Diversity's the Word at the 2011 Grammy Awards

It was all about the music and upsets tonight at the 53rd Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The Staples Center rocked all night with a variety of performances for all types of music lovers.

The show opened with five sisters doing it for themselves: Martina McBride, Christina Aguilera, Florence Welch, Jennifer Hudson, and Yolanda Adams who sang a medley of Aretha Franklin hits. Franklin was hospitalized last year and therefore canceled a number of concerts. This tribute couldn't go to someone more deserving: Franklin has won a total of 18 Grammy Awards throughout her career.

The most unique songstress of this era, Miss Lady Gaga, made her way into the Grammy's via a large plastic egg. Gaga performed her new single, "Born This Way", with creepy plastic pointy shoulder implants (must be acknowledged), while channeling Madonna. It was a great performance, but with weeks of hype via social networking sites over this new single, I was expecting more.
Bruno Mars, B.O.B and Janelle Monae turned back the clock to the sixties with a fresh and funky performance. Janelle Monae is one hot tamale who isn't afraid to play with the big boys. I predict a successful career that I very much look forward to.

Awarded with Best Rock Album for "The Resistance", English alt-rockers Muse gave a solid performance of their smash hit "Uprising". Many large TV screens showed a crazy display of pyrotechnics that only added to the group's intensity. If some audience members hadn't already familiarized themselves with this band, I can only imagine they will after this evening's show.

For the folk crowd, Mumford & Sons and the Avett Brothers performed on that Grammy stage like it was nobody's business. These boys played banjos, guitars, accordions - you name it, and what fun it was to watch. Bob Dylan later joined in, but truthfully, the performance was better without him.

Cee Lo (channeling Sir Elton John), Gwyneth Paltrow (in the hottest black jumpsuit) and the Muppets - yes, I said the Muppets - brightened up the Grammy stage with the hit song, "Forget You", that the whole family could enjoy. Although I was skeptical before Paltrow's debut on the super hit show, Glee - to which this performance first took place - I must admit, she can sing, so good for her. She can now make more money.

A good comeback is always nice to see, and Eminem, winner of this year's Grammy for Best Rap Album for "Recovery", returned with a vengeance by giving a solid performance with both Rihanna and Dr. Dre (who, unfortunately, we also haven't seen for a while).

The Best New Artist Grammy had Twitter buzzing with questions like, "Esperanza who?" However, Esperanza Spalding did truly unexpectedly win over the ever-so-popular Justin Bieber, Drake, and Florence and the Machine, to name a few.

As the show slowly came to a close, performances by the most wildly-in-shape 67-year-old Rolling Stone, Mr. Mick Jagger, as well as legend Barbara Streisand, both performed. However, inquiring minds want to know: why schedule the two performers with the oldest target audiences at the end of the award show? Their target crowds likely turned their televisions off an hour prior to both their performances.

And last but surely not least, Montreal-based indie rockers, Arcade Fire, took home the final award of the night, the coveted Album of the Year for "The Suburbs". A surprise to many as their competitors included the likes of Eminem, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry.

Congratulations to all of this year's winners at the 53rd Grammy Awards. For the full list of nominees and winners, visit Grammy.com

Top Grammy Moments

As usual, the Grammy Awards were way too long; however, this doesn't mean I didn't enjoy most of the show. Read on to see what my favorite moments were, and of course, what my general thoughts are on the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.

WHOA! Number one fave Grammy moment just appeared on my TV screen: The legendary Stevie Nicks walking on stage to perform with Taylor Swift. Very pleasant surprise!

The wonder woman from Fleetwood Mac sang the hit "Rhiannon" with the luckiest 20-year-old in the world. The set then went on to include Taylor singing her hit, "Belong with Me," with Stevie as her backup vocalist and tambourine player. UGH. So jealous, but Taylor couldn't be more deserving - she's so humble and talented. She's also the big winner of the night, having picked-up the Grammy for Best Album of the Year.


2. So who knew Pink worked part-time with Cirque du Soleil?!

Her performance was absolutely beautiful as she sang and twirled over the crowd at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles. Her body suit was quite the number as well, especially when she became drenched with water all the while continuing her acrobatic number. I'm not sure, though, how some of the celebrities felt when their couture gowns got soaked in water... ah well.



3. Wearing my 3D glasses for the Michael Jackson tribute (yes, I just so happened to have kept them from a 3D movie screening and had them conveniently stored in my desk drawer).

Great idea for prime time; however, it didn't work that well. That's okay though, because the artists who sang the tribute were fabulous (Celine Dion, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Smokey Robinson and Jennifer Hudson).


4. Paris, 11, and Prince Michael, 12, accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award for their father, Michael Jackson.

I commend their appearance as it's not easy to lose a parent, never mind being on television in front of millions of people to speak about that special person. Prince acknowledged his father's humanitarian work and said a big thank you to the pop icon's fans for their support.


5. So the rumours were true: Lady Gaga opened the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, but with help from none other than Sir Elton John.

The piano duet was better than I had expected, and that smile on Gaga's face was priceless - she sure is on top of the world. She's fearless by being true to herself, and it sure is paying off.



6. Mary J. Blige, Andrea Bocelli and David Foster's performance of Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water," dedicated to the Haitian people.

People from all over the world can download this touching performance at www.iTunes.com/Target, where donations will be made to the American Red Cross's Haiti disaster relief efforts.

7. What a year for Toronto rapper, and former Degrassi: The Next Generation actor, Drake, 23.

Drake has two nominations at this year's Grammy Awards, and he hasn't even released his debut album. Toward the end of the awards show, he shared the stage with heavy-weights Travis Barker, Lil Wayne and Eminem. I liked the performance, and apparently so did Jamie Foxx, who was filming it on his BlackBerry. I was, however, quite annoyed that the sound kept on cutting out for at least one quarter of the performance.

8. Slash's guest appearance on Jamie Foxx's performance of "Blame It."

The hat, the hair, the leather pants, the electric guitar - it couldn't have been hotter. He definitely made that performance...


9. Shocker: Kings of Leon beating out Lady Gaga for Record of the Year.

Don't get me wrong - I pretty much wore out my Kings of Leon CD; but, Gaga's worldwide popularity is undeniable, so I'm definitely surprised by this win.

10. The Grammy's attempts at web 2.0... not impressive, but thanks for trying!

People had the opportunity to vie for a spot on the Black Eyed Peas' Grammy performance by uploading their own rendition of some Black Eyed Peas songs. However, the chosen performances hardly received any attention. They were shown on a couple screens that never received anything more than, at best, a few medium shots. I'm sure many, many people were disappointed.

Also, the Grammy's and CBS collaborated to host "You Pick It, They Play It!" where viewers could go online and choose the song they wanted Bon Jovi to perform as the third in the rock band's Grammy set list. Bon Jovi ended the set with "Livin' on a Prayer" - as chosen by the fans.

To see the full list of this year's Grammy Award winners, click here.