The Recording Academy has heard the criticism.
They have taken action.
This year, at the61st annual Grammy Awards, there were women, nay, goddesses!
Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
HostAlicia Keys brought out her squadLady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Michelle Obama, and Jennifer Lopez.
They spoke of music, the reason to dance, the global language.
Lets hear it for the music appreciators!
There were ups and downs.
to zoom toward a noble drummer drumming.
You spent the rest of the night wondering why they couldnt find someone other than J.Lo for that tribute.
Better candidates kept appearing.
Fantasia shattered the sound barrier during anAretha Franklin tributewith Yolanda Adams and Andra Day.
Chloe X Halle gave a vastly more sensitive homage to history with their rendition of Where Is the Love?
As the hours passed you started to ask yourself all kinds of crazy ques
The production issues were vivid.
No one working these Grammys ever heard of a commercial break.
Drake, Dua Lipa, and H.E.R.
got cut off mid-speech.
Poor lighting on poor hats meant Lopez and Keys gave a couple long talks hiding in gigantic brim shadows.
Post Malone disappeared into orange fog during Rockstar, so it wasnt all bad.
And how lovely to see Diana Ross sing at her own rapturous 75th birthday celebration.
Musics biggest night still couldnt quite get musics biggest musicians.
Camila Cabellos energized multi-story Havana extravaganza got the night off to a rapturous start.
Cardi B was a peacock,preciselyexcess enough forThe Masked Singer.
Her piano spotlight was nifty, but her relentlessly positive tone trended bland.
No, but look, certain major awards shows are literally incapable of even getting a host anymore.
I liked Keys unfussy good cheer.
Generous vibes were attempted.
Portnow appeared for a farewell speech, speaking of diversity and inclusion.
Still, a few faces in the crowd looked skeptical of this attempt at narrative-reclaiming.
But healsotook the stage afterDua Lipa won Best New Artist.
She praised her fellow womenfolk, saying, I guess this year we really stepped up with sarcastic-serious precision.
Janelle MonaesDirty Computernumber was a whole cyberpunk universe, droidal fembots and pink suits and glorious pink frill.
A bit of hyperbole, I know.
