.
Dua Lipa channels Cher
Dua Lipa accepted the Best Pop Vocal Album award for her album Future Nostalgia with a few hair tosses that had us saying, “Woah!” (Sorry, it’s late and the time change was this morning. We’re getting loopy.)
Lil Baby takes on police brutality
Lil Baby’s performance of “The Bigger Picture” included activist and Insecure actor Kendrick Sampson at the center of a scene similar to the tragic murder of Rayshard Brooks, activist Tamika Mallory speaking at a stage Black Lives Matter event, and a verse by Killer Mike.
Beyoncé, breaker of records
With her Best R&B Performance win for “Black Parade,” Beyoncé broke the record for the most Grammy wins by any female, as well as any artist period. (The late Hungarian-British conductor Georg Solti holds the all-time record with 31 Grammy Awards. Beyoncé now has 29.)
Doja Cat goes catwoman
Nominee Doja Cat slipped into latex for her performance of “Say So.”
Taylor wins big
Taylor Swift’s folklore wins Best Album of the Year, making Swift the first woman to win the prize three times.
BTS Zooms in from Seoul
Trevor Noah was very excited to tell viewers that BTS’ perforamnce of “Dynamite” was filmed in Seoul on a stage that waas a re-creation of the Grammys’ Los Angeles stage.
Roddy Ricch on Planet of the Apes?
Roddy Ricch performed “Heartless” on the piano before moving on to “The Box.”
The Recording Academy addresses social issues...kind of
Shrug. At least . We don’t think this will do anythng to .
Ringo Starr, baby
As the show ran long, Ringo Starr enderingly rambled on before presenting the final award of the evening.