2014 Grammy Awards shapes up for a stunning show
Adele. AFP/ ROBYN BECK
There really isn’t any other award giving body in the music industry that is more prestigious, meaningful and important as the Grammy Awards.
As far as I can remember, the Grammy Awards have also become the pedestal from which future music icons’ careers take off. There are also special moments during the Awards nights that viewers continue to remember even after many years. A perfect example of this would be the time the late Michael Jackson took home a total of 8 Grammys in the 26th Annual Grammy Awards.
Micheal Jackson was to be the very first artist to win 8 Grammys in a single night.
His record breaking achievement was matched years later in the year 2000 by guitarist extraordinaire Carlos Santana.
The second highest number of awards that an artist has won in a night which has come closest to matching this amazing feat by the late “King of Pop” was by Beyonce who took home a total of 6 awards in 2010.
This was to be followed and tied by Adele in 2012 when the sultry English songstress also got to bag 6 awards.
There are just so many interesting facts that surround the history of the Grammys.
Come awards night, we will know who will be running away with the most awards this time around.
Until then, here are some of the more recent interesting developments regarding the upcoming awards show.
**********
Injecting “Metal” into the Grammy Awards
One of the confirmed acts who will perform at the 56th annual Grammy Awards is Metallica.
This will be only the second time that the “Metal Institutions” will get to perform on awards night. The very first time that they had played at the Grammys can be traced all the way back to 1991.
That was 23 years ago! It is hard to believe that it has been that long since Metallica has graced the Grammys with their music.
But Metallica will not be alone when they hit the stage a couple of weeks from now because they will be joined there by world-renowned classical concert pianist Lang-Lang for a special number. This will also be the second time for Lang-Lang to perform at the Grammys, being that the first time was in 2008.
This will be an interesting pairing, to say the least, and a bit of a “head-scratcher” for some. Regardless, it would certainly be worth tuning in for to see the result.
Classical music and Metal may seem as disparate from the other when it comes to defining each respective genre. But such a collaboration usually turns out to meld well together when it is planned out properly and when much thought and preparations are put into it.
This brings to mind the time Metallica did a concert called “Metallica Live S&M” where they performed their hits backed by nearly a hundred orchestral musicians in San Francisco in 1999.
Indeed, those were some heavy songs with a classical approach which made for a truly memorable event.
If that could happen in 1999, why couldn’t it happen also in 2014 this time at the Grammys? It does lead me to believe that Metallica and Lang-Lang performing together could just steal the show this year!
**********
Will Lorde “clean” house?
Lorde, who is also scheduled to perform, is nominated in four categories and two of them are part of the “big four” of the night, namely for Record of the Year and for Song of the Year. If Lorde can win at least one of the two big ones, then that would further cement her name as a new “major player” in the music industry.
I was recently asked by a fellow music aficionado: What makes Lorde so special?
Here is my abridged answer that I gave him: Upon my further analysis, I think what helps separate Lorde from the current batch of new artists is that when you listen attentively to her music, it doesn’t feel too trendy. You can tell that there is a deeper sense of artistry which can be found there. And her own musical style doesn’t come off as too forced either to the listener.
These are all praiseworthy qualities for someone as young and talented as Lorde. Her music is especially suited for discerning listeners with a more developed musical palette.
Watch out for performances from Metallica, Lorde, and many more, come awards night.
**********
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards will be on the 26th of January from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Keep an eye out for a live televised broadcast of the show in the Philippines.
