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Tainy

Tainy at 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2019

Photo: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

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Latin Music Panel Talks Genre's Impact And Future latin-music-industry-and-artists-discuss-genres-history-cultural-impact-and-future

Latin Music Industry And Artists Discuss The Genre's History, Cultural Impact And Future Trends At 2020 GRAMMY Week Panel

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Presented by The Recording Academy, the official GRAMMY Week panel featured industry luminaries and the genre's leading artists who discussed the evolution of Latin music and the road ahead for the scene
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Jan 24, 2020 - 11:13 am

There's no denying the massive impact Latin music is having on global pop culture today. On any given day, it's commonplace to hear all-Spanish songs, Latin-influenced rhythms and Spanish-language remixes and features on mainstream radio, TV and film. 

The industry stats paint a vivid picture of just how far of a reach Latin music currently commands: With global hits like Luis Fonsi's and Daddy Yankee's "Despacito," still the most-streamed music video of all time, leading the charge, Latin music today stands as the fifth-most popular genre in America.

https://twitter.com/Tainy/status/1219829451720134658

- @RecordingAcad #Grammys pic.twitter.com/KGndxOT02Q

— TAINY (@Tainy) January 22, 2020

To celebrate the international success and ongoing growth of the Latin music industry, The Recording Academy this week presented a special panel during GRAMMY Week 2020, the first-ever official event of its kind from the organization behind the GRAMMYs. Hosted at the Soho Warehouse in Downtown Los Angeles, the intimate panel featured industry luminaries and the genre's leading artists who discussed the evolution of the Latin music industry and culture, its current developments and issues, and the future trends to watch in the scene.

"We felt that there was a void, and this conversation needed to happen during GRAMMY Week, a time when the music community comes together to really celebrate creators and all their accomplishments," Laura Rodriguez, a social media specialist with The Recording Academy and one of the night's hosts, said of the panel. "We knew it had to be impactful and really drive the message on how Latin music is bringing la cultura to the altura." Co-host Jennifer Velez, a staff writer for GRAMMY.com, added in a statement that "the overwhelming support for the panel validates the need for conversations like these in and out of Latinx music spaces."

Here are some of the key takeaways from the event. 

Latin Music Has Come A Long Way…

The night's conversation began with a nod to the so-called "Latin explosion" of the late '90s, an era that saw Latin pop entering the national mainstream like never before, with major artists like Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Enrique Iglesias and Jennifer Lopez dominating the charts in the U.S. More than 20 years later, Latin music is once again one of the foremost genres not only in the U.S.—for the second consecutive year, the U.S. Latin music industry in the States reported double-digit growth in 2018, according to the RIAA—but also around the world.

"What you see today is honestly an explosion of... [artists] singing in Spanish, and they're singing in Spanish not [only] here, not [only] in Latin America, but they're also singing Tel Aviv, in London, all over the world," Rudy Lopez Negrete, an agent at CAA, said. "And that has never happened. That is incredible. That's a real explosion. It was paved by so many others, but we're in an apex of our industry and our genre, in terms of music, that's never been had." 

…But The Industry Is Still Facing Some Of The Same Issues

While Latin music has become a major part of the larger global mainstream culture, the industry continues to struggle with some of the same cultural and social issues that afflicted the scene 20 years ago. 

Yvonne Drazan, VP Latin Division of West Coast at Peer Music and a self-described "OG" in the Latin music industry for decades, remembered her time during the first Latin explosion when she worked with genre luminaries like Selena. 

"It was extremely exciting for all of us that were working in the industry at the time because we felt like we were finally being heard," she recalled. "But at the same time, we struggled a lot with the stereotypes of what Latin community is and what Latin music is. At that time, I felt as though all of those artists—Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin—they were doing American music in English because I don't feel like anybody felt as though they had the license to be able to bring in their Latin influences into what was happening at the moment. So it was sort of like, you can be Latino, but you have to sound like you're not Latino." 

Read: "Amplifying Music’s Reach" GRAMMY Week Panel Discusses Human Connection, MusiCares Research, Outreach, & More

"While I do believe that the general market has opened the doors to the Latin community and to Latin music and Latin artists," she continued, "but every now and then when there are these opportunities, I always feel as though the general market wants to embrace the Latin market, but they want us to fit into a very specific box. I feel like that's the biggest challenge that we've had as the general market has embraced us more and more. They still want to put that wardrobe on us… or do whatever it is so that we can be identified as what they think a Latino is supposed to be. We still have to pass that hurdle in order for us to really be a part of the overall general market."

