Online Reporter
LOS ANGELES. — The 2025 Grammys may have adopted a more somber, serious tone this year in the wake of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires but the ceremony was able to hit all the right notes with stellar performances, inspirational acceptance speeches, and a wave of donations going toward ongoing relief efforts.
Still, as with all award ceremonies, music’s biggest night did end up going a bit off key at times.
Check out our report on the worst moments from the Grammys.
1) TREVOR NOAH ADDRESSING THE QUIET EVENING
Listen, we get it: Trevor Noah is in a pretty impossible spot right now. The five-time Grammys host is tasked with keeping the energy afloat while also reminding viewers of the destruction and heartbreak left in the aftermath of the L.A. fires all in the same breath.
Still, his repeated temperature checks and awkward attempts to claim that the vibes in the Crypto.com Arena were picking up were only further highlighting the fact that this year’s ceremony just wasn’t as jolly as it’s been in the past. Which is understandable! But perhaps not something to keep bringing up over and over again.
2) BILLIE AND TAYLOR SNUBBED
Birds of a feather don’t win Grammys together. Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift both walked away with no new statuettes to add to their collections (Eilish has nine; Swift has 14, including four for Album of the Year). With seven nominations this year, including one with Charli XCX for their “Guess” collab, it’s the first time 23-year-old Eilish has walked away empty-handed — though watching Beyoncé win Album of the Year with tear-soaked eyes might’ve been the win for her. And trophies or not, any awards show is a win for Swift, who always seems to be having more fun than anyone else in the room. None of that, though, is consolation for the artists’ devoted fans, who were quick to share their disdain on social media. It’ll be many a fortnight before they get over this.
3) THE WEEKEND NEARLY RUINS THE WEEKEND
Ladies and gentlemen, the… weakest link of the night? We knew a surprise was coming, but let’s be real: Was Abel Tesfaye in Jedi Knight cosplay on your wish list? No, the Weeknd’s performance wasn’t terrible. It just stuck out like a sore thumb among rousing numbers from Doechii and Chappell Roan and clips depicting the loss and devastation of the California wildfires.
We see you, Grammys — you’ve been working on diversity initiatives, and you reeled in a super-stubborn diva who’s been boycotting the awards since 2021. But the whole affair just looked stunty and phoned-in and way too conveniently aligned with the release of the artist’s new album, Hurry Up Tomorrow.
Watching Mr. Doom-and-Gloom pout his way through a track called “Cry for Me” in this political climate, we couldn’t stop thinking, “Hurry up and get off the stage.”
4) INTERRUPTING
CHARLI XCX
There is something so sick and twisted about having the inventor of Brat summer herself, Charli XCX, dancing her panty-flinging heart out on the Grammys stage at the end of her performance only for a large graphic to dominate the left-hand side of the screen and the show’s announcer to suddenly start listing all the artists who could potentially be taking home the award for Album of the Year.
All of the night’s previous performances appeared to have a solid cutoff point, but it seemed like Charli’s wasn’t exactly over when the ceremony decided to cut to commercial break — especially since the all of the stage lights were still flashing and her pals, including Billie Eilish, were all still dancing along. Talk about Grammys, so confusing. — ew.com
Mathew Masinge