7 LGBT+ Grammys moments from mass queer weddings to iconic performances
Lady Gaga performs onstage during the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards held at Staples Center on February 13, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
Ahead of the 2022 Grammy Awards, here are seven iconic queer moments from years past.
The 64th Grammys take place on Sunday (3 April), with Lil Nas X, Lady Gaga, Brandi Carlile, Ben Platt and Brothers Osborne performing, along with Olivia Rodrigo, H.E.R, Billie Eilish and more.
Lil Nas X leads the list of LGBT+ artists up for Grammys, with five award nominations including Album, Song and Record of the Year.
Nominations for Record of the Year also include Lady Gaga for “I Get a Kick Out of You” and Brandi Carlile for “Right on Time”.
With Halsey, Arlo Parks St Vincent, K D Lang and Demi Lovato also nominated, it’s sure to be a night of queer excellence.
Ahead of the star-studded ceremony, here’s a look back at some of our favourite LGBT+ Grammys moments.
Queen Latifah married 34 queer couples at the 2014 Grammys
Macklemore, Miranda Lambert, Madonna, Ryan Lewis and Queen Latifah perform onstage during the 56th GRAMMY Awards held at Staples Center on January 26, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic)
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis turned their performance of their pro-LGBT+ hit, “Same Love”, into a mass wedding at the 2014 Grammys ceremony.
Near the end of the song, Queen Latifah emerged to act as officiant for 34 couples who got married right there on the stage.
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 26: (L-R) Singer Mary Lambert, rapper Macklemore, singer/actress Queen Latifah, and musician Ryan Lewis perform onstage during the 56th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on January 26, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Members of the audience exchange vows during Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, Mary Lambert and Madonna’s performance of the song “Same Love” while Queen Latifa officiates over a mass wedding at the 56th Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, January 26, 2014. AFP PHOTO FREDERIC J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
With Madonna joining to sing a slowed down version of Open Your Heart, the moment was a truly magical one full of queer joy.
Lady Gaga’s immortal ‘Born This Way’ performance
Lady Gaga was already well on her way to becoming an LGBT+ icon when she dropped “Born This Way” in 2011.
But the song – which was written in 10 minutes – cemented her position, becoming a queer anthem for the ages.
Her performance at the 53rd Grammys ceremony? Fittingly iconic, but we would expect no less from this queen.
When Brandi Carlile blew the roof off the auditorium
Brandi Carlile performs onstage during the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards at Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California . (Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Brandi Carlile was the most-nominated woman at the 2019 Grammys and gave one of the night’s most staggering performances.
The entire audience took to their feet to behold her flawless vocals, with Maren Morris audibly screaming: “F**k yeah!”
Janelle Monáe queered up the Oscars stage
Kevin Winter/Getty
The other performance of the night at the 2019 Grammys came from Janelle Monáe, who sung about loving girls and boys and performed her ode to the vagina – “PYNK” – flanked by dancers with trousers designed to look like labia.
When Lil Nas X won big dresses as a hot pink dominatrix cowboy
Lil Nas X attends the 62nd Grammys on 26 January, 2020. (Patrick McMullan via Getty/ David Crotty)
The rapper and Old Town Road singer turned heads at the 2020 Grammys in his daring, head-to-toe pink outfit, featuring a mesh shirt, harness, cowboy hat and cropped leather jackets.
The outfit, designed by Versace, proved a fitting uniform for Lil Nas X’s wins. He was one of two queer Black men to win awards at the year’s ceremony.
Elton John: Grammy legend
In 1999, Elton John was presented with the Grammy Legend Award, given to recognise “ongoing contributions and influence in the recording field”.
Other winners include Liza Minelli, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand and the Bee Gees – the last act to receive the honour.
Naturally, Elton marked the occasion in flamboyant fashion, performing in a sequinned jacket flanked by the Backstreet Boys.
When Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion shocked viewers with WAP
The two rappers performed the hit single for the first time ever at the 63rd Grammys in 2021.
Their raunchy routine and fearless expression of female sexuality led to over 1000 viewers taking the time to call the FCC (Federal Communications Commission).
Rolling Stone reported at the time that one terrified viewer felt “violated” by the performance and “found myself crying myself to sleep wondering how this could be allowed on television”.
