By Mark Gray
8:00am PDT, Apr 10, 2022
Carrie Underwood's muscular legs light up Twitter
For the first time ever, the Grammys took a gamble and brought the show to Vegas, baby! COVID restrictions forced the Recording Academy to move the show from its usual Los Angeles home to the glitzy Las Vegas Strip. Did the Academy's roll of the dice pay off? (Not really — ratings for the 2022 Grammys on April 3 matched 2021's all-time low: 8.93 million viewers watched the live broadcast on CBS and livestream on Paramount+, which was just a blip above the 2021 Grammys viewership of 8.8 million — which was nearly 10M less than in 2020). Did Olivia Rodrigo sweep the "big four"? (No, but she came close!) How many Grammys did nominee-leader (with 11 nods) Jon Batiste end up with? (Five!) What moment went Will Smith-esque viral? Strap in for a musical ride that G.I Jane wasn't invited to… Can she kick it? Yes, she can! Carrie Underwood debuted her new single "Ghost Story" on the Grammys stage on Sunday night, but social media was haunted by her super-fit legs, not necessarily the song. Twitter erupted within seconds of her performance, and her lower body muscles were the focus. "Carrie Underwood said y'all are gonna see these legs tonight," one person tweeted. Another said, "Carrie Underwood's legs. end of tweet." A third joked that the country star's legs "live rent free in my mind." One football fan even felt his team could use an upgrade and that Carrie was the answer. "Carrie Underwood could kick a 60 yard field goal with those legs," the tweet said. Give 'em the boot, Carrie!
Now keep reading to catch up on the most talked-about moments from the 2022 Grammys…
RELATED: 2022 Grammys red carpet photos
Comparing Byrne and the Biebs
Justin Bieber's red carpet fashion choice may have been nearly 40 years in the making. The Biebs showed up on the 2022 Grammys red carpet in an engulfing suit (seriously, two Justin Biebers could have fit inside the ensemble). Older Twitter users soon recalled a tremendously oversized suit worn by Talking Heads frontman David Byrne back in 1983, and the comparisons began. David Byrne's name even trended on Twitter because of the Biebs' ballooned suit. Sorry, David, you don't deserve this.
Billie Eilish's electric performance
Billie Eilish's performance of "Happier Than Ever" might be one we talk about for years. The singer — who hit the Grammys stage in a Taylor Hawkins T-shirt in tribute to the late Foo Fighters drummer — rocked out with brother FINNEAS as faux rain fell on them (all while performing on an upside-down set). The performance was good enough to turn viewers into fans. "Billie Eilish is my new favorite. Give her all the awards," one person tweeted. The in-house crowd gave Billie a rousing ovation. She deserved it.
Ukraine's president appears on the Grammys
With all due respect to the singers and celebrities, the biggest star of the evening: Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian president appeared in a pre-taped video (reportedly filmed in a bunker in Kyiv within the last 48 hours) to introduce John Legend's incredibly moving debut performance of "Free," which includes the lyric, "Reign down freedom until we're all free." John was flanked by Ukrainian singers and artists, one of whom escaped Ukraine just days ago. This. Was. Powerful. In his impassioned message, which he delivered in English, Zelenskyy said, "Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded in hospitals, even to those who can't hear them. But the music will break through anyway. Anyway, we defend our freedom. To live. To love. To sound. On our land, we are fighting Russia which brings horrible silence with its bombs. The dead silence." He implored the crowd to "fill the silence with our music. Fill it today, to tell our story… Support us in any way you can, but not silence. And then peace will come." In ending his message, he named several Ukrainian cities. "I have dream of them living, and free. Free like you on the Grammy stage."
Olivia Rodrigo's very, very big night
The Grammys didn't wait long to highlight Olivia Rodrigo. The teen sensation performed her monster hit "drivers license" just minutes into the show. Olivia began the stirring performance in the front seat of a Mercedes-Benz. The moving performance, set against a dark street, was well-received by the crowd. After she finished, host Trevor Noah joked about "how heartbreaking it can be going to the DMV." Just before the performance, the 19-year-old — who earned seven nominations in 2022 — won a Grammy for best pop solo performance, and later in the show, Olivia won for best new artist, as was widely expected. "This is my biggest dream come true" she said upon scooping up the noteworthy Grammy. Further into the show, she also took home the best pop vocal album Grammy for "Sour."
Jon Batiste becomes the first Black artist to win album of the year in 14 years
The most-nominated person of the evening, Jon Batiste, ended up winning five Grammys when all was said and done, including album of the year, the biggest award of the night. The musician, who's also Stephen Colbert's band leader, is the first Black artist to win album of the year in 14 years. Jon went into the evening with 11 nominations. In his acceptance speech for his album of the year win for "We Are," a gleeful Jon said, "Be you, that's it… I love you even if I don't know you! Good night!"
Silk Sonic's sweep
Silk Sonic won the Grammy for song of the year for "Leave the Door Open" — as well as, by the time the night was over, Grammys for record of the year, best R&B performance and best R&B song. While accepting the song of the year trophy, songwriter Dernst Emile II dedicated the win to his mom, who passed away this week. Bruno Mars, one-half of Silk Sonic, then thanked Anderson. Paak. "Andy, I couldn't be more proud doing this with you," Bruno told his Silk Sonic co-pilot. He then told the crowd, "Because of you guys, me and Andy are going to be singing this song forever." Upon receiving their record of the year trophy later in the night, Anderson promised to buy drinks for everyone. "In the industry, we call that a clean sweep," he said, adding, "We're getting drunk."
Why Halsey left early
In the middle of the week, Halsey was undergoing surgery. On Sunday, she walked the red carpet at the Grammys. The singer posted about her surgery and her Grammys plans on Instagram on April 2. "The last time I attended the Grammys was 2017 and it was 3 days after I had my first Endometriosis surgery. I walked the carpet with my stitches still in," she wrote. "As luck would have it, I'm attending tomorrow for the first time in years and I had surgery again (you guessed it) 3 days ago. Only posting this to say, if you see me be gentle lol I'm fragile. Fragile but excited." You wouldn't have known the "Without You" singer was ailing, as she stunned in a strapless belted corset gown by Pressiat, Stuart Weitzman platform heels, Tiffany & Co. jewels and a vintage Pierre Cardin hat from her stylist Law Roach's personal archive. Still, the evening got to be too much for Halsey, as she said on Instagram that she left after BTS's performance early in the show. "Not feeling super well so I left early," she wrote. "Had to see BTS tho. Going to get pasta and sleep."
The Foo Fighters' roller coaster week
One week after the shocking death of drummer Taylor Hawkins, the Foo Fighters won three Grammys. The band swept the three categories in which they were nominated — best rock performance (for "Making a Fire"), best rock song (for "Waiting On a War") and best rock album (for "Medicine at Midnight" — the last Foos album on which Taylor played). With a total of 15 wins in total, the Foo Fighters are now the most awarded American band in Grammys history. The grieving band did not attend the pre-show telecast and canceled their Grammys performance in the wake of Taylor's March 25 death in Colombia. Frontman Dave Grohl's family, however, was in Vegas for Grammy-related events — 15-year-old daughter Violet performed at the MusiCares Person of the Year Gala on April 1. Dave's wife, Jordyn Blum, and 12-year-old daughter, Harper, also attended the gala, which honored music legend Joni Mitchell.
Bad time for a bathroom break!
Nature came calling for Doja Cat at the worst time. The singer went to the restroom just before the award for best pop duo/group performance was announced — and won for her song "Kiss Me More" with SZA. Upon hearing their name, SZA slowly made her way to the stage on crutches, buying Doja Cat some precious time. "I've never taken such a fast p***," Doja said to the delight of the crowd. (Fresh from her bathroom break, she was even still fixing her dress on stage!) Once she was put together, she got emotional about the win, calling it "a big deal." In discussing the win, SZA told Doja, "I'm glad you made it back in time."
Lady Gaga honors Tony Bennett
Lady Gaga is still a showstopper. The "Poker Face" singer sizzled during a jazz performance of "Do I Love You" at the Grammys. The performance was also a bit of an ode to Tony Bennett, who introduced his longtime collaborator but was not on hand in person. During the performance, video of Tony and Gaga flashed behind her, documenting their long-running friendship and musical partnership. At the end of the song, Gaga looked at the camera with tears in the eyes. "I love you, Tony," she said.
Tony Bennett, 95, makes history
Tony Bennett, 95, became the second-oldest Grammy award winner in history on April 3, 2022, when he won the prize for traditional pop vocal album for "Love For Sale," his collaboration with Lady Gaga. This could be the beginning of a big, big night for Tony – whose family in 2021 revealed he has Alzheimer's disease — as he and Gaga are nominated in five categories including album of the year for "Love For Sale" and record of the year for "I Get a Kick Out of You."
