As much as award shows like the Grammys are competitions, they are also elaborate parties designed to celebrate and promote camaraderie among the members of the entertainment industry. Case in point: watching Taylor Swift vibing out to “Not Like Us” as Kendrick Lamar won the awards for Song and Record Of The Year, or handing Beyoncé the golden gramophone for Best Country Album. In fact, Ms. Swift seemed to be having herself a ball all night despite not winning anything, even taking home a shiny souvenir of her night that wasn’t a trophy, courtesy of Janelle Monáe.
Monáe had donned a Michael Jackson inspired suit for the Grammys’ Quincy Jones tribute, as she performed the late stars’ chart-topping classic “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.” Her sequin-studded suit was an homage to Jackson’s ensemble in the music video for the post-disco hit, but midway through her performance, the non-binary star whipped off the jacket and tossed it into the crowd. A close study of the reaction shots from the crowd reveals which of the attending stars caught it; that’s right, Taylor Swift. She can even be seen slipping it on in the background, and in her next close-up, she cheers like a fan who just caught a valuable piece of show merch — which, on some level, she is. After all, anyone who records music for a living is a fan of recorded music, and judging from Taylor’s reaction, getting to keep the Janelle Monáe worn, one-of-a-kind piece was almost just as good as winning an award.
Check out the video here.
