February 9, 2015 @ 7:36 am
By: Rita Kokshanian
The Grammy Awards are the biggest night of the year for the music industry, so it’s no surprise that the show is filled with countless memorable moments. From emotional acceptance speeches to killer performances, the 2015 show kept us on the edge of our seats the entire time. Read on for our favorite moments from the Grammys:
1. Sam Smith wins his first Grammy.
Taylor Swift presented the first award of the night for Best New Artist to her friend Sam Smith, who began his emotional speech by saying that he was trying not to cry. Aw! That was the first of four wins for Smith.
2. Madonna channels a Spanish matador.
Madonna brought her “Living for Love” video to life on stage, complete with a herd male dancers wearing jewel-encrusted bull masks, a gospel choir, and a stunning red matador-inspired Givenchy ensemble.
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3. Beyoncé marks her 20th Grammy win.
The singer won the award for best R&B performance and thanked husband Jay Z, daughter Blue, and fans. “Thank you to my Beyhive. Thanks, you guys, for riding so hard,” she said.
4. Taylor Swift shakes it off—in the audience.
Although Swift didn’t perform, she did dance. Throughout the evening, the camera zoomed in on the singer as she rocked out to all of the performances.
5. Gwen Stefani proves she’s as fashionable as she is talented.
The No Doubt singer changed from her black Atelier Versace jumpsuit into her second outfit of the night, a gorgeous red gown, to perform “My Heart Is Open” with Adam Levine.
6. Even the president made an appearance—via video.
Barack Obama delivered a speech about domestic violence prior to Katy Perry’s moving performance, where she was joined on-stage by a victim of domestic violence.
7. Kanye West returns to Grammy stage.
Following his performance of “Only One”—which was West’s first return to the Grammys stage in six years—the rapper joined Rihanna and Paul McCartney to perform the trio’s new hit, “FourFiveSeconds.”
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8. Smith and Mary J. Blige give us the duet of our dreams.
The pair joined forces to bring down the house, singing Smith’s hit “Stay With Me.”
9. Kanye West once again takes the stage as Beck wins Album of the Year.
Dressed in a shimmering orange leisure suit and brandishing a silver cane, Prince presented Beck with the coveted Album of the Year award. West, who was not nominated for the award, pretended to recreate his infamous “Imma let you finish” moment from the 2009 VMAs before walking off the stage:
10. Sia brings out special guests for “Chandelier.”
Sia’s performance was more star-studded than we could’ve expected. Shia Labeouf introduced the act, while Kristen Wiig danced alongside Maddie Ziegler.
11. Beyoncé, John Legend, and Common end the show on a high note.
Dressed in a sparkling white gown and flanked by male dancers dressed in white tuxes, Beyoncé delivered a moving rendition of “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” a gospel hymn written in 1932 by Reverand Thomas A. Dorsey before John Legend and Common closed out the show with “Glory.”
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