A very special win for an LGBTQ country music star
Talk about a meaningful Grammy win. Less than one month after winning duo of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards, Brothers Osborne continued their winning ways. The duo took home their first Grammy, for best country duo/group performance for the song "Younger Me," which is about T.J. Osborne publicly coming out as a member of the LGBTQ community (he's the first openly gay male country singer on a major label). "I never thought I would be able to do music professionally because of my sexuality," T.J. said during pre-telecast premiere ceremony. "And I certainly never thought I would be here on this stage accepting a Grammy after having done something I felt like was going to be life-changing, potentially in a very negative way. And here I am tonight, not only accepting this Grammy award with my brother, who I love so much, but I'm here with a man that I love and who loves me back. I don't know what I did to get so lucky."
Does this mean Louis CK's back?
Has cancel culture met its end? Five years after he admitted that several sexual misconduct allegations made against him were true and was essentially deemed toxic, despite his controversial 2022 nod, Louis C.K. won the Grammy for best comedy album for "Sincerely." With the win, he beat out Lavell Crawford, Chelsea Handler, Lewis Black, Nate Bargatze and Kevin Hart. The academy has spoken: Louis C.K. is apparently back.
Host Trevor Noah mines Will Smith Oscar debacle for laughs
Will Smith's Oscars slap has loomed large over the Grammys. During a brief opening monologue, host Trevor Noah hyped up the fun of the upcoming evening but added, "We're going to be keeping people's names out of our mouths all throughout the night," a clear reference to Will's words from a week before when he told presenter Chris Rock to "keep my wife's name out of your f****** mouth." Then, as Questlove presented the award for song of the year, he told the audience, "All right, I am going to present this award and I trust that you people will stay 500 feet away from me." Questlove, you'll recall, received the Oscar immediately after the slap, and his win was largely overshadowed by the moment.
The emotional in memoriam segment
There wasn't a dry eye in the house when the Grammys honored late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died unexpectedly a week earlier. The Recording Academy had previously announced that it would honor Taylor, which it did with a nicely packaged video tribute. On the heels of Taylor's death, the Foo Fighters canceled their Grammys performance. Still, his presence was everywhere, including on Billie Eilish's shirt. Following the video tribute that took the time slot of the planned Foos performance, the show's in memoriam segment aired, which ended with Stephen Sondheim's face on the screen.
"What story are you telling with this outfit?"
Twitter is divided over one question: "What story are you telling with this outfit?" As the face of the red carpet for E! News, Laverne Cox was tasked with interviewing the never-ending parade of celebrities arriving at the Grammys. During a bevy of interviews, she asked stars that very question over and over again — Jack Harlow got hit with it, as did Kelsea Ballerini, Cynthia Erivo, Olivia Rodrigo, FINNEAS and more. Social media had some thoughts, as it often does. "'What's the story you're telling with what you're wearing?' Just ask: 'Who are you wearing?' Put some respect on Joan Rivers' name!" one person wrote. Another said, "If i hear 'what story are you telling with this incredible ensemble' one more time….." Still, other people thought the line of questioning was "powerful" or "refreshing." We're just, uh, telling you, that's what people are tweeting…
No-shows explained
One of the storylines of the Grammys isn't just who IS attending, but rather who isn't. It was previously reported that Kanye West, whose "Donda" is nominated for album of the year, wouldn't be there due in part to his March comments about host Trevor Noah. Another no-show? Three-time 2022 nominee Ariana Grande, who just hours before the telecast announced that she won't be there either, though she didn't give a reason why. Double nominee Miranda Lambert is skipping the ceremony too — because of commitments related to her upcoming album, "Palomino," and upcoming tour (she also missed the 2022 ACM Awards in March). "I'm slammed this month, with the record coming out and everything," she told ABC News. Not surprisingly, The Weeknd is also not attending, nor is he nominated (but that's no slight on his work). Last year, the rapper was livid over being snubbed and vowed to never submit his music to the Grammys for consideration again. Still, The Weeknd spent Sunday morning hyping up his album on Twitter. Although he never mentioned the awards show, it's highly likely the timing of his tweets weren't an accident.
A music scion's red carpet debut
It was a special night for this music scion: Musician Wolfgang Van Halen — the only child of late rock legend Eddie Van Halen, who died in 2020 after a lengthy cancer battle, and actress Valerie Bertinelli — made his red carpet debut with girlfriend Andraia Allsop at the 2022 Grammys. Wolf's reportedly been in a relationship with the software engineer since 2015.
Country couple's red carpet debut
Country music star Mickey Guyton and husband Grant Savoy, an attorney, also made their red carpet debut as a couple — after nearly five years of marriage! — at the 2022 Grammys.
Two new Grammy categories
The Grammys keep getting bigger and bigger. In 2022, the Recording Academy added two new categories, bringing the category count to 86. The newest categories? Best global music performance (its very first winner, Pakistani vocalist Arooj Aftab — who's also a best new artist nominee — is pictured here) and best música urbana album. Size matters.
