The show needed to go on.
The Grammys red carpet took place in Los Angeles, with many attendees responding to the death of Kobe Bryant who died in a helicopter accident just hours before.
Mr. Bryant, who was 41, played 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers — his only team — and so has been a fixture of Southern Californian lives for decades.
The Grammys was already struggling with internal chaos — the chief executive was ousted, and has said she was forced out for complaining about sexual harassment and irregularities in the nominating process — and the show was already prepared to go on anyway. Here’s what we saw — and here’s our favorite moments in video on the red carpet all night, and here’s all about the show.
Lil Nas X led the charge West.
“Urban cowboy” has been real for a while and this Grammys made it official. Lil Nas X as shocking pink dominatrix Versace cowboy. Diplo as cool-tuxedo cowboy. Orville Peck as leather-masked, white-hat cowboy. And Billy Porter as fringe-glam-disco cowboy. Home, home, on the red carpet.
Lizzo showed up in dazzling white, the shade of the night.
We saw a lot of white on the red carpet.
Forget the tiny bag: Lizzo went major old-school glamour this evening, in a strapless, slit-leg white Versace gown with a stole (and Veronica Lake hair!). The nails, dripping in crystals, and the bejeweled arm bands added to the effect. She looked kind of like an angelic host.
You know the fashion rule: One of anything is a fluke, two is a coincidence and three is a trend. If we start with Lizzo’s gown, move on to Gwen Stefani’s white Dolce & Gabbana dress and then throw in Shaun Ross’s pearl-covered coat, pants and boots, this makes a … trend!
Men embraced bold colors.
Forget the yawn of black tie. That’s so “boring movie awards.” For the Grammys, men suited up in an entire Pantone color wheel. Shawn Mendes, who was nominated for best pop duo performance, wore fuchsia. Lucky Daye, a nominee for best R&B performance, wore iridescent jade green. Anderson Paak, who won in that category for “Come Home,” wore sapphire. And Dan Smyers of Dan + Shay donned hot pink. Gives new meaning to rainbow nation.
Billie Eilish in Gucci. Ariana Grande in a cloud of tulle. BTS in trench coats and turtlenecks … and more!
The nails though.
Over-the-top nails were all over the carpet, acting more as accessories than beauty choices. Rosalía’s super-long pointed talons were dipped in crystals.
Lizzo’s manicurist affixed crystals to her nails, hanging one off each finger.
Billie Eilish also made her nail art — green and Gucci-logoed — an extension of her outfit.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas used her nails to send a message, posing with her husband on a red carpet darkened by the sudden death of Kobe Bryant. In black, she’d written the number 24 — Bryant’s jersey number — on one French-manicured finger.
And finally, some déjà vu for you …
Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s white plunge-front gown is sending us whooshing down memory lane to J. Lo’s plunging Versace of 2000. But it’s not all a nod to yesteryear. The fringe is very 2020 mind meld — which is to say, it’s another trend, as seen on Billy Porter’s mechanical hat (and boots), Rosalía’s red leather dress and Orville Peck’s mask.
