M. Caulfield/WireImageLast year’s Grammy Awards featured a tribute to David Bowie, who’d died the month prior to the ceremony. Since then, we’ve lost many more musicians, but two of the biggest will be the subject of tributes at this Sunday’s Grammy Awards: Prince and George Michael.
In his career, Prince, who died in April of 2016, won seven Grammys, while George, who died on Christmas Day, scored two. The Recording Academy is not revealing who’ll be participating in the tribute but the artist lineup includes the likes of Adele — a massive George Michael fan — and Bruno Mars, who’s been rumored to be taking part in such a tribute. Other announced performers who may be involved: Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, John Legend and The Weeknd.
While she hasn’t been formally announced, multiple reports have suggested that Beyonce is also on the bill and she would be an obvious participant for a Prince tribute. She and Prince famously performed together at the 2004 Grammys, doing a medley of “Purple Rain,” “Baby I’m a Star,” “Let’s Go Crazy” and “Crazy in Love.” Before walking off, Prince told the crowd, “Don’t hate us ’cause we fabulous.”
Prince and Beyonce are so closely associated, in fact, that a recurring skit on Saturday Night Live, The Prince Show, featured Prince — played Fred Armisen — hosting his own talk show, with Maya Rudolph as Beyonce serving as his “translator.” “Prince” would whisper in her ear, and “Beyonce” would announce what the Purple One wanted.
Sunday night’s Grammys, hosted by James Corden, air at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
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