By Aaron Miller-
The 2017 60th Grammy Awards was a breath of fresh air dominated by awards to Bruno Mars and Kendrick Lamar.
The presence of a wide array of global superstars decorated the occasion, as several stars used it as an opportunity to campaign against sexual harassment by wearing pure white robes.
A plethora of stars including Cardi B, Lady Gaga, and Kelly Clarkson sported white roses on their outfits as they arrived at the 60th Grammys in New York City.
Uk’s Rita Ora and Sam Smith were also among the many who showed their support for anti-sexual harassment campaigns ‘Me Too’ and ‘Time’s Up’ with their choice of outfits at the Grammy Awards.
New York City’s mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife Chirlane McCray also wore the roses while stars Dua Lipa and Halsey previously said they would also show their backing.
HILARY CLINTON’S PRESENCE
An interesting presence at the mega show was former Democrat candidate, Hilary Clinton, who read from Michael Wolff’s explosive account of life inside President Trump’s White House, Fire and Fury, as part of a skit starring the likes of John Legend, DJ Khaled and Cardi B.
Clinton did not miss the opportunity to deride her nemesis, President Donald Trump, sparking a predictable reaction from the Trump’s through the mouthpiece of his son via a disapproving tweet . It was a little surprising Trump did not tweet a response himself, but his son’s fightback was probably sufficient for the usually vocal president
The president’s son tweeted: “Getting to read a #fakenews book excerpt at the Grammys seems like a great consolation prize for losing the presidency.”
He later added: “The more Hillary goes on television the more the American people realize how awesome it is to have @realDonaldTrump in office.”
Others who disapproved of Clinton’s political assassination on Trump included U.S United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who wrote: “I have always loved the Grammys but to have artists read the Fire and Fury book killed it.
“Don’t ruin great music with trash. Some of us love music without the politics thrown in it.”
Nikki Haley
@nikkihaley
I have always loved the Grammys but to have artists read the Fire and Fury book killed it. Don’t ruin great music with trash. Some of us love music without the politics thrown in it.
The most soul piercing section of the night though came from Times Up campaigners who teamed up for an extremely emotional performance led by Kesha.
All dressed in white, Kesha led an all-female ensemble including Bebe Rexha and Cyndi Lauper singing the song ‘Praying’, earning her a standing ovation that was very moving and heart gripping.
Kendrick Lamar opened the performance of the evening surrounded by dancers dressed as soldiers. He made the unrealistic call for rap star Jay Z to become American president, an aspiration that can only materialize in his dreams. Dreaming has always been a prerequisite for great achievements, but some posts are beyond the dreams of others.
Jay Z left the start studded auditorium in New York without a single award, despite a staggering 8 nominations. This was a kick in the teeth for the veteran who probably expected to win something.
Bruno Mars impressively won all six of his nominations in the Grammy awards , boosting his ego as a musical genius
It was also a strong night for hip-hop on Sunday at what was said to be the most diverse Grammys in its 60-year history with Kendrick Lamar winning five.
Shining from the UK was talented Ed Sheeran, whose album Divide won in the pop vocal album category. The 26-year-old was not present to collect the honour presented during the show.
Taking the top three awards of the night, Mars praised music’s ability to bring diverse groups of people together as he accepted the final award of the night.
Rita Ora and Sam Smith were among the many who showed their support for anti-sexual harassment campaigns Me Too and Time’s Up with their choice of outfits at the Grammy Awards.
The pair joined the likes of Cardi B, Lady Gaga and Kelly Clarkson in sporting a white rose on their outfits as they arrived at the 60th Grammys in New York City.
Rita Ora arrives at the 60th annual Grammy Awards at Madison Square
The flowers have been adopted as a symbol of the Time’s Up campaign which aims to highlight sexual assault and harassment as well as provide legal support for alleged victims.
New York City’s mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife Chirlane McCray also wore the roses while stars Dua Lipa and Halsey previously said they would also show their backing.