The Night Didn't Lack A Beyonce Appearance

And here I was thinking all Monday night that there would be no Beyoncé sighting at the Grammys. Though there were rumors that she would attend, as the night went on, it started to feel as if we might never see her. As I watched the performances at the 2016 Grammy Awards — no matter how great most of them were — I couldn’t help but feeling more and more sad that Beyoncé probably wasn’t going to get in formation anytime soon. Still, though, I held out hope. And then, in the 11th hour, it was announced that Beyoncé would presenting the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Thank goddess.

Thankfully she did, because a.) I can’t go a night without Beyonce in my life these days, and b.) she had just about the smartest speech of the night, as it involved her talking about what art means to the world. Beyoncé brought the night all back to what it really means, taking it beyond good beats and fancy dresses. Instead, she broke it down like the queen she is, talking about how art is more than just flashy performances. Art, Bey said, is culture through self-expression. Or an expression of culture through ourselves.

Either way, it was brilliant. And it touched on something so much bigger than the awards show itself. The music that the Grammy Awards celebrates is meant to move people to react or respond to, and the winner of the Grammy Award for Record of the Year definitely does that.

The winner was Mark Ronson for “Uptown Funk,” a song that has moved a number of people since it was released last year.

Leave it to Beyoncé to take it to a whole other level. The minute she appeared on stage it was like royalty had just appeared in that theater. And she definitely brought a level of class to the night like only she can do.