A Grammy award appears on stage at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023, in Los Angeles. Folk singer Allison Russell and rapper Drake head to the Grammy Awards today as two of the leading Canadian contenders. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Chris Pizzello
Allison Russell battled a torrential downpour to accept her first-ever Grammy Award on Sunday, a minor hurdle in a “magical” night that preceded a scheduled performance alongside Joni Mitchell.
The Montreal-born folk singer won best American roots performance for her song “Eve Was Black” in a ceremony held hours before the Grammys broadcast, with Mitchell and conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin among the other early Canadian winners.
The pre-telecast awards happened to run tightly against Russell’s planned rehearsal with Mitchell across the street, which left her rushing in the Los Angeles rain to collect her prize on time.
“We were running through a hallway with (me in) flip flops,” Russell said in a phone interview shortly after her win.
“I never even made it to getting my fancy shoes on.”
Everything came together in the end, she said, as she ran onto the stage “slightly dishevelled” in her bare feet to accept the award.
On stage, Russell thanked musician Brandi Carlile for kicking open the doors of folk and Americana music to an array of new and diverse artists.
“I love our community,” said Russell, who has amassed eight Grammy nominations over the past three Grammys ceremonies.
“All Americana, all of us – all colours, all ages, all abilities, all orientations, all genders. It’s for everybody and I love y’all.”
Soon afterwards, Russell’s friend and mentor Mitchell secured a historic moment of her own, taking home her 10th golden gramophone.
Walking slowly with a cane as she was escorted to the microphone by Brandi Carlile, Mitchell took the stage as the audience rose to its feet.
“I don’t know what to say about this,” Mitchell said smiling, draped in a flowy-all-black ensemble with a black beret, her long blond hair in two braided ponytails.
“We had so much fun at that concert. And I think you can feel it on the record. You know, it’s a very joyous record because of the people that I played with and the spirit of the occasion was very high.”
Mitchell claimed best folk album for “Joni Mitchell Live at Newport,” a recording which captured her return to performing in July 2022 after several years of health setbacks.
During the concert, the “Both Sides Now” performer was accompanied by Carlile, Russell and others, making this year’s celebration a full circle moment of sorts.
The trio were set to return to the stage together on the Grammys broadcast where Mitchell was to perform for the first time at 80 years old.
Nézet-Séguin earned his fourth career Grammy by winning best opera recording for “Blanchard: Champion,” made with producer David Frost.
“Champion” is a recording of the Metropolitan Opera’s performance of Terence Blanchard’s first opera, which tells the story of a closeted gay boxer.
Nézet-Séguin thanked Blanchard, a composer and trumpeter, calling him one of the voices of our time.
The 66th Grammy Awards, hosted by Trevor Noah, was set to air Sunday on Citytv and CBS.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2024.
