GRAMMYs

Lizzo

Photo: Mairo Cinquetti/NurPhoto/Getty Images

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‘One World: Together At Home’: Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga + More

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WHO + Global Citizen's global broadcast and digital special curated by Lady Gaga and co-hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon will support frontline healthcare workers
Onaje McDowelle
GRAMMYs
Apr 7, 2020 - 1:13 pm

In an effort to bolster COVID-19 relief initiatives administered by the World Health Organization, Global Citizen has partnered with the organization for a collaborative live stream. The global cross-network, cross-platform special “One World: Together At Home,” will benefit frontline healthcare workers and the WHO, officially airing on Saturday, April 18 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time and 5 p.m. Pacific Time. Watch the livestream below.

Taking place across channels ABC, NBC, CBS and additional digital streaming platforms respectively, the two-hour live broadcast will see well known late-night personalities Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon all co-hosting the event.

According to a statement, One World’s musical programming was curated in collaboration with GRAMMY-winning pop star Lady Gaga, who alongside Global Citizen has raised over $35 million for the cause within the last week. In a press conference, the artist said that by raising funds for coronavirus relief before the event will allow WHO and Global Citizen to avoid the historically popular telethon model and focus on the music and entertainment aspect of the show instead.

The show is set to feature a lineup of star-studded performances from GRAMMY-winners and nominees Lizzo, Stevie Wonder, Billie Eilish, John Legend, Kacey Musgraves, Maluma, J Balvin, Keith Urban and others. Personalities including David Beckham, Kerry Washington and additional comedians, athletes and actors will reportedly make appearances during the show.

In a statement underscoring the importance and universal purpose of livestreams like One World, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated “The World Health Organization is committed to defeating the coronavirus pandemic with science and public health measures, and supporting the health workers who are on the frontlines of the response… We may have to be apart physically for a little while, but we can still come together virtually to enjoy great music. The ‘One World: Together at Home’ concert represents a powerful show of solidarity against a common threat.”

Fans can also catch the special aired live on the following networks and platforms; Bravo, E!, MSNBC, NBCSN, NBC News, SyFy, USA, Peacock, ABC News Live, Freeform, NatGeo, BET, MTV, CMT, Logo, Comedy Central, TV Land, VH1 and Paramount Network. One World will air internationally on BBC and Channel five in the UK, Argentina’s Telefe, Australia’s Network 10 and Canada’s Bell Media platforms.

The full lineup is listed below:

For additional information regarding the full lineup, set times and how you can support COVID-19 relief responses visit Global Citizen at globalcitizen.org/togetherathome and the World Health Organization at https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019.

You can also join the Recording Academy in directly supporting artists and music industry personnel in need during this time by donating to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund here.

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Beyoncé

Beyoncé

Courtesy of YouTube

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Beyoncé To The Class Of 2020: "You Can Lead The Movement That Celebrates Humanity"

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Michelle and Barack Obama, Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga and more also spoke during the star-studded graduation livestream
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Jun 8, 2020 - 1:57 pm

Yesterday, June 7, Beyoncé, Michelle and Barack Obama, Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga and others offered powerful messages of hope and encouragement to graduating students across the country via YouTube's star-studded Dear Class Of 2020 livestream.

"You have arrived, here in the middle of a global crisis, a racial pandemic and world-wide expression of outrage at yet another senseless killing of another unarmed Black human being. And you still made it. We're so proud of you. Thank you for using your collective voice in letting the word know that Black Lives Matter," Beyoncé began during her inspirational 10-minute speech (watch below).

"We've seen that our collective hearts, when put to positive action, could start the wheels of change. Real change has started with you, this new generation of high school and college graduates we celebrate today."

Want To Support Protesters And Black Lives Matter Groups? Here’s How

The GRAMMY-winning "Formation" singer called out the sexism and racism in music industry and shared how she has used her massive platform to not only highlight the beauty of Blackness, but to open doors to more diverse voices and faces. "The entertainment business is still very sexist, it's still very male-dominated. And as a woman, I did not see enough female role models given the opportunity to do what I knew I had to do—to run my label and management company, to direct my films and produce my tours, that meant ownership. Owning my masters, my art. Owning my future and writing my own story. Not enough Black women had a seat at the table, so I had to go and chop down that wood and build my own table."

Listen: Beyoncé & Megan Thee Stallion's "Savage Remix" To Benefit Houston COVID-19 Relief

"One of the main purposes of my art for many years has been dedicated to showing the beauty of Black people to the world. Our history, our profundity and the value of Black lives. I've tried my best to pull down the veil of appeasement to those who may feel uncomfortable with our excellence. To the young women, our future leaders, know that you're about to make the world turn. I see you. You are everything the world needs," Queen Bey continued with a smile. "And to the young kings, lean in to your vulnerability and redefine masculinity. Lead with heart."

