Volodymyr Zelensky, in a pre-recorded message, told the assembled musicians to use their voices to demand an end to the war, telling them: “Anything but silence.” He said he “saw a dream” that those living in Ukrainian cities could be as free as the Grammys on stage and likened the invasion to a deadly silence that threatens to erase the dreams and lives of the Ukrainian people, including children. . “Our musicians wear armor instead of tuxedos. “They sing to the wounded in hospitals, even to those who do not hear them,” he said. “But the music will leak anyway.” Prior to the ceremony, the Recording Academy, in partnership with Global Citizen, launched a social media campaign called “Stand Up For Ukraine” to raise money and support during the humanitarian crisis. “Fill the silence with your music. Fill it today to tell our story. Tell the truth about the war on your social networks, on TV, support us in any way you can, but not in silence. “And then peace will come to all our cities,” said Zelensky, wearing his khaki T-shirt, a trademark now. Legend, dressed in the blue of the Ukrainian flag, then sang his song “Free”, in a tribute to the war-torn country. Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, pre-recorded a video message for the Grammys on Sunday night, introducing John Legend and telling musicians to speak out against the war. Siuzanna Iglidan from Odessa came on stage with him, along with singer Mika Newton, from Burstyn, 60 miles south of Lviv in western Ukraine. The Iglidan, dressed in the yellow of her country, played the bandura, a Ukrainian folk instrument considered the national musical instrument. Lyuba Yakimchuk, a poet from Donbas who escaped a few days ago, also read a poem. Zelensky spoke amid growing anger over the atrocities committed in his country. On Sunday, the magnitude of the horror in Kiev’s Buha suburb became clear, with photos and videos showing civilians being executed, with their hands tied behind their backs. Zelensky earlier on Sunday denounced the attempt to eradicate “the whole nation” and said: “This is genocide.” He added: “We are citizens of Ukraine and we do not want to submit. This is why we destroy and annihilate. And that is what is happening in 21st century Europe. ” Zelensky’s speech appeared to have been filmed at the Presidential Palace in Kyiv The Ukrainian president’s speech was broadcast to the public in Las Vegas, with John Legend waiting on the piano John Legend, introduced by Zelensky, sang his song “Free” as a tribute to the people of Ukraine Siuzanna Iglidan (far right) from Odessa came with him on stage, along with singer Mika Newton (far left), from Burstyn in western Ukraine. Iglidan, dressed in the yellow of her country, played the bandura, a Ukrainian folk instrument considered the national musical instrument. The trio played with images of Ukraine in the background, showing scenes from the conflict and a raised Ukrainian flag.
Zelensky’s speech at the Grammys
The war.
What is the opposite of music? The Silence of Destroyed Cities and Killed People…
Our children design rockets, not shooting stars.
More than 400 children have been injured and 153 children have died.
And we will never see them paint.
Our parents are happy to wake up in the morning. In bomb shelters. But alive.
Our loved ones do not know if we will be together again. War does not let us choose who will survive and who will remain in eternal silence.
Our musicians wear armor instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded. In hospitals.
Even to those who can not hear them, but the music will leak anyway
We defend our freedom. Live. You love. I’m listening.
On our land we are fighting Russia, which is bringing a horrible silence with its bombs.
The dead silence.
Fill the silence with your music. Fill it today. To tell our story.
Tell the truth about this war on your social networks, on TV.
Support us in any way you can. Any – but not silence.
And then peace will come.
In all our cities, war is destroying. Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Volonovakha, Mariupol and others
They are already legends. But I have a dream to live.
And for free. Free like you on the Grammy stage.
Presenter Trevor Noah opened the show Sunday night with a joke about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock during last week’s Oscars.
Smith, on stage, returned to his seat and shouted at Rock, “Keep my wife’s name out of your king’s mouth.”
On Sunday night, Noah joked: “We will keep the names of the people out of our mouths.”
“Don’t even think of it as an awards show,” Noah said of the ceremony.
“It’s a concert where we award prizes, we listen to music, we dance, we sing, we keep people’s names out of our mouths and we give people prizes all night. So let’s get straight to it. ”
Questlove also referred to the infamous event when he presented an award on Sunday night.
