The prevailing mood of the 2022 GRAMMYs was relieved joy. After two years of a pandemic, from which we're still not out of the woods, we could band together as a music community, enjoy the finest artists in the world today, and have a heck of a lot of fun together in Las Vegas.
But something else hung over the occasion, and the world stage: the ongoing, devastating war in Ukraine, which has stretched out for more than a month and has claimed thousands of lives on both sides.
So, it was only appropriate to hand the mic to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who appeared at the 2022 GRAMMYs telecast in a pre-taped segment. And what a speech he delivered: tender, furious, yet determined to rebuild and sow life where there's been so much death and destruction.
"The war doesn't let us choose who survives and who stays in eternal silence," Zelensky declared at the 2022 GRAMMYs, sounding battered yet tenacious. "Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded in hospitals, even to those who can't hear them. But the music will break through anyway.
"We defend our freedom — to live, to love, to sound," he continued. "On our land, we are fighting Russia, which brings horrible silence with its bombs." And the antidote to silence, Zelensky pronounced, is speaking, screaming, singing — for those who have died and against those who spread suffering and take human lives forever.
Zelensky’s speech then led into John Legend’s equally powerful performance of his new song "Free" on the GRAMMY stage, during which he invited Ukrainian musicians Siuzanna Iglidan and Mika Newton, as well as poet Lyuba Yakimchuk, to join him for the impactful moment. “Free” is “inspired by the spirituals and hymns of my enslaved and oppressed African-American ancestors, who were inspired by the Old Testament story of Moses leading his people to liberation from slavery,” Legend said in a Facebook post, noting that he wrote the song “after a week of seeing the horrific images of the senseless, brutal invasion of Ukraine.” “I know I can't end any wars with a song,” he continued, “but I had to write this song as my prayer, my contribution to the chorus of voices calling for peace and freedom for all people.”
Zelensky's riveting speech, which you can watch in full above, is part of the Recording Academy's partnership with Global Citizen and "Stand Up For Ukraine," which aims to raise awareness about the situation in Ukraine and give opportunities for viewers and music lovers worldwide to take action and contribute to the global "Stand Up For Ukraine" campaign.
Global Citizen has played a leading role in organizing a "Stand Up For Ukraine" pledging summit to help mobilize funding to support humanitarian efforts for Ukraine and to show support to refugees everywhere. Hundreds of world-renowned musicians and artists have pledged to join the global social rally and urge world leaders to commit to aiding refugees.
Global Citizen's "Stand Up For Ukraine" campaign includes a global social media rally on Friday, April 8, and a pledging event on Saturday, April 9; the overall campaign aims to mobilize billions of dollars to address the crisis in Ukraine as well as support people who are on the move in every part of the world.
To participate in "Stand Up For Ukraine," join the social media rally on Friday, April 8, to inspire world leaders to provide urgent refugee relief. You can also take the pledge to join the "Stand Up For Ukraine" rally for regular updates and more info on how you can participate. Music lovers are also encouraged to take action with Global Citizen to "Stand Up For Ukraine" in multiple ways, like donating to organizations supporting Ukraine.
Learn more about how to get involved with the "Stand Up For Ukraine" campaign and use the hashtag #StandUpForUkraine to join the conversation.
Check out the complete list of winners and nominees at the 2022 GRAMMYs.