There Is A Gender Problem In Latin Music

Gender imbalance has been an ongoing issue that's affected the wider music industry, impacting genres like country and rap as well as the producer realm. The Latin music industry, too, is facing a gender imbalance problem, with female artists lacking representation on the Latin charts and radio. 

Loren Medina, owner of Guerrera PR, Marketing & Management, sees Latin music's gender issue as a symptom of a larger cultural and societal problem. 

"Music always is parallel to our culture," she said. "As women, we're still fighting to be equal. For instance, how many women are engineers? Not engineers in music, just engineers in general. I think once the narrative changes in our culture [where] you could be a producer, you could be an engineer, I think, more women will start going into that. I've seen a rise in female producers... but I think that music and culture is parallel. I think that's all changing, and that's going to change music as well."

Read: Closing The Gap: How Latina Artists Are Combating Gender Inequality In Urban Music 

For Drazan, the answer to the gender issue stems from a lack of representation at the executive level. Diverse voices and representation at the executive table, she says, will bring forth the change necessary to equalize the playing field.

"There are not enough of us that are in positions that are decision-makers, people that are green-lighting the stuff," Drazan says. "There has to be people in those positions that are open to gender, ethnicity, all of it. Until there are more women in the position of bringing those creators together, it's not really going to change. So the responsibility is squarely on us that are in the industry to bring those other girls and other voices up with us to be in positions to green-light stuff."

Beyond Reggaeton

The current wave of Latin music and artists has paved a path for urbano genres like reggaeton, Latin trap and dembow. Still, while urban-leaning sounds and genres dominate the scene, tastes within the larger Latin marketplace vary widely. It's a reflection of the extensive cultural diversity within the Latin demographic itself.

Recently, there's been a rise in next-gen Latin alternative artists, with bedroom producers and DIY artists like Los Retros, Jasper Bones and Omar Apollo leading the charge. 

Latin R&B is one of the next scenes to watch, says Drazan. 

"On the Latin market," she said, "that side of the urban genre hasn't really broken through yet, but it's like right there. There's a really incredible movement in Mexico right now with a lot of really cool R&B artists that are singing in Spanish. I'm just like waiting for like that moment when one of these [artists] breaks through and really opens that more melodic, poetic romantic side of urban music that we're missing."

Read: Sheléa Serves GRAMMY Week Motivation: "This Is Why I Do What I Do, To Give To The Next Generation" 

Tainy, a premier reggaeton and Latin pop producer who's worked with everyone from Wisin & Yandel to Bad Bunny, sees crossover potential for Afrobeats, a mushrooming genre and scene, and Latin music.

"To me, if the music is amazing, it will find its way either way," he says. "But I think, little by little, most of the artists are getting to know the music coming from different places and seeing how they could adapt that to their music or see if that helps the public to get to know these artists. I don't think it's far away for it to be like that next movement that also has a lot of fan base on the Latin side."

The Future Of Latin Music

While Latin music is currently experiencing a massive boom, the entire industry is already looking ahead at the next opportunities on the horizon and the future of the genre. 

For Medina, Latin music will continue to expand into the global mainstream, largely thanks to genre-defying artist and the changing sociopolitical landscape on a worldwide scale. 

"There are enough artists like Kali Uchis and Jessie Reyez and Omar Apollo and Cuco that are genre-benders [and] are going to keep fusing stuff," she said. "I think it's going to continue to evolve. I think that we're already mainstream music, and we're just going to be much more integrated... We are mainstream, and we're going to continue to be mainstream, and people are going to listen to our music whether they understand it or not because the whole entire culture, in a political sense, is changing in our country. And that's going to make this grow even more. So I'm optimistic."

Read: Los Angeles' First Permanent Latin Music Gallery Launches At GRAMMY Museum

On a market scale, Lopez Negrete echoes the sentiment. He agrees the only path for Latin music and the overall Latin culture is adelante.

"I think what we're doing is impacting culture," he says. "We're doing that through music, we're doing that through fashion, we're doing that through food. We're doing that through so many different things. It's not just happening in the United States. It's starting to happen globally as well. We're starting to be seen as a sector within the U.S. that can impact global perception in all kinds of different things."

