The Grammys touched down in Las Vegas for a weekend of events leading up to the main event on Sunday. While typically, Grammy week stretches over five days and dozens of functions, the abridged version felt like a much more manageable agenda — and awards show veterans, out of practice after two years of lockdown, were thankful for it.
At the same time, a return to normalcy meant plenty of music industry chatter as artists and executives mingled excitedly all over the strip.
Et tu Kanye? Will he or won’t he show was the question on many attendees’ minds when it came to Kanye West. Publicly disinvited from performing, sources told PvNew that the producer-rapper-turned-mogul — who’s up for multiple Grammys, including album of the year — was still permitted to attend the ceremony and the red carpet. But as April 3 approached, and on the heels of the Oscars’ Will Smith-Chris Rock flap and rumors that West could stage a competing livestream at the same time as the Grammys, the Recording Academy restarted talks to have West take the stage. Ultimately, though, West decided to sit out the Grammys entirely. As of Sunday morning, there were no plans for him to attend.
The Ripple Effect: Sources say the Grammys’ cancelation of a planned Kanye West performance last month did cause problems in the Black music community, as it essentially forced artists to pick a side: Between a wildly unpredictable yet extremely popular and deeply influential artist, and a Recording Academy that has a history of snubbing performers of color, despite their considerable recent efforts to change that history. Presumably, that was a contributing factor in the relatively small representation of hip-hop performers on the show.
Spotify’s Day in the Sun: Streaming giant Spotify traditionally holds a best new artist showcase ahead of the Grammys, but with 10 artists in contention, performances by each, as in years past, was not an option. Instead, the company cordoned off a section of the Encore Beach Club for its industry guests, aligning with a David Guetta set scheduled for that afternoon. But Guetta attendees did not get, as the DJ was delayed in traveling to Vegas. Instead, the bizzers mingled a velvet rope away from the day-club debauchery of an amped up Saturday. It was a strange scene, many commented, and unlike Spotify to have to share in a party space for one of its tentpole events.
As for the nominated artists, country star Jimmie Allen was in attendance, as were Glass Animals and Arooj Aftab. Olivia Rodrigo was not allowed to attend due to her age. It was strictly 21 and over for the sun-soaked revelers.
Almost Famous:At the Entertainment Law Initiative ceremony honoring veteran music attorney and Fullstop Management exec Susan Genco, Cameron Crowe, “Almost Famous” writer/director Cameron Crowe gave an expansive and wildly entertaining speech that recalled his amazing years as a teenaged rock writer, covering Led Zeppelin, David Bowie and more. He brought it full circle by recalling that after he’d received an Oscar for the film, his mother, who had long pleaded with him to become a lawyer, said, “Now that you’ve won an Oscar, there’s still time to go to law school!”
Up Next: Insiders say that Lizzo’s forthcoming album, due in the Spring, is “amazing.”
Leave the Phone Open? Silk Sonic‘s residency at the MGM Park hotel was the place to be on Saturday night, as Atlantic Records played host to a slew of VIPs, including John Legend and members of BTS, as well as Warner Music Group CEO, Recorded Music Max Lousada, Atlantic chairman and COO Julie Greenwald, Warner Chappell co-chair and CEO Guy Moot and co-chair and COO Carianne Marshall and Warner Records’ co-chairman and CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck, among others. Everyone attending had to submit to having their phones locked, by request of Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak. “We dance for real,” read a sign at the entrance explaining the policy.
Indeed, you could feel an explosive energy inside the venue as all in attendance were transfixed on the entertainment at hand — and, yes, grooving in their seats. It makes one wonder if the trade-off — not having the social media exposure, engagement and excitement that comes with a raucous dance party — is worth that 90 minutes of undivided attention. Word is the show’s promoter, AEG, has been debating that very question in an effort to goose ticket sales. Although, from where we sat, it looked like a full house. Still, Silk Sonic is not a household name, and marketing materials around Vegas seem to address that by listing Mars and Paak prominently. Problem solved?
