A fun-filled evening, indeed! The 61st annual Grammy Awards provided incredible performances, fashions, acceptance speeches and more on Sunday, February 10. But a lot of the excitement happened when the cameras stopped rolling.
Musicians including Cardi B, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Shawn Mendes and Dolly Parton gathered at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for music’s biggest night. While many of the celebrities in attendance were busy performing, presenting, or winning awards, they still found time to chat with each other and even pose for adorable photos.
However, not every celeb was able to make it to the event. Ariana Grande was noticeably absent from Sunday’s ceremony, even though she was nominated twice and won her first trophy for Best Pop Vocal Album for Sweetener. Three days prior, the “7 Rings” singer slammed longtime Grammys producer Ken Ehrlich for “lying” about why she pulled out of performing at the awards show.
“It was when my creativity & self expression was stifled by you, that I decided not to attend,” Grande, 25, tweeted on Thursday, February 7. “It’s about collaboration. It’s about feeling supported. It’s about art and honesty. Not politics. Not doing favors or playing games. It’s just a game y’all.. and I’m sorry but that’s not what music is to me.”
While the Nickelodeon alum didn’t attend, many of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities were there to celebrate. Camila Cabello, who was nominated twice, kicked off the show with a funky solo performance of her song “Havana,” before she was joined by Latin crooners J Balvin and Ricky Martin for a rendition of “Mi Gente.” Mendes and Cyrus also took the stage for a duet of the Canadian musician’s Grammy-nominated tune, “In My Blood.”
The good times didn’t stop there, though. Keep scrolling to get a behind-the-scenes look at what happened in the audience and backstage at the 2019 Grammys!