In Case You Live Under a Rock Vol. 3

Dedicated once again to Sarisha, who incase you didn't know, is awesome.

The Grammys

The New Format

I'm not sure why, but for some reason there were only like four awards given out in the three and a half hours the Grammys aired for. Trevor Noah hosted for his second consecutive year. I don't blame the Academy for playing it safe, but as much as I like him (and that Encanto joke), Trevor doesn't scream Vegas.

I liked how the performers' tour managers and backstage crew introduced their performances. After a rough two years for touring staff, it was amazing for them to get a spotlight.

Though there has been backlash for several years about how the "Black" awards (seriously, what does urban contemporary even mean?) are only presented during the pre-show, that and the host seemed to be the only things that didn't change. Oh, and I hope the Academy didn't think that adding more nominees was a loophole for getting out of diversifying the picks because it's not. Having 10 nominees for Best New Album was ridiculous.

The Carpet

Disastrous. I'm fearing for the Met Gala.

Silk Sonic

I had to fact-check if Silk Sonic has ever lost a Grammy nomination because it seems like they have some sort of in with the Recording Academy. Bruno mars has won each of his nominations since 2014, which is insane. I'm not saying "Leave the Door Open," wasn't a good song, but should it have won record AND song of the year? I'm not sure. Personally, I thought Billie Eilish's "Happier than Ever," was a better-written song, but she had her sweep year in 2020, so I'll let Bruno and Anderson have theirs.

Highlights

THE Jazmine Sullivan was awarded two of her three nominations including Best R&B Album for her outstanding Heaux Tales. Though she was snubbed of the Album of the Year nomination, I'm glad she was able to accept her flowers on stage.

Olivia Rodrigo had an excellent Recording Academy debut. Her performance of "Driver's License," was her best to date and she took home three Grammys (well, two because she broke one) all while looking amazing.

The Recording Academy would never know peace again if they let Doja Cat leave empty-handed, so I'm glad they awarded "Kiss Me More." I was shocked to find out that this was also SZA's first Grammy win. I still can't believe CTRL wasn't nominated for album of the year.

Performance Ranking

9. Nas

Nas is arguably one of the greatest rappers alive, but for some reason, this performance didn't really give. His suit looked fantastic, but for the Grammys, I expect a show and this just didn't do it for me.

8. Jon Batiste

Though there was nothing technically wrong with the performance of Grammy-winning "Freedom," it just didn't seem to click for me. Though extravagant, I didn't find it memorable.

7. Justin Bieber (with Daniel Caesar & Giveon)

This had potential, but half of it was silent because, for some reason, JB didn't prepare a clean version. I'm not sure how I felt about the dramatic opening, but it was definitely a reminder of how multifaceted JB is. Both Daniel Caesar's and Giveon's verses were amazing, but there just wasn't enough pizazz to save this performance from mediocrity.

6. Olivia Rodrigo

As I said before, this was the best rendition of "Driver's License," that Olivia's performed thus far. She seemed much more confident and the set was amazing (my mom wouldn't stop raving about the car). Also, the all-women band was a slay!

5. Billie Eilish

Was this a carbon copy of the music video? Yes. But, Billie could perform, "Happier Than Ever," until the end of time and I would still eat it up. Also, the ending was electrifying! I swear that drummer was playing for his life.

4. Silk Sonic

SO much fun!! I never listened to An Evening With Silk Sonic, so it was refreshing to hear something other than "Leave the Door Open." The outfits, the band, the lights! What an excellent way to open the show.

3. Lil Nas X

I'm suing Montero's PR team because as much as I enjoyed the medley (and Jack Harlow), the performance was a little too tame. I understand the need to keep it classy at the Grammys, but there wasn't anything for the (Twitter) timeline to discuss. Hopefully, he'll bring back the shock factor for his next performance.

2. In Memoriam

Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr. and Rachel Zegler represented the theatre girls WELL. This was the only performance where the simplicity enhanced the experience. It was mesmerizing from start to finish. The tribute to Stephen Sondheim was stunning and possibly the best In Memoriam tribute I've seen in years.

1. BTS

USA Today should be abolished for ranking this performance third because THIS was the only performance with cultural longevity. The concept, the vocals, the choreo, OLIVIA RODRIGO! I loved everything about this spy-themed performance.

Lizzo Update

From her fiery collab with Cardi B, to her hilarious SNL episode, it seems Lizzo has been doing it all. Though I haven't had the chance to watch it yet, from what I've heard, Lizzo's new reality series, "Watch Out for the Big Grrrls," has received nothing but good reviews. The show focuses on Lizzo's search for plus-sized dancers for her tour.

Lizzo's shapewear announcement was a surprise to me because she left us all in the dark about what she had been up to over the past two years. There's only been a few teasers for what YITTY has in store, but from what I've seen so far, with it's boldness and inclusivity, I think it'll do well! Though it's not uncommon for celebrities to have their own brands, I think this shapewear line is more than just another income avenue. In a recent TikTok, Lizzo disclosed how YIZZY came to be and talked about the painful experiences she's had with shapewear in the past and how her line's purpose is to celebrate bodies rather than hide them. I also liked how she lists the size range from 6x-xs rather than the other way around.

Earlier this year, Lizzo posted a photo of her in the studio with producer Mark Ronson working on her new album. But, after the not-so-positive response to "Rumours," there was speculation that the album release had been delayed. Nevertheless, the pop star recently put out a new disco-pop-sounding single, "About Damn Time" and the release of Special has been announced for this July 15th. Though it's a bit late, I couldn't have asked for a better birthday present.

What's going on in Riverdale?

Most people who've watched Riverdale stopped halfway through the second season, but I'm not most people. Riverdale is currently on its sixth season and let me just say, I read the plot summary and it's nowhere near what it was that first season. Since the death of Jason Blossom, there have been alien abductions, alternate dimensions, several serial killers and an appearance from Sabrina Spellman. I couldn't begin to summarize the past few seasons because even as an avid watcher, I still have no clue what's going on. Each episode is more ridiculous than the last and most are quite disastrous.

Personally, I think The CW has kept these actors on Riverdale for far too long. In an interview with GQ Magazine, Cole Sprouse who plays Jughead, said that most actors on the show are ready to "wrap it up with a bow". He also recalled that the scripts are usually given on the day of shooting.

I don't think I could ever do an accurate character ranking because my opinion changes after each episode. My top spot alternates regularly between Veronica and Jughead (right now it's Jughead) and Betty and Archie will always be my bottom ranks because they're probably the two most insufferable characters on television.

I have a theory and it may sound ridiculous, but hear me out. So, Jughead was the fan favourite for the first few seasons, right? But, that clashed with the creators' vision because Archie is supposed to be the hero or whatever. So, in an attempt to switch the narrative, the writers completely ruined Jughead's character after his fake death in season four. There was literally no other reason to have him in shambles after the time skip, especially when he was doing so well before. And, to kick it up a notch, they made Archie a damaged war veteran to try and gain the audience's sympathy. I'm not sure about everyone else, but I still felt nothing for him. They did give Jughead a bit of redemption at the beginning of season five, but by the middle he relapsed and his ex was the supplier so things got messy real quick. Also, that alien/forest people plot was so unserious. And his family situation??? His mom and sister are literally the enemy like they didn't have to do all that. This all leads me to believe that Jughead was actually supposed to be killed off in season four to give Archie the spotlight, but due the risk of losing fan engagement, they had to keep him around. However, I totally believe that the writers are still gunning for him.

With the seventh (and hopefully last) season ahead, who knows what the writing room has in store, but whether or not this turns into a Grey's situation, I'll be seated.