The GRAMMY Awards released a teaser this past Saturday of this year’s ceremony lineup. Artists such as Billie Eilish, Post Malone, and Harry Styles are all set to perform at the 2021 ceremony. Because of COVID, the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards was initially postponed from January 31 but will resume commencement this coming Sunday.
The GRAMMY Awards shared a very elusive statement on the temporary plan for this year’s ceremony. “Artists will be coming together, while still safely apart, to play music for each other as a community and celebrate the music that unites us all.”
This year’s lineup is full of strong performers. The Recording Academy released the following lineup: Bad Bunny, Black Pumas, Cardi B, BTS, Brandi Carlile, DaBaby, Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, Mickey Guyton, Haim, Brittany Howard, Miranda Lambert, Lil Baby, Dua Lipa, Chris Martin, John Mayer, Megan Thee Stallion, Maren Morris, Post Malone, Roddy Ricch, Harry Styles, and Taylor Swift.
Rolling Stone released an article Monday about the Awards Ceremony and executive producer Ben Winston, giving insight into what viewers can expect on Sunday, “… a multi-stage, audience-free show that highlights the year’s creative triumphs, social justice movements, as well as Covid-19’s impact on the arts,” Winston explained.
Concert venue workers from different independent theaters will present the numerous categories throughout the night. The Recording Academy also announced that Music’s Biggest Night is scheduled to pay tribute to independent venues greatly affected by the pandemic.
Winston wanted to highlight the independent venues that were affected. “It’s a significant thing for me when I look at it all boarded up. I always think, ‘When those boards come down, this will be over.’ That will be the sign. That will be the day where it’s like, ‘We got through this.'”
The venue is set to be located in an undisclosed building in Los Angeles. Despite the secret location, Winston teases that the venue is massive. Although he feels that the Staples Stadium is safe enough for the ceremony, Winston wanted to make sure that all performers and workers felt safe.
Five separate stages will be set up in a circle facing each other, while the crew members and other workers will be positioned in the middle of the set. Four of the stages are for performers, leaving the last stage for the presenters.
“People will perform while the other three or four artists on their stages watch, applaud, and enjoy. As soon as that one finishes, the next one goes, the next one goes, and the next one goes. Every 45 minutes, you change out those stages, and you bring another four megastars into the room,” said Winston.
Even though COVID has affected life significantly over the past year, Winston didn’t want the GRAMMY Award ceremony to be remembered by the pandemic. “I want people to be able to watch the 2021 Grammys in 2040 and go, ‘Wow, what an amazing show that was,’ and not go, ‘Oh, that was the Covid year, that’s why they had to do that.'”
Along with the lineup, the GRAMMY Awards also released a list of each artist’s current nominations.
CBS and the Recording Academy have teamed up to present the GRAMMY Awards, hosted by Trevor Noah. The ceremony will premiere on CBS Television Network on Sunday, March 14, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT. It will also be accessible for live streaming and on-demand on Paramount+.