"In terms of brands and corporations trying reach our consumer base," he continues, "no matter what way music goes, the consumer base is going to continue to grow. It's going to continue to be more important than ever. As brands trying to continue to attract that base, whatever the hell we come up with, that's what they're going to tap into. It's an incredibly exciting time and it's not going anywhere."

Tainy, in perhaps the most musically optimistic statement of the night, agrees that the possibilities within the genre are limitless. 

"I think it's only going to get bigger, so hopefully we keep expanding because that's the main thing: just to like see what's never been done or hasn't been tried," he said. "That's what gonna make this music exciting and make it not go anywhere."

2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Nominees List

Entertainment Law Initiative 2020 Event

22nd Annual Entertainment Law Initiative (ELI) Event & Scholarship Presentation | GRAMMY Week 2020

Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

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GRAMMY Week 2020: ELI Event Embraces Change grammy-week-2020-entertainment-law-initiative-event-celebrates-change-makers-and

GRAMMY Week 2020: Entertainment Law Initiative Event Celebrates Change-Makers And Discusses Today's Most Pressing Issues

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As the music industry continues to evolve, the Recording Academy recognizes those at the vanguard of entertainment law and the leaders pushing the profession forward
John Ochoa
Advocacy
Jan 31, 2020 - 7:47 am

They say change is the only constant in life. That's a mantra by which the music industry lives. And when it comes to entertainment law, change is what drives the business forward. 

Change is the theme that defined the 22nd Annual Entertainment Law Initiative (ELI) Event & Scholarship Presentation, the most prominent gathering for entertainment attorneys and other music business professionals during GRAMMY Week. Every year, the ELI event unites the music business community and addresses some of the most compelling issues facing the music industry today. The 2020 ELI event—held last week (Friday, Jan. 24) as an official GRAMMY Week event at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, Calif.—honored an industry luminary initiating change today while also recognizing some future leaders in law. 

For over two decades, ELI has addressed the shifting landscape of entertainment law head on, providing a forum for legal thought leaders and honoring its own practitioners who are ensuring the industry adapts to the ever-changing music and entertainment industry. 

It's no wonder, then, that this year's ELI Service Award honored Jeff Harleston, a music industry veteran who has faced virtually every sea change to directly challenge the entertainment law field. 

"Over the last 25 years or so, no industry has experienced more change than the music industry," Sir Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, said in his opening remarks at the gathering. "But throughout this period of turmoil and transformation, there've been two constants. First, amazing artists making great music. And secondly, as if you didn't know by now, Jeff Harleston's extraordinary sound judgment."

Harleston, who currently serves as the general counsel and executive vice president of business and legal affairs at Universal Music Group, has been a champion for artists and creators throughout his decades-long career. Across his days as the head of the business and legal affairs department at MCA Records in the late '90s to his time as general manager of Geffen Records, Harleston has worked with iconic artists like Mary J. Blige, Nelly Furtado and Snoop Dogg, among many others. 

"There's no bigger friend to artists than Jeff," three-time GRAMMY winner Common said of Harleston in a personalized tribute video. "So you can call Jeff a general counsel or a board member or a role model. They all fit. But I'll continue to call him a friend. He's a true advocate for artists. And I couldn't be prouder of the recognition he's receiving today."

ELI 2020 - Jeff Harleston - Sir Lucian Grainge

Making his way to the stage, the crowd offering a well-deserved standing ovation, Harleston addressed the room with pride and jubilation in his voice and optimism in his sight. 

"This is to the lawyers in the room," he said. "At times, we know being a lawyer in the music business can be an entirely thankless task, but we love it because we love music… But most importantly, we have learned to work together. And what we've been able to do when we work together is move it forward really well. We move things forward legislatively, we've empowered new services that are finding ways to bring our music and the artists' music to places they've never been before. And it's all because we've allowed ourselves to respect each other and trust each other. I really am happy to see that happen and I really hope that we can continue that spirit." 

As he remembered his extensive career and all that he and his colleagues have together accomplished for the industry and the wider artist community, he took a moment to acknowledge the road ahead for entertainment law and the challenges to come. 

"As I reflect on my almost-27 years in this business," he said, "there's one thing that's clear about the music business: the constant is change. Change happens all the time... But what we have to do and what we've learned to do... we've learned to deal with the change. And change is hard. It can be abrupt. It can be unexpected. It can be painful. But it's important, and it has to happen.