She also stood in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and anyone else who has been "othered" by society, reminding listeners that the haters are just projecting their own insecurities.

"To all those who feel different, if you're part of a group that's called other, a group that doesn't get the chance to be center stage. Build your own stage and make them see you. Your queerness is beautiful, your blackness is beautiful, your compassion, your understanding, your fight for people who may be different from you is beautiful. I hope you continue to go into the world and show them that you will never stop being yourself, that it's your time now. Make them see you… Don't let negativity of people projecting their own self-doubts deter you from your focus."

Watch: GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Beyoncé Win Best Contemporary R&B Album For 'Dangerously In Love' At The 46th GRAMMY Awards

Finally, the multi-hyphenate superstar shared her secret to success—hard work and remembering that failures are simply part of the journey. She encouraged the class of 2020 to lead with vulnerability and to know that they are the ones who will help push humanity forward.

"Put in that work. There may be more failures than victories—yes, I've been blessed to have 24 GRAMMYs but I've lost 46 times. That's meant rejection 46 times. Please don't ever feel entitled to win, just keep working harder. Surrender to the cards you are dealt. It's from that surrender that you get your power. Loosing can be the best motivator to get even bigger wins."

"Whenever you feel like you're not in control, or the world is against you, let that vulnerability motivate you into greatness. That's how I found my true self. I remain a work-in-progress and that's the beauty of growth," she revealed. "Whatever the world looks like in 10 years and 20 years, part of that is up to you. I urge you to let this current moment push you to improve yourself in all areas of your life; at work, at home, activism and spirituality. Wherever you can find hope, follow it…You can be that leader we all need. You can lead the movement that celebrates humanity."

The Obamas also offered words of hope and context to what is going on in the world right now, and how they know the younger generations will move us forward. They first spoke together and later offered thoughtful, in-depth solo speeches.

WATCH LIST: Free Online Livestream Concerts From BTS To Korn To Catch During Coronavirus Quarantine

"Over these past couple of months, our foundation has been shaken. Not just by a pandemic that stole too many of our loved ones, upended our daily lives and send tens of millions into unemployment, but also by the rumbling of the age-old fault lines that our country was built on. The lines of race and power that are once again so nakedly exposed for all of us to grapple with."

"What's happening right now is the direct result of decades of unaddressed prejudice and inequality... The tough part is, nobody has all the answers… If my generation did, trust me, we'd have fixed all of this a long time ago. But that doesn't mean we should feel hopeless, just the opposite, because what we finally do have is focus… And it's not just the communities most affected by these challenges that see it now. It's folks all across the country that for too long have had the luxury and privilege of looking away. We all have no choice but to see what has been staring us in the face for years, for centuries. So the question is, how will we respond?"

"I know that not only that can you do better than those that came before, you will. So, it's your time," the former First Lady concluded. Barack echoed Michelle's message, underscoring the fairer, more just "new normal" the young people can bring forth.

Related: Lizzo, Lady Gaga & Selena Gomez Lend Their Platforms To Amplify Black Voices

"In a lot of ways, the pandemic just brought into focus problems that have been growing for a very long time, whether it's widening economic inequality, the lack of basic healthcare for millions of people, the continuing scourge of bigotry and sexism, or the divisions and dysfunctions that plague our political system," the former President stated.

"You don't have to accept what was considered normal before. You don't have to accept the world as it is. You can make it into the world as it should be."

In addition to the moving words delivered by Beyoncé, the Obamas, Gaga, Keys, Condoleezza Rice and several others, there were performances from Lizzo and her flute, BTS, Maluma, Katy Perry and more. You can watch the full four-and-a-half-hour special here on YouTube.

BTS, Big Hit Entertainment And The BTS Army Donate Over $2 Million To Black Lives Matter

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A demonstrator holds a sign with the image of Breonna Taylor

A demonstrator holds a sign with the image of Breonna Taylor

Photo: Jason Connolly/AFP via Getty Images

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#SayHerName: Alicia Keys, Lizzo, Janet Jackson, Janelle Monáe And More Honor Breonna Taylor On Her Birthday, Demand Justice

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The music and entertainment worlds are speaking out on behalf of Taylor, a Black medical worker who was killed by white police officers in March
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Jun 5, 2020 - 3:00 pm

Several artists and entertainers are honoring Breonna Taylor, a Black medical worker who was killed by white police officers in Louisville, Ky., in March, by speaking out on social media and demanding justice for her killing.

