Even if you didn"t watch to see who won and who lost at the 2018 Grammy Awards, you"ve no doubt heard that Kesha was robbed. (And so was Lorde, who wasn"t even asked to perform. And so was Lady Gaga)
But she still stole the show with a knockout performance of her ballad, "Praying," which is the ultimate #TimesUp anthem.
As you"ll see in the video below, Kesha didn"t perform this jaw-dropping number alone.
Kesha"s powerful ballad, "Praying," tells a deeply personal story.
We"ve all followed the story of Kesha"s lawsuits against Dr. Luke, the producer whose alleged abuse of her lasted for years and years. Among other things, she accuses him of having drugged and raped her.
It"s a grim tale, and her legal struggle for professional independence has been hard-fought and seen some serious setbacks. And it"s not over yet.
But though Kesha"s story is very specific to her, we"ve all heard #MeToo stories. We can only imagine how many people can strongly relate to this song"s lyrics.
Which makes it a perfect and powerful anthem for #TimesUp.
And so Kesha didn"t perform "Praying" alone at the Grammy"s. She was accompanied by Cyndi Lauper, Camila Cabello, Julia Michaels, Bebe Rexha, and Andra Day.
That"s quite the line-up.
In fact, before they even began to sing, they were introduced by the incomparable Janelle Monae (whose current aesthetic, a sort of afrofuturism blended with a non-racist reimagining of the classic film Metropolis, is complex enough to fill volumes).
"Tonight I am proud to stand in solidarity as just not an artist but a young women with my fellow sisters who make up the music industry: artists, writers, assistants, publicists, CEO, producers, engineers, and women from all sectors of the business."
And, of course, the women of the entertainment industry are more than just their jobs.
"We are also daughters, wives, mothers, sisters, and human beings."
"We come in peace but we mean business," Janelle continues.
"And to those who would dare try to silence us. We offer two words: Time’s up."
Yes.
"We say time’s up for pay inequality. Time’s up for discrimination. Time’s up for harassment of any kind. And time’s up for the abuse of power because you see it’s not just going on in Hollywood, it’s not just going on in Washington, it’s right here in our industry."
Good to mention that it happens so much in politics.
"And just as we have the power to shape culture, we also have the power to undo the culture that doesn’t serve us well. So let’s work together."
Janelle continues:
"Women and men as a united music industry committed to creating safe work environments, equal pay, and access for all women."
We have to get rid of the gender pay gap in all sectors of industry.
"And as artists so often do our next performer embodies the great tradition of delivering important social messages."
Anyone who tells you that music should be separate from politics (like Nikki Haley whining about Hillary Clinton"s Fire & Fury Grammy"s sketch)
"This fearless two time Grammy nominee inspires so many of us, including myself when she spoke her truth on her album Rainbow, which is nominated for best pop vocal album tonight."
Gotta be honest, folks — I woke up with "Praying" stuck in my head, but that happens at least once a week, minimum.
Like we said, Kesha was robbed. (Lorde, in the mean time, was nominated for best album and yet was the only nominee in that category to not be invited to perform … which is absurd)
But she didn"t make her performance about her. She even avoided her epic high note, for which "Praying" is so famous. She"s a team player, folks.
Watch Kesha"s powerful performance. Like us, you might have this song on repeat for most of your day.
