Beyonce performs at the 57th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015, in Los Angeles.
John Shearer/Invision/AP
Beyonce was one of the brightest stars of the 57th Grammy Awards, where she collected three awards and delivered a stunning performance of “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.” In the aftermath of the awards spectacle, Bey lifted the curtain to reveal how her showcase came to life, and the political message behind it.
The R&B/pop superstar has shared a rehearsals video which introduces all the characters and the voices in her all-male choir that supported her on Thomas A. Dorsey’s gospel classic.
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In the new clip, Beyonce explained that she chose singers with a common thread. “I wanted to find real men that have lived that have struggled, cried. Have a life and spirit about them. I felt like this is an opportunity to show the strength and vulnerability in black people.”
She continued, “My grandparents marched with Dr King. And my father was part of the first generation of black men that attended an all-white school. My father has grown up with a lot of trauma from those experiences. I feel like now I can sing for his pain, I can sing for my grandparents’ pain. I can sing for some of the families that have lost their sons.”
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Mrs Carter recalled the first time she heard “Precious Lord” as a kid. “My mother sang it to me and my mother played me Mahalia Jackson’s version. She sang the song with her eyes closed. She was a vessel, it was like God speaking, using her body to speak and to heal.”
Beyonce’s big Grammys night saw her overtake Aretha Franklin into second-place among most honored women in the awards’ history. Bey now has 20, though Alison Krauss is tops with 27 trophies. For the record, she won for best surround sound album (Beyonce), best R&B song and best R&B performance (both for “Drunk In Love” feat. Jay Z).
Watch the video below.