On Friday (June 5), which would have been the slain victim's 27th birthday, Alicia Keys, Lizzo, Janet Jackson, Janelle Monáe, Gary Clark, Jr., Yola and several others took to social media to show their support for Taylor, with many sharing resources and links to petitions calling for the arrests of and charges against the police officers involved in her killing; the police officers in question, who have not been arrested or fired or charged with a crime, are currently placed on administrative leave, The New York Times reports.

In a video post shared on Instagram, Alicia Keys sang "Happy Birthday," inserting Taylor's first name into the song. In the caption accompanying the post, the singer indicated she would be making "more calls today in honor" of Taylor and encouraged her fans to do the same. She also shared links to resources in support of Taylor's case as well as groups like Black Lives Matter. 

"She should be alive to celebrate! But instead no charges have been issued and no arrests have been made with the officers involved," Keys wrote in the post's caption.

Read: Alicia Keys Pens Touching Poem To Her Son  

Lizzo shared a custom image on her Instagram page that asked for people to call several Kentucky officials, including Gov. Andy Beshear and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, and demand for the firing of the police officers involved in Taylor's killing; the post also called for the police officers to be charged with manslaughter and negligence. 

"She should be here," Lizzo said of Taylor in the post's caption. "Instead she was murdered by police in what they're calling a 'clerical error'. They barged into her home without knocking and shot her in her sleep. She worked for us during the covid pandemic, she was an innocent civilian. SAY HER NAME. DEMAND JUSTICE ON HER BIRTHDAY. NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE."

This week, Lizzo, Lady Gaga and Selena Gomez all opened their social media platforms to Black groups in an initiative aimed at amplifying Black voices and pushing conversations about race relations and progress to the fore.

Who Is Breonna Taylor?

Breonna Taylor was killed March 13 when Louisville police executed a no-knock warrant to crash into her apartment by use of a battering ram, according to The New York Times. The police, who were investigating two suspects believed to be "selling drugs out of a house that was far from Ms. Taylor's home," the newspaper writes, fired several shots into Taylor's apartment; she was struck at least eight times. 

The police officers involved in the incident say they fired inside the home after being fired upon first by Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who was subsequently charged with attempted murder of a police officer, The New York Times reports; Walker's charges were dropped last month.

While Taylor's killing occurred months ago, tensions surrounding her death, sparked by the lack of arrests of the officers involved, have been rising across Louisville and Kentucky over the past few weeks.

Last month (May 28), seven people were shot while attending a Louisville protest calling for police accountability in Taylor's killing, The New York Times reports. Two days later (May 30), the city's mayor, Greg Fischer, implemented a dusk-to-dawn curfew and called in the National Guard for future protests surrounding Taylor's killing, according to The (Louisville) Courier-Journal. This week (June 1) in Louisville, the police and the National Guard killed local restaurant owner David McAtee when they confronted curfew violators, according to The New York Times.

Last month (May 21), the FBI opened an investigation into Taylor's killing, while the slain victim's mother, Tamika Palmer, filed a lawsuit against the three officers involved in the incident, accusing them of wrongfully causing her daughter's death, The New York Times reports. 

Nationwide Protests And Online Dialogues

Taylor's killing is part of a larger wave of recent killings of several Black U.S. citizens, including George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and others, which have collectively sparked nationwide protests over the past two weeks. 

These recent incidents have also resurfaced tensions and conversations surrounding racial inequality in dealing with police: Majorities of Black and white adults say Black people are treated less fairly than white people in dealing with police and by the criminal justice system as a whole, according to a 2019 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center.

The ongoing social unrest also comes in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, which is killing black and Latino Americans at disproportionately high rates, according to Vox.

Read: The Music Industry Calls For "Black Out Tuesday" In Response To The Death Of George Floyd

Many people online, however, have pointed out that Taylor's killing has not gained the same national attention when compared to the likes of Floyd and Arbery, which has lead social media users to employ the #SayHerName hashtag to spread awareness of her story over the last week. 

On Thursday (June 4), in a tweet mentioning Taylor's killing, Sen. Kamala Harris wrote, "The officers who murdered Breonna Taylor nearly three months ago still have not been charged. We can't forget about Black women in our quest for justice."

In a recent post on The New York Times' In Her Words newsletter and column, gender reporter Alisha Haridasani Gupta wrote, "The exclusion of Breonna Taylor's name is the latest iteration of a longstanding issue: Black women's experiences of police brutality and their tireless contributions to mass social justice movements have almost always been left out of the picture, receiving far less media or political attention."

Below, see some of the artists, entertainers and celebrities who are honoring Breonna Taylor on her birthday today.

