Pink
“Women in music don’t need to ‘step up’—women have been stepping up since the beginning of time.”
Thus said singer Pink in reaction to Recording Academy president Neil Portnow’s recent statement, saying that women need to “step up” if they desire better representation at the Grammy Awards.
“Stepping up and also stepping aside. Women owned music this year. They have been killing it. And every year before this,” the three-time Grammy-winning artist said in a handwritten note posted on Twitter.
“When we celebrate and honor the accomplishments of women … against all odds, we show the next generation what it means to be equal; what it looks like to be fair,” added the pop star, who performed her single, “Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken,” at the Grammys.
The note was then retweeted by pop star Katy Perry, who added: “Another powerful woman, leading by example. We all have a responsibility to call out the absurd lack of equality everywhere we see it.”
Lessons from Calvin’s beard
Calvin Harris
In an attempt to earn the respect of the Grammy Awards’ powers that be, DJ Calvin Harris devised a bizarre plan—growing a beard.
“Last year, I grew a big ol’ beard in order to be taken seriously,” Calvin, who was given a nod for the Producer of the Year-Non-Classical category at this year’s Grammys. “It worked to an extent—my nomination came through, and I was happy the beard was performing as well as I had hoped,” he wrote on Instagram.
But that was the full extent of the beard’s powers, it turned out, as he eventually lost to record producer Greg Kurstin. “A big ol’ beard can only take you so far—an important lesson learned that I’m happy to pass forward,” jested Calvin, who produced the hit “This Is What You Came For.”
Calvin, one of Taylor Swift’s exes, added: “Now, my beard is gone; the experiment is complete. And I can move forward with 2018.”—ALLAN POLICARPIO