"We are in the midst of a change as we speak. But I know that we are strong and resilient, and we will get through it. And when we come out the other side, we will be better, we'll be stronger and the world will be great. In the words of Bob Dylan, 'The times, they are a-changin’."

Fittingly, Dylan's eternal lyrics and Harleston's remarks nod to the ever-evolving music industry and the modern issues it faces, many of which were addressed by the entrants of the 2020 ELI Writing Competition. 

As one of its core elements, ELI has supported promising law students and has fostered future careers in entertainment law, having provided more than 800 students with scholarships to date. The event's popular yearly student writing competition and scholarship presentation acknowledge the outstanding law students who are seeking to push entertainment law into the future.

This year's writing competition entrants, who each addressed a compelling legal issue confronting the music industry and proposed a solution in their essays, tackled some of today's most timely and pressing matters in the field.

Christopher Chiang, a student at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law, won the writing competition with an essay proposing a sliding scale framework for copyright protection in music. Chiang was presented his award, which came along with a $10,000 scholarship and tickets to various GRAMMY Week events, onstage by Ken Abdo, a partner at Fox Rothschild who has been involved with the ELI Writing Competition since its beginnings. Runner-ups included John Gilbertson, a student at Drake University School of Law in Des Moines, Iowa, and Graham Fenton from UCLA Law. 

ELI 2020 - Christopher Chiang - Ken Abdo

Perhaps the most urgent issue and forthcoming change to affect the music industry today comes via California Assembly Bill 5, more commonly known as AB5. The newly passed state statute aims to protect workers in the "gig economy," namely Uber drivers. However, its impact on the music industry could prove detrimental. (Music creators, particularly those who work as independent contracts, such as studio musicians or session/backing players, would potentially need to be recognized as employees and/or employers in order to secure work, which in turn entails a more complicated hiring process and higher fees for one-time gigs and short-term projects and performances.) Having gone into effect at the beginning of 2020, AB5 today stands as one of the most timely and important issues for music creators' rights in 2020.

In a panel that followed remarks by ELI Executive Committee Chair Michael Kushner, who is executive vice president, business & legal affairs and general counsel at Atlantic Records, some of the brightest and most active voices in the battle over AB5 spoke of the well-intended law and its potentially damaging effect on the music industry.

"AB5 is the definition of the 'law of unintended consequences,'" said Jordan Bromley, a partner at Manatt Entertainment Transactions & Finance. "It was meant to hit a certain sector of California industry, and it [was] painted with such a wide brush that everyone is affected, unless there's a specific exemption in the bill. I would say the one way to look at it is if somebody is providing you or your company or your artists or your producer or your songwriter a service that is 'core to the business,' they are now your employee."

Since its passing, the music biz and artist community have largely banded together to address AB5, with many from both sides of the industry launching online petitions and meeting with California lawmakers directly in an attempt to secure exemption from the law on behalf of the wider music industry. 

Ari Herstand, an independent musician, author and music industry blogger, has been at the forefront of the AB5 debate since it went into law. He's since gathered 50,000 petitions from California music professionals who are against the law. 

"We're 20-something days into this thing right now, and I'm literally gathering stories every single day from musicians who are losing work," he said. "I've hundreds of documented cases of musicians in California that are losing work."

Daryl Friedman, Ari Herstand, Morgan Kibby and Jordan Bromley at 2020 Entertainment Law Initiative event

But much like any other major change to impact the business, the music industry is already making headway into addressing and alleviating the issues of AB5.

Both Bromley and Herstand agree education is a key component in pushing things forward.

"The unions ran the bill," Bromley said. "The unions will run the next bill, most likely. So we need the unions on board. They're all conceptually there... It's frankly a lot of education on our business because it's weird and wacky and nuanced. And even some of the unions that exist in our business don't really understand how it's evolved in the last 10 years. So it's just a lot of patience and education, but everyone's at the table and everyone is focused on a solution."

"There needs to be education," Herstand added. "Right now, because of all of the hysteria around this—that's why so many musicians are literally losing work every day. So as soon as this—hopefully it's an urgency bill—passes, everybody needs to write about it. Every lawyer needs to know this to be able to educate. So I encourage everybody here to follow this process along and, once this thing gets passed, to educate your clients on what is actually happening and that we have found a fix, hopefully."

Panel moderator Daryl Friedman, Chief Industry, Government and Member Relations Officer for the Recording Academy, concluded the chat on a high note of optimism regarding the road ahead with AB5.

