Joni Mitchell will have a lot of company when she takes the stage on Sunday for her first-ever Grammy Awards performance. Her friend and collaborator Brandi Carlile will be performing alongside her, as will Jacob Collier, Allison Russell, SistaStrings, Lucius, and Blake Mills, according to executive producer Raj Kapoor. As for what they’ll be performing? “It will be a song that I think everybody knows,” Kapoor tells our Rolling Stone Music Now podcast, “and if you are a Joni Mitchell fan, it’s the song that you want to hear.”
In the new episode of Rolling Stone Music Now, Kapoor breaks down what to expect from the performances at the 66th Grammy Awards. Here’s some of what we learned, including some hints about Beyoncé; to hear the full discussion, go here for the podcast provider of your choice, listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or just press play above.
The In Memoriam segment will be a big focus of the show, with more than 16 minutes of performances. Kapoor declined to confirm or deny rumors that Beyoncé will appear during the Tina Turner tribute, and a Beyoncé rep didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment — though the Hollywood Reporter reported that her camp is denying any performance. “We’ve definitely had conversations, and we know how much Tina and Beyoncé loved each other,” Kapoor says. “The Tina Turner tribute will be amazing. We are really excited. It may be a little unexpected, but it’s going to be absolutely amazing.”
Taylor Swift will attend the Grammys, but will not be performing at the show. Though Kapoor was holding out hope for a last-minute performance, Rolling Stone learned that Swift will definitely not be performing because she has to immediately fly to Japan, where she’ll be resuming the Eras Tour with four back-to-back shows.
Billie Eilish will perform her Barbie soundtrack smash, “What Was I Made For?” “It’s going to be simple, beautiful, and elegant,” says Kapoor.
Burna Boy, the first Afrobeats performer ever to play the Grammys, will be joined onstage by Brandy and 21 Savage. The collaboration will also mark 21 Savage’s Grammy performance debut, while Brandy hasn’t sung on the show since the Nineties. “It’s gonna be huge,” says Kapoor. “It’s gonna get everybody on their feet.”
Billy Joel will likely perform his new song, “Turn the Lights Back On,” along with at least one classic hit. “The song is amazing,” says Kapoor. “The problem with Billy Joel is that he has so many hits.”
SZA’s set may include a surprise guest. “There’s honestly surprises throughout the entire night,” Kapoor says. “They will pop up at the most unexpected times.”
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