Houston Rappers Talk George Floyd's Musical & Community Legacy

Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Jada Pinkett Smith, Michelle Obama & Alicia Keys at the 2019 GRAMMYs

Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Alicia Keys, Michelle Obama & J. Lo at the 2019 GRAMMYs

Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

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GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Alicia Keys, J. Lo & Jada Pinkett Smith Open The 2019 GRAMMYs

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At the 61st GRAMMY Awards, host Alicia Keys kicked off the show with an inspiring moment celebrating diversity, inclusion and creativity
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Jun 12, 2020 - 12:32 pm

For the latest episode of GRAMMY Rewind, we revisit the powerful moment when five amazing women opened the 2019 GRAMMYs with a message of hope and strength—and stunning looks, of course.

Host Alicia Keys shared the spotlight with former First Lady Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and Jada Pinkett Smith, whose moving speeches celebrating inclusion, diversity and creativity had the audience on their feet before the music even started.

"They said I was weird. That my look, my choices, my sound, that it wouldn't work. But music told me not to listen to them," Gaga stated.

Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga & More Open 2019 GRAMMYs

Read: Alicia Keys Pens Touching Poem To Her Son

"Back in the Bronx, music gave me a reason to dance," J. Lo continued. "It kept me moving from the block to the big stages and t even bigger screens. It reminds me where I came from, but also reminds me of all the places I can go."

"We express our pain, power and progress through music whether we're creating it or just appreciating it. But here's what I know; every voice we hear deserves to be honored and respected," Pinkett Smith affirmed.

Watch Helen Reddy Win Best Female Pop Vocal Performance In 1973 | GRAMMY Rewind

Understandably, the audience was feeling the uplifting energy and inspiring words of the women on stage. When Obama began to speak, she initially couldn't get more than four words out over the deafening cheers of encouragement.

"From the Motown records I wore out on the South Side [of Chicago], to the 'Run The World' songs that fueled me through the last decade, music has always helped me tell my story," she said.

"Who runs the world?" Keys asked, eliciting more cheers.

That evening, Gaga took home three GRAMMY wins, two of which were for her A Star Is Born smash hit, "Shallow."

This past year, at the 2020 GRAMMYs, the Mother Monster earned two more golden gramophones, including for the film's soundtrack. Obama earned her first-ever win, for Best Spoken Word Album for her memoir, "Becoming." Keys also returned as to host, bringing more of her positive energy and golden-voiced wisdom to the stage.

Last week, Gaga, the Obamas, Keys, Beyoncé and others delivered timely, inspiring words during YouTube's Dear Class of 2020 virtual commencement ceremony.

Grammys Newsletter

GRAMMY Rewind: See Beyoncé Accept The GRAMMY For 'Dangerously In Love' In 2004

GRAMMYs

Lizzo

Photo: Getty Images/Getty Images for Global Citizen

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Lizzo, Lady Gaga & Selena Gomez Lend Their Platforms To Amplify Black Voices

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The pop stars do their part to push the race conversation forward
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jun 5, 2020 - 11:29 am

Lizzo, Lady Gaga and Selena Gomez are letting Black groups take over their social media platforms to let them speak on the state of race relations in the U.S. 

The video capturing the death of George Floyd under police custody on May 25 has been seen all over the world and has sparked many protests in the country—and beyond. Lizzo is among the music artists who have been actively posting and engaging her fans on the race issues facing the U.S. 

"Now that we're at this place where everyone is starting to wake up and educate each other, what's next? How are we pushing this conversation forward towards progress?" the "Juice" singer asked on a video posted to her Instagram revealing that she would let BlackVisions collective from Minneapolis take over her Instagram live at 4 p.m. EST/ 1 p.m. PST on Tuesday, June 5.

She said the group would talk about the issues going on now and provide resources on how people can help. 

Lady Gaga, another artist who has been vocal, is also offering her platform to organizations that uplift Black and communities of color. 

"Starting tomorrow, I’m giving over my Instagram account to each of the organizations I’ve recently donated to, in an effort to amplify their important voices," the "Rain On Me" singer posted on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. "And after I vow to regularly, in perpetuity, across all of my social media platforms, post stories, content, and otherwise lift up the voices of the countless inspiring members and groups within the Black community."

Selena Gomez, who has shown her public support for the Black Lives Matter movement, announced that she would also be lending her platform to Black voices.

"I have been struggling to know the right things to say to get the word out about this important moment in history. After thinking about how best to use my social media, I decided that we all need to hear more from Black voices," she posted on Instagram. "Over the next few days I will be highlighting influential leaders and giving them a chance to take over my Instagram so that they can speak directly to all of us. We all have an obligation to do better and we can start by listening with an open heart and mind." ⠀ 

Lizzo, who acknowledged that she was also looking for ways to push conversations of change forward, said there were organizations that have been doing the work and she wanted to give them space to share their message. "I believe in using my platform to give others the chance to speak, " she wrote under her video.

BTS Makes Statement In Support Of Black Lives Matter