"It's going to be a lot of hard work by a lot of people," he said. "Hopefully a year from now, we will realize that this has been fixed. But I think there's also another lesson that is more enduring: the lesson of when creators get involved [and] when creators speak. They make the difference here. When creators speak, policymakers listen."

It's the exact kind of dialogue that has come to define the ethos and vision of ELI throughout the decades: When change comes a-knockin', we will be there to adapt, listen, learn and educate. 

The Entertainment Law Initiative maintains its support for the music industry as a whole, from its creators to its executives to its attorneys, and will continue to foster the next generation of change-makers within the music business and legal community for decades to come.

What's Ahead In 2020 For Music Creators' Rights?

Lizzo performs at 2020 GRAMMYs

Lizzo performs at 2020 GRAMMYs

 

Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

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Who Was Your Favorite 2020 GRAMMYs Performer? poll-who-was-your-favorite-performer-2020-grammys

Poll: Who Was Your Favorite Performer At The 2020 GRAMMYs?

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From Lil Nas X's trippy multiverse to Lizzo's flute-tastic show opening, what was your favorite performance at this year's GRAMMYs?
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Jan 30, 2020 - 5:01 pm

The 62nd GRAMMY Awards may have passed, but we're still buzzing from this year's epic show. The 2020 GRAMMYs offered up another blockbuster showcase of powerhouse performances, exclusive collaborations and touching tributes during Music's Biggest Night. 

This year, the GRAMMYs hosted some of the biggest artists in music who delivered truly jaw-dropping performances all night long. With more than 20 genre-crossing performances, the 2020 GRAMMYs offered a taste of everything for music-hungry fans. 

Things kicked off in overdrive with an energetic, flute-tastic show opener from genre-bending superstar Lizzo, who delivered a stunning performance of her hit tracks "Cuz I Love You" and the GRAMMY-winning "Truth Hurts." Lil Nas X took us into the "Old Town Road" multiverse, with help from BTS, Billy Ray Cyrus, Diplo, Nas and Mason Ramsey, while Tyler, The Creator caused a literal earthquake with his performance of "New Magic Wand" and "Earfquake," alongside Charlie Wilson and Boyz II Men. 

The night also included memorable performances from Ariana Grande, Best New Artist winner Billie Eilish, alongside her brother and Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical winner FINNEAS, Rosalía, Jonas Brothers and many, many others. 

Polls

Poll: Who Was Your Favorite Performer At The 2020 GRAMMYs?

With so much music and so many performances packed into one awesome night, we wanted to know: Who was your favorite performer at the 2020 GRAMMYs?

Let us know by voting above!

2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Winners List

Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa

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2020 GRAMMYs Presenters: Dua Lipa, Common, More dua-lipa-common-stevie-wonder-smokey-robinson-shania-twain-keith-urban-and-more-present

Dua Lipa, Common, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Shania Twain, Keith Urban And More To Present At 2020 GRAMMYs

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Plus, current GRAMMY nominees Brandi Carlile and Tanya Tucker will play double duty as both presenters and performers
GRAMMYs
Jan 22, 2020 - 1:06 pm

The Recording Academy has announced the lineup of presenters for the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards. Set to hand out the golden gramophones on Music's Biggest Night are current GRAMMY nominees Jim Gaffigan and Trevor Noah, both nominated in the Best Comedy Album category this year, plus previous GRAMMY winners Common, Cynthia Erivo, Dua Lipa, Billy Porter, Smokey Robinson, Shania Twain, Keith Urban and Stevie Wonder. The night's presenters will also include past GRAMMY nominees Ava DuVernay and Bebe Rexha, plus music industry moguls Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne. 

Additionally, previously announced Brandi Carlile and Tanya Tucker will play double duty as both presenters and performers. 

Read: Gloria Gaynor And Cheap Trick To Headline The 2020 GRAMMY Celebration 

The 2020 presenters join an all-star cast of previously announced world-class artists and performers, who will take the stage at this year's GRAMMYs, including Aerosmith, who are also performing live at the 2020 MusiCares Person Of The Year event in their honor, Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Ariana Grande, Jonas Brothers, Camila Cabello, Rosalía, H.E.R., Demi Lovato, Bonnie Raitt, Run-D.M.C., Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, Tyler, The Creator and Charlie Wilson. Additionally, John Legend, DJ Khaled, Meek Mill, Roddy Ricch, YG and Kirk Franklin will perform all-star tribute to the late, GRAMMY-nominated Nipsey Hussle.

