LOS ANGELES — Honoring musical genres ranging from rock to hip hop, Latin, folk, pop, jazz and electronica, the 2013 Grammy Awards also featured a diverse array of visuals, with memorable looks including Taylor Swift’s carnival-themed wonderland and video twists including Carrie Underwood’s video-mapped dress and immersive LED for Frank Ocean’s performance of “Forrest Gump.”
Held once again in Staples Center, with LL Cool J returning as host, Mumford & Sons won Album of the Year for Babel, and Best New Artist honoree fun’s “We Are Young” also winning song of the year. The Black Keys, Gotye, Jay-Z, Skrillex and Kanye West all won three Grammys, but no single artist swept the show as Adele had done with six wins in 2012, which matched Beyoncé for the most Grammys won on “Music’s Biggest Night.”
Notable collaborations included Elton John, Mavis Staples and T Bone Burnett joining Mumford & Sons, Mavis Staples, Alabama Shakes and Zac Brown in a tribute to The Band’s late drummer, Levon Helm. Bruno Mars, Sting, Rihanna and Ziggy Marley also sang in honor of Bob Marley, Miguel and Wiz Khalifa performed “Adorn” and Justin Timberlake joined Jay-Z for a performance of “Suit and Tie.”
The event’s sartorial formality generated significant buzz, with a much-tweeted-and-written-about memo about the need for modest attire getting a lot of attention in the press (although Grammy staffers who had issued the memo insisted that the rules about ample coverage for breasts and buttocks hadn’t really changed from previous years.)
Carrie Underwood’s attire, an understated gray/silver gown, drew more than its share of attention as mapped projections animated it with imagery including roses and morphing Monarch butterflies. For Frank Ocean’s “Forest Gump,” meanwhile, the headband-clad singer, who wore a yellow suit, was surrounded by LED surfaces as he sang, giving the appearance of running through a desert landscape.
For more on the Grammys, including the full list of winners, go to www.grammy.com.