“I will award this prize and I believe you will stay 500 feet away from me,” the producer joked.
He was awarded the Oscar for Best Documentary shortly after Smith’s attack on Rock.
The jokes had started before the show even started.
Hours before the event, at the Grammy “premiere ceremony” – which was held to award the most music awards – LeVar Burton mocked Smith’s behavior.
“I want to warn you all that our next presenter is a comedian. “If you know what I mean,” he said.
“So I have to warn everyone: Stay in your seats and keep your hands to yourself. Well?’
Another presenter at the pre-awards presentation, Nate Bargatze, added the joke, wearing a black motorcycle helmet, which caused laughter from the crowd.
“They said comedians should wear them now at the awards during Joke Wars,” Bargatze added.
Just a week after the infamous collapse of the Smiths’ Oscars, much controversy surrounding the Grammys means that the music industry’s top awards show has always been a real powder keg that was about to swell.
There was further controversy when Louis CK’s 2020 comedy, in which he joked about allegations of sexual misconduct against him, won the Best Comedy Album award.
Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open” won Song of the Year and Olivia Rodrigo was named Best Young Artist.
The 19-year-old also won the best pop solo performance for a Driving License.
Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett won Best Traditional Pop Voice Album for “Love For Sale”.
The Foo Fighters won all three awards they were nominated for: Best Rock Performance for “Making a Fire”; best rock song for “Waiting on a War”; and best rock album for “Medicine at Midnight”.
They did not appear at the Grammys after the recent death of drummer Taylor Hawkins.
The rock band was scheduled to appear during the ceremony, but recently canceled all upcoming concert dates.
Billie Eilish paid tribute to Hawkins by wearing his face in a t-shirt as he played.
Trevor Noah hosts the Grammys in Las Vegas on Sunday night
The South African-born comedian is hosting the show for the second year in a row
Noah appears to be arriving at the event in Las Vegas on Sunday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena
Questlove on Sunday night also referred to the slap – which immediately prefaced and overshadowed his own Oscar victory – and joked: “I will present this award and I believe you will be 500 feet away from me.”
Questlove received a warm welcome at the Grammys a week after winning the Oscar for “Summer of Soul”. The film also won a Grammy on Sunday for Best Musical. pic.twitter.com/jdqn5l4BP8
– NowThis (@nowthisnews) April 4, 2022
Even before the official opening of the 64th Grammy Awards, LeVar Burton took the opportunity to bake Will Smith for his Oscar slap, with comedian Nate Bargatze having fun as well.
When Bargatze took the stage, he came out in a black-on-black suit, with a matte black motorcycle helmet, which caused some laughter from the crowd.
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars on Sunday after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
After hitting Rock, an apparently noisy Smith returned to his seat and started shouting repeatedly, “Keep my wife’s name out of your mouth.”
The Grammys will have to deal with a delicate situation with Kanye West, who was banned from the show but is expected to attend with five nominations on the line. Marilyn Manson is also nominated for an award after being accused of sexual harassment by many women and comedian Louis CK won the best comedy album as he returns after allegations of harassment several years ago. And in the blink of an eye, Weeknd is still boycotting the awards, and Drake said he did not want to run for a Grammy, withdrawing his two nominations. Grammy time adds an extra level of unpredictability to what is usually one of the weirdest nights on the awards track. The Grammys will continue to perform without a performance by West, known as Ye, after the organizers expressed concerns about “his behavior on the internet”. The ban appears to refer to West’s bizarre online feud with comedian Pete Davidson, who is dating Kim Kardashian’s ex-wife, following West outbreaks that led to his temporary suspension from Instagram. West has been nominated for several albums for his “Donda” album – and will face longtime foe Taylor Swift in the Album of the Year category, where she has her only chance at the Grammy Awards for “evermore”. At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, West famously ran to the stage to interrupt Swift’s acceptance speech, grabbing the microphone from her hand to shout Beyoncé’s video for “Single Ladies.” Kanye West was banned from appearing in the Grammys due to …
