Politics at Grammys: #TimesUp, Dreamers, Hillary Clinton Take Spotlight
The 60th annual Grammy Awards Sunday featured a number of stars making political statements and wearing white roses in support of the Time's Up movement.
The white rose, which Time's Up said on Twitter symbolizes "respect, pays homage to new beginnings and expresses hope for the future," was worn by celebrities including Kelly Clarkson, Rita Ora, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Cardi B, Sarah Silverman, Reba McEntire, Khalid, The Chainsmokers, host James Corden and more.
"The white rose for so many years has been such a peaceful symbol in so many different parts of the world and for me solidarity's so important now," Ora told Entertainment Weekly. "I thought that it was just a very graceful way of showing support to, I guess, everything that's going on in Hollywood and I really do believe that the more visibility it gets, the more I think we can help, so that's why I wanted to do it."
Clarkson, while speaking with Deadline, said a woman runs her record label when asked if the white rose and the movement was helping women in the music industry. "It's one of those things where I think it's gradually changing right now," she said. "I think it is gradually heading that way. This conversation is really helping that."
Outside of white roses, Joy Villa made a political statement on the red carpet by wearing an anti-abortion white dress that featured a rainbow fetus. The singer completed the look by holding a purse that read "Choose life."
Villa, who is also a Fox News contributor, turned heads at last year's Grammys when she wore a red, white and blue Donald Trump-themed dress that featured the president's slogan, "Make America Great Again."
Camila Cabello showed support for Time's Up by wearing white roses around her ring finger and delivered a speech about Dreamers before introducing U2 for a performance. Dreamers, the title given to children who came to America with their parents illegally, has become a hot button topic after Trump and his administration ended DACA which offered Dreamers protection from deportation.
"Tonight in this room full of music's dreamers we remember that this country was built by dreamers for dreamers chasing the American dream. I'm here on this stage tonight because just like the Dreamers, my parents brought me to this country with nothing in their pockets but hope," Cabello, who was born in Cuba and lived in Mexico, said.
"They showed me what it means to work twice as hard and never give up. And honestly, no part of my journey is any different than theirs. I'm a proud Cuban-Mexican immigrant born in Eastern Havana. Standing in front of you on the Grammy stage in New York City and all I know is just like dreams, these kids can't be forgotten and are worth fighting for."
Cabello also joined Kesha onstage alongside Cyndi Lauper, Andra Day, Julia Michaels and Bebe Rexha and the Resistance Revival Chorus for moment of solidarity as the pop star performed her single "Praying."
"Praying," her first song since 2013, featured lyrics about her legal battle with producer Dr. Luke, real name Lukasz Gottwald. Kesha had attempted to get free of her contract under Dr. Luke after she said he raped and abused her, allegations that the 44-year-old has denied.
"'After everything you've done I can thank you for how strong I have become,'" thank you to the @RecordingAcad, the women on stage with me tonight, and everyone who has supported me through this whole journey," Kesha said on Twitter alongside a photo of the performance.
Other political moments from the Grammys included an opening performance from Kendrick Lamar and U2 which dealt with issues of racism and former U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton starring in a comedic skit where stars read excerpts from Fire and Fury, a new tell-all book about President Donald Trump.
2018 Grammy Awards Red Carpet Photos
By Wade Sheridan, UPI.com
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