Read: Aerosmith To Perform Live At The 2020 MusiCares Person Of The Year 

The 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards, hosted by Alicia Keys, will be broadcast live from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on CBS. Learn more about where and how to watch Music's Biggest Night

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2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Nominees List

Sean "Diddy" Combs at 2020 Pre-GRAMMY Gala

Sean "Diddy" Combs accepts award at 2020 Pre-GRAMMY Gala

Photo: Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images

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Sean "Diddy" Combs Honored At 2020 Pre-GRAMMY Gala 2020-grammys-clive-davis-and-recording-academy-celebrate-sean-diddy-combs-industry-icon

2020 GRAMMYs: Clive Davis And The Recording Academy Celebrate Sean "Diddy" Combs With Industry Icon Honor At Star-Studded Pre-GRAMMY Gala

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The biggest party of GRAMMY Week 2020 recognized the industry luminary's 30-year career in a room full of fellow biz icons, world-class artists and Diddy's collaborators, family and friends
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Jan 28, 2020 - 7:52 am

Last week, the entire music industry and artist community gathered ahead of the 62nd GRAMMY Awards, Music's Biggest Night, for what was music's biggest pre-party. Held at the glamorous Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 25, the annual Pre-GRAMMY Gala this year celebrated the 2020 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons honoree: the one and only Sean "Diddy" Combs. 

GRAMMY Week 2020: Pre-GRAMMY Gala Show Recap

The Pre-GRAMMY Gala, hosted by The Recording Academy and legendary executive Clive Davis, is one of music's most celebrated and coveted industry events of the entire year. It's no wonder, then, that the star-studded night welcomed some of the biggest artists, producers, creatives and luminaries across music, film, politics and art, as well as past GRAMMY winners and nominees. Across the glitzy ballroom where the event took place, stars packed out the audience and stage, with everyone from power couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé to pop megastars Dua Lipa, Luis Fonsi and Lana Del Rey in the crowd. Even Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi took a night off from her busy schedule on the Hill to attend, seated next to a bedazzled Billy Porter.

After a rousing opening set from seven-time GRAMMY winner Beck, who immediately jolted the audience with a three-song run, which included his all-time '90s classics "Loser" and "Where It's At," Harvey Mason, Jr., Chair Of The Board and Interim President/CEO of The Recording Academy, took to the stage to officially open the night.

"GRAMMY Week is the time of year when our music communities all come together to celebrate and embrace one another," he said, "to reflect our accomplishments and acknowledge necessary areas of improvement as we forge ahead on a path to a more inclusive and inviting industry."

"If you've attended this event before, then you're already aware that tonight is one of those nights," he continued, "one where history is created right here in this room. Looking around, I'm reminded at just how much of a unifier music really is. This room is the perfect example, with actors, writers, dancers, other creatives who've been inspired by the sounds, moments and memories created by some of the musicians here tonight, including our Industry Icon Award recipient, Sean Diddy Combs."

GRAMMY Week 2020: Pre-GRAMMY Gala Red Carpet

The theme throughout the night focused on honoring those who have shaped and shifted the biz on an industry-wide scale, the visionaries behind the music who have cultivated an inclusive, diverse landscape where both art and artists could flourish beyond the limits. Perhaps no other record executive best represents this spirit than Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records, who next took the stage to a well-deserved standing ovation.  

In his short yet impactful speech, he introduced "someone who needs no introduction," the host of the night: Clive Davis. 

"He's a living legend, an icon and a consummate music man," Gordy said of Davis. "He has discovered and nurtured countless superstars, picked their hits time after time. And no, I'm not talking about myself." 

Berry Gordy - 2020 Pre-GRAMMY Gala

For his part as host, Davis paid tribute to the icons and rising legends-in-the-making who attended the night, shouting out giants like Joni Mitchell, Cardi B and Migos' Offset, Kygo, Earth, Wind & Fire and others for their lasting contributions to music. In a bit of foreshadowing, he toasted the artists and the various genres that would fill the room for the big night ahead.

"Tonight," he said, "we have come together as we have for decades to celebrate music, from rock to hip-hop to R&B to pop to country and Latin. I do believe that before this night is over, you will have heard incredible music, and you will have witnessed spectacular performances to remind us all why our lives have been so deeply enriched by our lifelong careers in music. I know that you will walk away with this night of unforgettable music and it will affect you for many years to come."

