Press "Enter" to skip to content

Grammy Awards 2018: It’s time to practice what you preach

Despite their best efforts, Hollywood has failed us once again.

For years, awards shows have been platforms for celebrities to speak their minds, express their beliefs and inspire millions. Though the Recording Academy desperately tried to show its support of various social and political movements last Sunday at the Grammy awards, the winners proved otherwise.

This year we all thought that maybe, just maybe, things would be different. From start to finish, performers used their platforms to express the #MeToo movement, immigration rights, mental health awareness and the Black Lives Matter movement. But when it came to the awards, these artists were robbed.

Perhaps the biggest shocker of the night was when Bruno Mars swept all seven categories he was up for and took home two of the biggest awards: Album of the Year and Record of the Year. Although Bruno’s music is catchy, it does not compare to the resilient and passionate messages the other nominees brought to the table.

Kendrick Lamar opened the show with a jaw-dropping performance alongside comedian Dave Chappelle’s commentary, bringing light to the BLM movement, Lorde, the only female nominated for Album of The Year, didn’t even have a performance spot on the show. Jay-Z, who was nominated for eight awards, also left the Grammys empty-handed. Yet Bruno Mars’ happy-go-lucky music about partying and girls somehow received Album Of The Year?

This wasn’t the only evident disconnect present at the Grammys. When it came to the nominees for Pop Solo Performance, I was delighted to see four out of the five nominees were women. Kesha was one of those nominees, whose performance of “Praying” moved many to tears. I, along with many others, watched as a chorus of powerful women sung out an anthem that broke the silence of victims of abuse.

When it came to the awards, Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” stole Pop Solo Performance away from Kesha’s “Praying” and Gaga’s “Million Reasons.” It’s sickening to see a song written about a woman’s body win over a song full of raw emotion on a personal battle with sexual abuse.

Upon being questioned on the number of women (or lack thereof) who were nominated for Grammys, Neil Portnow, the Recording Academy president, failed to address the real problem at hand. Instead, he said women weren’t as driven in the business and needed to “step up.”

Step up? This industry needs to take a step back and focus more on actually fixing the problem at hand. Though I commend the show for its opportunities to express political issues, a revamping of the categories is much overdue. Maybe then the rightful winners will find recognition for their mastery.

Copyright © 2023, The Scout, Bradley University. All rights reserved.
The Scout is published by members of the student body of Bradley University. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the University.