Chapter 177: Words Unspoken, Words Unbroken
[Chapter 177: Words Unspoken, Words Unbroken]
"Amerika, de toekomst heeft een big kiss nodig!" After that opening line, U2's live performance officially kicked off the Grammys for the night. They started with Get On Your Boots, a new song just released a month prior.
Lead singer Bono, clad in a stylish jacket, stood high on stage, occasionally striking dramatic poses to add some energy to the performance. Next up was Whitney Houston, who presented the award for Best R&B Album. The winner was Jennifer Hudson, who emerged from American Idol and went on to become the seventeenth EGOT winner in 2022, which means she won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.
The average age of these distinguished EGOT winners was about fifty. Well-known figures included Audrey Hepburn and John Legend. While their fame might have been primarily in the U.S., they were all powerhouses in the industry. Although Barbra Streisand and Quincy Jones had attained EGOT status, they held one or more non-competitive awards, like the Humanitarian Award, which weren't as highly regarded.
"She won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2006 and picked up a Grammy this year... Ryan, I think you could also explore both acting and music!" In the fifth row, Taylor, who was clapping excitedly, couldn't help but whisper to Ryan.
Inspired by Ryan's script for the series 2 Broke Girls, Taylor believed that Ryan could venture into that direction as well. Ryan smiled but didn't respond; branching out into other areas depended on how the audience would receive him.
The two were seated in the fifth row, a comfortable spot with a clear view of the stage. Across the aisle, Ryan spotted Adele, the plus-sized singer, sharing whispers with her manager. When she caught Ryan's eye, she waved enthusiastically.
As an adult contemporary singer, Adele's songs often carried a somber and introspective tone, yet her personality contrasted sharply with her music. She spoke rapidly, her expressive gestures and uniquely British inflections gave the impression of someone quite jovial.
Turning slightly, Ryan noticed Katy Perry, dressed in a pink jumpsuit with short black hair and striking blue eyes accentuated by bold eyeliner. With a Husky index score that could rival Daddario, she too was set to perform later and flashed Ryan a playful kiss.
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At that moment, Dwayne Johnson took the stage. Before entering WWE, he had played two years as a defensive end at the University of Miami, even earning a national championship. Defensive players were known for their size and force, and while Ryan had a solid build, he felt dwarfed in comparison to Dwayne. Still, next to the average person, Ryan was considered quite tall.
Dwayne introduced a live performance by a celebrity mix and then welcomed Simon Baker, who introduced Coldplay's session. Following that was Duffy, who presented one of the night's key awards -- Song of the Year.
Duffy was also nominated for Best New Artist. After her immediate rise in fame, she quickly disappeared from the limelight, leading to speculation about her absence. By 2020, she disclosed experiencing a harrowing ordeal involving kidnapping and substance abuse, though she never revealed the identity of her captor. It wasn't uncommon for past celebrities to drop "bombshells" in biographies or documentaries, often leaving the truth veiled in ambiguity.
Coldplay's Viva la Vida triumphed over contenders, including Jason Mraz's I'm Yours and Sara Bareilles's Love Song, to claim the Song of the Year title.
It's worth noting that out of the four major Grammy categories -- Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year -- the latter two were awarded to specific songs. The distinction was that Song of the Year was awarded to the songwriters -- meaning it was more aptly labeled as "Songwriters of the Year" -- while Record of the Year included the performers.
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Next, it was time for Miley Cyrus to take the stage alone. After her performance with the duo Rivers, she received a solo opportunity to present the Best Pop Vocal Album award. The competition was fierce, including songs by Kendrick and John Mayer, Madonna, and Ryan's collaboration with Leona Lewis, Unstoppable.
"And the winner is... Unstoppable!" Miley's expression almost froze.
Ryan instantly leaped up and embraced Taylor. He had dressed sharp for the occasion, and as he stepped onto the stage with Leona, he playfully supported her waist with one hand. Taylor watched closely, but in her excitement, she surprisingly felt no jealousy.
"This is my first Grammy award, and it means so much to me! Thank you, Leona! Thanks to everyone who worked hard on the single, and a special shout-out to Taylor!" He pointed to the audience, echoing Taylor's acceptance speech at the AMAs almost word for word.
Afterward, Ryan handed the trophy to a staff member and circled back to his seat.
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"At least we won't leave empty-handed this year," Taylor replied excitedly. While Ryan felt thrilled, he knew that the Best New Artist award was likely out of reach.
Then Blink-182 took the stage for Album of the Year, and Coldplay returned, hinting they were on track to be the night's biggest winners.
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Taylor stood up, preparing for her solo performance. Unfortunately, Chris Brown and Rihanna had to drop out of their solo spots due to domestic violence allegations, resulting in the need to rework the show's schedule.
Taylor followed country music star Kenny Chesney on stage after belting out Superman, a song they had agreed to perform days before the awards. Although the lyrics didn't explicitly mention Ryan, every word resonated with him personally.
The on-stage director captured the moment beautifully, giving Ryan a camera close-up. The only downside was the rushed prep time meant Taylor could not rehearse again and had to stick with her pre-planned outfit, simply sitting on a tall stool to perform. Normally, this song would have been more elaborate.
However, this stripped-down style accentuated the raw emotion of the song. Many in the audience were visibly moved, with several married female artists recalling memories of their husbands.
When Ryan glanced nearby, he saw rock singer John Mayer watching the performance with curiosity. A Berkeley College of Music graduate and quite handsome, he had had a somewhat middling career but had certainly made quite an impression on the ladies.
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After Taylor left the stage, she returned shortly, kissing Ryan before leaning against his shoulder.
At that moment, Sean Combs, Herbie Hancock, and Narita Cole took the stage to present the Record of the Year award.
In addition to Adele, Coldplay's Viva la Vida received another nod for the same award, alongside Leona Lewis's Bleeding Love. There were also nominations for Diplo and MIA's collaboration Paper Plane, which played frequently at local venues.
From a prestige standpoint, Record of the Year ranked just below Album of the Year among the main categories.
If Diplo took home the trophy, he would undoubtedly rise to fame, taking the venue along with him.
However, the last winner surprised nearly everyone -- Please Read the Letter, a folk collaboration between veteran band Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, was an unexpected but celebrated winner.
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Next up was the enchanting Kate Beckinsale. While she dazzled as a traditional beauty in Pearl Harbor, her real-life persona was quite the contrast. Having dated Michael Sheen for years and bearing a daughter, she shockingly turned down his marriage proposal, claiming, "This is the same as being married."
While filming Underworld, she convinced the director to cast Michael in a role, eventually leading to an affair, and they ended up marrying after filming wrapped.
Years into their marriage, Kate bravely acknowledged her preference for younger partners, frankly stating, "I see nothing wrong with it."
As Kate Beckinsale stood on the stage, her beauty was breathtaking, and despite her tumultuous personal life, her exquisite features momentarily overshadowed the chaos surrounding her.
Unlike the "British Rose" labels pinned on other actresses like Emily Blunt, Gemma Arterton, and Keira Knightley, she held her own as one of today's four leading British beauties.
Dressed in a stunning black gown, Kate began, "In 2008, a new style of music surged forth, captivating the ears of young people globally. The convergence of music and technology gave birth to electronic music. Please welcome the new generation's representative, Ryan Rivers, to the stage."
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