The 2021 Grammys have begun. Read host Trevor Noah’s opening monologue
In true “Daily Show” fashion, comedian Trevor Noah kicked off the 63rd Grammy Awards on Sunday with plenty of witty commentary on politics, the COVID-19 pandemic and of course, the night’s nominees.
“I’ll be your host tonight as we celebrate the last 10 years of music that got us through the last 10 years of coronavirus. I know it’s been one year, but it feels like 10,” Noah quipped from an open-air tent outside Staples Center in Los Angeles.
“This is not a Zoom background, right, this is real. My uncle isn’t gonna walk behind me naked, even though I told him I was having an important meeting. That’s not gonna happen tonight.”
In November, the Recording Academy tapped the “Daily Show” star to emcee the biggest night in music for the first time. Previous Grammys hosts include Whoopi Goldberg, Ellen DeGeneres, Billy Crystal, Queen Latifah, James Corden and Alicia Keys, who delivered a poignant speech last year immediately after the deaths of Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.
Live updates of the 2021 Grammy Awards winners list: 83 categories including album, song, record and best new artist.
Among the top nominees at Sunday’s ceremony are Beyoncé, Dua Lipa, Roddy Ricch and Taylor Swift. The “Black Is King” artist leads with nine nominations, including record and song of the year for her Juneteenth single “Black Parade.”
Lipa and Swift are close behind with six nominations apiece and are both in the running for album of the year with “Future Nostalgia” and “Folklore,” respectively. Ricch also landed six nominations, including record and song of the year.
“We will be presenting the most prestigious, sought-after, peer-voted trophies in music, giving our shiny new Grammy Awards live throughout the evening,” Noah continued. “But we have to do it quickly because tomorrow this tent is reserved for an outdoor wedding in Malibu, and I do not want to lose my security deposit.”
Watch here for live updates on winners, performances, the red carpet, the COVID-impacted telecast and more.
A number of nominees — including Lipa, Ricch and Swift — are on the performance lineup for this year’s show. Among the other performers are Harry Styles, Bad Bunny, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion and BTS. Anti-pop phenom Billie Eilish — who swept the four major categories at the Grammys last year — also took the stage.
A few of those performers even joined Noah onstage as he made his way inside the venue to say hello during his monologue.
“We’re hoping that this is all about what 2021 can be — full of joy, new beginnings and coming together,” Noah said. “Never forgetting what happened in 2020, but full of hope for what is to come. So let’s do this people!”
The biggest entertainment stories
Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
