
Downtown L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena hosted the 67th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, honoring big winners including Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé. The massive event came right on the heels of the L.A. wildfire crisis, which especially devastated communities in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
Anyone who watched the awards show will have noticed the “MusiCares Fire Relief” campaign throughout the broadcast, from on-screen QR codes to PSAs on the commercial breaks. Many people criticized the initiative for paradoxically requesting money from viewers considering the wealthy celebrities on-screen. Here’s what to know…
How much money did the Grammys raise?
Criticism notwithstanding, the fundraising efforts still resulted in a combined $24 million raised in support of wildfire relief, $9M of which came from the telecast and $15M of which came from Grammy-related events leading up to the show. The Recording Academy launched the initiative in partnership with MusiCares, Direct Relief, the California Community Foundation, and the Pasadena Community Foundation.
Audiences were urged to support the fundraiser throughout the ceremony, with funds shared among the aforementioned organizations to “expand fire relief efforts to the greater Los Angeles community.” Universal Music Group also canceled its famous after-parties, instead redirecting funds to go toward wildfire relief.
The Grammys’ efforts also came less than a week after FireAid, which comprised two benefit concerts on January 30th featuring performers like Olivia Rodrigo, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, and Green Day. FireAid raised over $100M for L.A. wildfire recovery.
How did people react to the Grammys fundraiser?
Some viewers expressed their dissatisfaction with the initiative on X, pointing out the unassailable irony of a public fundraiser by wealthy celebrities, or the lack of a similar initiative during other tragedies like Hurricane Helene.
At the same time, some people defended the initiative, pointing out that the Grammys took place amid the very community that needs the help, and the boost that award shows like this bring to the local economy.
How else was the ceremony affected by the wildfire news?
Celebrities showed plenty of love for L.A. during the event, including a touching standing ovation for the firefighters from L.A. County Fire Department, who took the stage to present Album of the Year to Beyoncé. Many celebrities also donned blue heart-shaped pins as a symbol of support for those devastated by the wildfires.
Numerous performers paid homage to Los Angeles during their speeches and performances. The show opened with an all-star cast of artists, including Dawes, John Legend, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, Brittany Howard, and St. Vincent, performing Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.”
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars also sang a passionate rendition of “California Dreamin'” by The Mamas & The Papas, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis and Chad Smith led a brief singalong to “Under the Bridge,” which is about Los Angeles.
Kendrick Lamar, who is from Compton, called out several L.A. neighborhoods by name during his acceptance speech for Record of the Year.
If you’re looking for ways to support L.A. wildfire victims, including volunteer opportunities and material donation information, consider reading our article about how to help. It has direct links to community resources that are being continuously updated during this crisis.