Is That Our COO on the Dance Floor? At the afterparty following Silk Sonic’s performance at Nomad, Atlantic co-chairman/COO Greenwald was spotted throwing down to some old-school hip-hop, as if a reminder were needed that she came up at Rush Management, who steered the careers of Run-DMC, LL Cool J, the early Beastie Boys and many others.
The Poise of Arlo Parks: The British newcomer was on hand at the Grammys’ premiere ceremony, where some 75 awards were handed out before the big show, to present winners in 12 categories. She herself was up for best new artist, which was announced later in the evening (Olivia Rodrigo won), but pre-tel host Levar Burton was clearly unaware of her excellent debut album, “Collapsed in Sunbeams,” because he misgendered the singer in introducing her to the stage. “Here’s a Gen Z artist from London that’s blurring the boundaries of music with a brave new sound and lyrics that are immersed in his own personal experience,” sbaid Burton. Ironically, Parks then misgendered bluegrass artist Bela Fleck as a “she” in accepting the Grammy on his behalf. Asked about the snafu after the show, Parks was poised in shrugging it off. “It is what it is,” Parks told PvNew.
Bieber’s Emotional Moment: Justin Bieber was a last-minute addition to the Grammys performance lineup, which had some wondering whether a win was imminent. It didn’t, to the dismay and surprise of many, but judging from the enthusiastic response in the room to “Peaches,” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon, including the song in the run-of-show was undoubtedly the right call. The number did drain the singer, though, as several backstage onlookers describe Bieber overwhelmed with emotion and crying following his bow. It wouldn’t be the first time his own music moved him to tears. Back in January 2020, he wept at a playback party for his album “Changes,” which also took place during Grammy week.
Dream Team for Dixie: Three of the songwriters who birthed BTS’ “Butter” — Jenna Andrews, Stephen Kirk and Alex Bilowitz — were in attendance at the Grammys Awards and reveal they are working on new music with Dixie D’Amelio. Andrews was also celebrating Jimmie Allen’s Grammy noms. She signed the country star to TwentySeven Music Publishing, a joint venture with Sony Music Publishing, which she co-founded with industry veteran Barry Weiss.
Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak Shut.It.Down. Celebrating Silk Sonic’s Grammys sweep, Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak took the stage at the Gala Music event — hosted by John Terzian of The h.wood Group and PIXL8 and held at Delilah in the Wynn Hotel — for a surprise set, complete with all the camp they could muster after midnight. Singing mostly covers, including Eve’s “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” and Nelly’s “Hot In Herre,” Mars played guitar (trading off with some tambourine) and Paak took his seat at the drums for several numbers. Also joining in the onstage fun were BJ the Chicago Kid and Lucky Daye, the latter of whom won a Grammy earlier in the day for best progressive R&B album. Silk Sonic’s warmup act, as it were, was Brazilian superstar Anitta, who also delighted the crowd with two of her songs. In the audience were Trevor Noah and Dua Lipa along with a who’s who of the music industry, including managers Brandon Silverstein, Scooter Braun, Andy Mendelsohn and Austin Rosen; Warner Records’ Bay-Schuck and Corson; Spotify’s Dawn Ostroff and Dustee Jenkins; and Bieber collaborators DJ Tay James and HARV.
Silk Sonic performs “Hot in Herre” at the #Grammys after party at Delilah. pic.twitter/fTshFtTcFE
— PvNew (@PvNew) April 4, 2022
Spotted: Dave Bayley from Glass Animals (masked, but recognizable in a brown velvet track suit) walking solo at the MGM’s The District, taking selfies with fans (the band would later pull out of attending the Grammys due to a positive COVID test); Jazz great and Grammy nominee Kamasi Washington brought his family to the Black Music Collective event — including his young daughter in a stroller, who made her voice heard at comical moments during the ceremony; Producer of the year Jack Antonoff leaving the MGM Grand Garden Arena with a small crew that included girlfriend Margaret and Grammy-winning artist and collaborator St. Vincent; Lil Nas X dancing to his own “Industry Baby” at the Sony Music Grammy afterparty held at the Waldorf Astoria; Israeli pop star Noa Kirel at the Warner Music Group afterparty at NOMAD.
