On March 14th, the 63rd annual Grammy Awards were broadcasted from Los Angeles with Trevor Noah as the host. Big names including BTS, Harry Styles, Dua Lipa, and more performed on the gargantuan Grammy Stage. Many artists were able to bring home major awards, while others were left in the dust.

Trevor Noah from The Daily Show hosted the 2021 Grammys in a well-constructed tent outside of the Staples Center in Los Angeles. With the ongoing pandemic, the event was carefully organized in order for all staff and artists to be safe. The show’s set pieces alternated between an outdoor set-up around the Los Angeles Convention Center populated with small tables of stars and an indoor performance stage.

The historic night was filled with breathtaking performances. Megan Thee Stallion performed her jazz-age staging of “Savage”, which had glistening theatrics and choreography that kept the audience glued to the screen rather than struggling to keep them open. Dua Lipa performed flawless renditions of “Levitating” and “Don’t Start Now,” effortlessly switching between solo, with a friend (DaBaby), and with a dance troupe.

DaBaby, Roddy Ricch, and Megan thee Stallion are three of the most well-known celebrities in the world; their charisma and talent are undeniable. As a result, seeing them have to assimilate their performances through the lens of white culture was disappointing. Megan Thee Stallion did a tap routine on a Copacabana-like set, and Roddy Rich was accompanied by a harp.

Big winners from the previous year’s Grammys came back to dominate the night. Billie Eilish performed her soft ballad “Everything I Wanted” with brother and producer Finneas O’Connell. She also took home Record of the Year for her song “Everything I wanted.”

The Grammys and the Recording Academy have long been criticized by the public. This year, it was no different, as many promising artists did not take home any awards. Doja Cat, who took over TikTok with her her record-breaking song “Say So”, did not win any of the three Grammys she was nominated for. BTS was nominated for Best Pop/Duo Group Performance with their song “Dynamite”. Despite the Grammy’s relentless overhype of BTS’s live performance, Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s “Rain on Me” won the award before the show even began, defeating the Korean Pop Band’s record-breaking hit.

The 2021 Grammys was quite a marvelous nights, with prominent artists from the music industry winning their well-deserved awards. Although the Grammys did make some mistakes along the way, there were still incredible performances that were heavily praised by viewers.