The Grammys this Year

Since the weekend, and the Grammy awards show broadcast on Sunday evening, I have had Adele and Whitney Houston songs floating through my head.  Right now, a Whitney Houston song is playing.  Listen close, perhaps you can hear it.

The Grammys focused on these 2 women for such very different reasons.  Adele was honoured with six Grammy awards and had what must surely be one of the biggest nights of her life.  Whitney Houston was honoured, one day after her sad death, for the rich contribution she made to music.  She was still very much a part of the show on Sunday evening.

While the reasons why these singers were honoured on the same night were so extremely different, the reasons for their acclaim are not.  Both of these women were gifted with beautiful and powerful voices.  With these voices, they sang.  Adele continues to sing.  Neither of them required props or artifice to share their gift with the world.  Their voices are all that's required.

I saw Lady Gaga at the ceremony.  As usual, she was costumed in an unusual way and this time had some kind of mesh over her face.  She did not appear to be wearing meat so that's good.  I don't know exactly what Nicki Minaj was up to but there was a lot more involved in her performance than sharing her voice with the world.  The style of these women is such a contrast to that of Whitney Houston and Adele.  Perhaps they have their place too, perhaps their performances and approaches have value.  It's different though.  To me, on this night when we focused on two artists whose pure talent has always been enough, the excess seemed out of place and unnecessary.

Clearly, Whitney Houston's voice and her success did not ensure her happiness.  I hope that Adele's path is much brighter.  I am so sorry for the reason that Whitney Houston was honoured on Sunday night.  I am grateful for what she shared with the world and the way in which she shared it.  I am excited that Adele is carrying on the tradition of a wonderful singer who simply shares her beautiful voice.  God bless them both.

JAHD