Read: 10 Unforgettable Moments From The 2020 GRAMMY Awards

Much like the careers of the event's host and honoree, the night's musical offerings spanned diverse genres and decades. Guitar god Carlos Santana kicked off the night with an electrifying performance of his chart-topping, GRAMMY-winning "Smooth," alongside OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder, and "Maria Maria," with help from Wyclef Jean and Miguel. Chance The Rapper followed up with a cool, confident rendition of his track, "Sun Come Down." 

Miguel, Wyclef Jean, and Carlos Santana perform at 2020 Pre-GRAMMY Gala

Brandi Carlile, who performed at last year's Pre-GRAMMY Gala, returned to the stage to wow audiences once again with a performance of "A Case Of You," followed by a surprise duet of '80s anthem "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" alongside Cyndi Lauper, the latter of which proved to be the breakout performance of the night. GRAMMY king John Legend shut it down with a soulful rendition of his "A Change Is Gonna Come," followed by the live debut of his most recent single, "Conversations In The Dark," another you-had-to-be-there moment in Pre-GRAMMY Gala history. Additional performers included Khalid and Adrienne Warren, an actress, singer and dancer who portrayed Tina Turner in the "TINA: The Tina Turner Musical" Broadway show, who both brought down the house.

Brandi Carlile and Cyndi Lauper at 2020 Pre-GRAMMY Gala

Prior to the night's main presentation, some of Combs' friends and associates praised the honoree in a touching video, which included tributes from industry leaders like Antonio "L.A." Reid, Lyor Cohen and Clive Davis himself. One of the night's major highlights, a cast of Diddy's closest collaborators performed a medley of hits that pulled from the producer's decades-long career as well as the deep discography of his renowned Bad Boy Records. Featured performers included Carl Thomas; Lil' Kim, who performed "It's All About The Benjamins"; and Ma$e, who performed rap classics "Feel So Good" and "Mo Money Mo Problems." The career-spanning set came to a heartwarming close with a performance from King Combs, Diddy's son, who delivered an endearing rendition of "I'll Be Missing You," the eternal tribute to The Notorious B.I.G., featuring Bad Boy artist and the track's original singer, Faith Evans. 

As Combs took to the stage, the crowd erupting in cheers and giving him a long standing ovation, he stood in disbelief of the moment. "You know, when people ask me, 'Did you ever know you'd get to a certain point?' I always tell them, 'Yes,'" he remarked. "But I never thought that I would get to this point right here, where my peers would honor me and show me this amount of love."

Sean "Diddy" Combs at 2020 Pre-GRAMMY Gala

Throughout his extensive speech, Combs spoke wistfully of his early life and long career, remembering all the way back to his childhood days when he received his first record player and James Brown 45s to his days as an intern at Uptown Records. He recognized the many figures and industry pioneers who solidified black music and art as an integral part of American culture, including Quincy Jones, Def Jam Recordings co-founder Russell Simmons, Uptown Records founder Andre Harrell and Motown's Berry Gordy.

"…[Gordy] showed me that there was other things besides music," he noted, "that music could infiltrate and have an impact. And it wasn't just about the music. It was about the lifestyle. It was about black culture. And it was about the value and importance of black culture and the importance it was going to have on the world. Berry Gordy was and still is a unicorn. And it just empowered me at another level."

After giving kudos to the friends, family and associates who helped shape and sharpen his career, he looked ahead at his next mission in the industry. 

"My goal used to be about making hit records," he said. "Now it's about ensuring that the culture moves forward: my culture, our culture, the black culture. And for me to be worthy of receiving an Icon Award, I have to use my experience to help make a change."

The night closed by tributing another icon in music: five-time GRAMMY winner Janet Jackson and her chart-topping 1989 album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, which celebrated its 30-year anniversary last September. 

Clive Davis and Janet Jackson at 2020 Pre-GRAMMY Gala

"When I was getting dressed this evening I thought about it and I said to myself, 'I've been in this industry for 47 years,'" Jackson said. "That's a long time, and I still enjoy going to work. And I feel very blessed to still have my journey ahead of me."

Cynthia Erivo, a GRAMMY-, Emmy-, and Tony-winning actress and singer-songwriter, brought the event to a thunderous end with a performance of Jackson's iconic singles "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" and "Together Again," putting a cap on another magical Pre-GRAMMY Gala night.

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