This past Sunday, Feb. 2, the Grammys occurred once again. Referred to as the biggest night in music, the multi-hour award show is watched all around the world. It is no different at Villanova, where the Campus Activities Team hosted a watch party in the Connelly Cinema from 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Music is without a doubt one of the most discussed topics among college students. Favorite artists are taken very seriously, and the day that Spotify Wrapped is released is practically a holiday on campus. So, naturally, many people were interested to see the outcome of the Grammys. With so many phenomenal artists and albums nominated, it’s safe to say it was quite the year in music. This last week has been full of speculation: who will win “Best New Artist?” “Best Pop Album?” It goes on and on.
The crowd was slow to come in at first. After all, it has been a busy start to the semester on campus. However, people continued to trickle in over the first hour, and conversation about potential winners buzzed. There were cheers for Doechii when she was announced as the winner of “Best Rap Album,” more cheers for the beloved Chappell Roan when she won “Best New Artist” and some gasps heard around the room when Benson Boone performed a flip off of a grand piano to begin his performance of “Beautiful Things.”
It is worth mentioning that the Grammys also had a more serious tone this year, because they prioritized fundraising for efforts to rebuild communities in Los Angeles following the devastation of the recent wildfires. This commitment to service and community help was a recurring theme of the award show, with a QR code to donate being constantly pushed, as well as commercials for local businesses and organizations being aired in between the usual big names. The CEO of MusiCares even came out to speak about the efforts he has been making to change the culture and community of the academy which votes on Grammy winners. So much progress has been made in diversifying the voters and clarifying the process that the Weeknd, who just a few years ago declared he was boycotting the whole event, performed this year, to the delight of students in the Cinema.
CAT encouraged more student engagement in the screening through offering a ballot at the front of the Cinema, where students could enter into a raffle by guessing the winners in some of the biggest, most hot-button categories at the Grammys. Attendees of the watch party took these very seriously, debating with their friends outside the cinema before marking down their votes.
With so many amazing performances and messages from the artists present, the watch party at Villanova was a wonderful opportunity for students to come together and appreciate the world of music. We all carry our favorite music with us everywhere we go here on campus, and sometimes it’s difficult to remember how special all of it is. The Grammys give music lovers everywhere the space to sit back and be amazed by the artists they adore, reserving the night just for appreciating them.
