I haven’t seen such incredible performances at the Grammys in a long time. Even Taylor Swift stepped up her game.
Although Swift and Rihanna’s vocals weren’t the highlights of the night, Adele and Jennifer Hudson let us know there’s still major talent in the music industry. Hudson’s rendition of “I Will Always Love You” during the tribute to Whitney Houston gave me chills. And Adele couldn’t have made a stronger comeback (it was her first live performance after her throat surgery); her flawless performance of “Rolling in the Deep” even prompted a standing ovation. I was definitely on my feet.
Katy Perry made a comeback of her own with her new song, “Part of Me.” If the lyrics, such as “So you can keep the diamond ring,” weren’t obvious enough for you, let me clue you in … it’s about Russell Brand. Her vocals were better than usual, but I didn’t appreciate the unnecessary body double at the beginning of her performance.
Bruno Mars also killed it with his performance of “Runaway Baby” (one of my favorites of the night). If his adorable smile doesn’t make you melt, his voice and dance moves will.
Another highlight of the night included three of my favorite bands: Maroon 5, Foster the People and the Beach Boys. I don’t know whose idea it was to put those three together, but I salute you. Foster the People’s lead singer, Mark Foster, has the perfect voice for “Wouldn’t It Be Nice?” and Adam Levine, although nasally at points, did a great job with “Surfer Girl.”
Rihanna and Coldplay’s mashup was good, but lead singer Chris Martin definitely outshined Rihanna. Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney also held their own, but it wasn’t enough to keep me entertained.
I’d have to say Adele was the best performance of the night. Her amazing vocals and six wins (meaning she won for every category she was nominated in) resulted in the perfect comeback.