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The 2020 Grammy Awards ceremony was full of tributes to Kobe Bryant

By Amanda Mullen

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06:Kobe Bryant attends the LA Community Screening Of Warner Bros Pictures' "Just Mercy" at Cinemark Baldwin Hills on January 06, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06:Kobe Bryant attends the LA Community Screening Of Warner Bros Pictures' "Just Mercy" at Cinemark Baldwin Hills on January 06, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) /
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Given the former basketball player’s tragic death earlier today, the 2020 Grammy Awards ceremony saw many artists paying tribute to the Lakers legend.

January 26 was a day of grief for anyone who has ever been inspired by Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, as the former basketball star passed away in a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif., along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. The world mourned the loss and has been sending thoughts and prayers to the Bryant family since the news broke.

As you can imagine, Bryant’s death impacted many of the attendees and performers at the 2020 Grammy Awards this evening. It was with heavy hearts celebrities entered the Staples Center, and the ceremony saw many artists paying tribute to the late basketball star, who was an inspiration and a friend to many of them.

In fact, Lizzo opened the show by saying, “Tonight is for Kobe,” before delving into her first performance of the night, “Cuz I Love You.” The song had a mournful tone to it that was clearly meant to capture the singer’s grief, and it had much of the audience and viewers in their feelings.

Grammy host Alicia Keys was also a much-needed presence throughout the show. She honored Kobe in her opening speech, saying, “We’re all feeling crazy sadness right now. Earlier today, Los Angeles, America, and the whole wide world lost a hero. We’re literally standing here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built.”

Keys then went on to sing “It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye to Yesterday” with Boys II Men, paying tribute to Bryant and reaffirming the fact that Kobe was loved before officially beginning the ceremony. She also spent the majority of the show focusing on togetherness and love, two things she felt every person in the venue needed to experience tonight.

Hardly any eyes were dry after Keys left the stage, and numerous artists went on to pay respect to Bryant as the night continued. The Lakers star might have been taken from us too soon, but after the Grammys tonight, there’s no denying the impact he had on the world. It was evident in each and every speech and performance dedicated to him; Bryant won’t be forgotten any time soon, that’s for sure.

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