Ariana Grande took the 2020 GRAMMYS stage and said “thank you” to her dad.
Ariana Grande's long-awaited performance at the 2020 GRAMMYs didn't disappoint.
The 26-year-old singer performed at the GRAMMYs on Sunday, opening with "Imagine," before transitioning into The Sound of Music's "My Favorite Things." Grande then changed from her black ballgown into a sultry feather ensemble to sing "I Want It I Got It (7 Rings)" on a bed. The singer did impressive splits as she sang surrounded by women in lingerie.
Grande closed her performance with her smash hit, "Thank U, Next," in which she changed the lyric about her dad. In the original song, she sings, "I'll be thanking my dad, 'Cause she grew from the drama." However on GRAMMY night, she switched things up to call her dad "awesome."
“I’ll be thanking my dad because he is so awesome,” she belted out instead, before appearing to hold back tears as she finished her performance.
The 26-year-old singer brought her father, Edward Butera, and her mom, Joan Grande, to the star-studded ceremony and adorably posed with them on the red carpet.
Grande is nominated in five categories at this year's ceremony, including Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Thank U, Next, Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for "7 Rings," and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Boyfriend" with Social House.
In November, Grande Instagrammed a heartfelt note about her GRAMMY nominations.
"Thank u for acknowledging this music my beautiful best friends and i created in just a few weeks together," she wrote. "The acknowledgement is truly more than enough on its own for me and my heart. thank u. pls allow me to bring literally all of my friends who worked on it to sit around me so they can make sure my heart is still beating lmao. so much love and gratitude. ? also also!!!! i have to say congratulations to all of my other friends that have been nominated this year for their brilliant work as well! i cant wait to celebrate everyone together."
Of course, it hasn't always been all love between Grande and the GRAMMYs. Last February, she decided not to attend or perform at the GRAMMYs and called out producer Ken Ehrlich for "lying" about her when it came to why she wasn't performing.
"I’ve kept my mouth shut but now you’re lying about me," Grande tweeted at the time, referring to Ehrlich's comments to the Associated Press that it "was too late for her to pull something together" during a month-long discussion about her performing. "I can pull together a performance over night and you know that, Ken. It was when my creativity & self expression was stifled by you, that I decided not to attend. I hope the show is exactly what you want it to be and more."
"I offered 3 different songs," she continued. "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."
The hours before Grande's performance were heartbreaking ones, as it was revealed that Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, had died in a helicopter crash on Sunday morning. Grande paid tribute to the basketball star on her Instagram Story.
For more on Bryant's death, watch below.
RELATED CONTENT:
