Who needs to wait until 8 p.m. EST?
Every year, the Recording Academy distributes GRAMMY Awards across more than 50 categories, ranging from Best Orchestral Performance to Best Rap Album. As a result, all of the awards can’t be distributed during the primetime ceremony. Instead, the Recording Academy hosts a premiere ceremony to distribute more than a dozen awards. Nas, Killer Mike, and Kaytranada are just a few of the artists who received their first GRAMMY Award during the premiere ceremony.
This year, the Recording Academy has enlisted Justin Tranter to lead the opening ceremony with special performances from Yolanda Adams, Deborah Cox, Wayne Brady, and others. Here’s everything you need to know about the premiere ceremony.
What You Need To Know
Time: 3:30 p.m. EST
Location: Peacock Theater (Los Angeles, CA)
How To Watch: YouTube and live.GRAMMY.com
No, you don’t need cable. No, you don’t need a subscription. In order to see the premiere ceremony live from Peacock Theater, all you need is a bit of wifi and time. Hours before the main ceremony kicks off at the new home of Luka Doncic and LeBron James, hundreds of musicians and creatives will pile into the nearby Peacock Theater for the premiere ceremony. Unlike the main ceremony, the premiere event is free to watch through YouTube or The Recording Academy’s website.
Host
Trevor Noah is hosting the main ceremony, but who is leading the premiere ceremony?
Justin Tranter is an award-winning singer, songwriter and entertainer who has earned nominations at the Golden Globe Awards, BMI Awards and of course, the GRAMMY Awards. However, it’s safe to say that much of the general public is not aware of who Tranter is, but they’re surely aware of Tranter’s work. Do the names Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Brittney Spears and Lady Gaga sound familiar? Cool. Tranter has helped write songs for them all. Tranter also helped write songs for Fall Out Boy, 5 Seconds of Summer, Fifth Harmony and Linkin’ Park. Whether it’s a band, group or solo act, Tranter knows what it’s like to work with artists to produce the best albums and singles. So, it should come as no surprise that Tranter is stepping up to the plate and lead the premiere ceremony at 3:30 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 2, 2025.
Performers and Presenters
Presenters: Wayne Brady, Scott Hoying, Bob Clearmountain, Rhiannon Giddens, Queen Sheba, Anoushka Shankar, Jimmy Jam
Performers: Yolanda Adams, Joe Bonamassa, Deborah Cox, Joyce DiDonato, Béla Fleck, Renée Fleming, Scott Hoying, Angélique Kidjo, Muni Long, Taj Mahal, Kelli O’Hara, Kevin Puts
The 2025 GRAMMY Awards premiere ceremony will kick off with a tribute to first responders who have helped contained wildfires spreading throughout Los Angeles County over the last month. The tribute will be bolstered by a tribute performances from Yolanda Adams, Wayne Brady, Deborah Cox, Scott Hoying, Angélique Kidjo, and Taj Mahal.
“The Premiere Ceremony will not only kick off our GRAMMY Sunday, it will provide an opportunity to show that in times of adversity, music has the power to be used for good, to help our community unite, and to show our community’s resilience,” said Recording Academy President Harvey Mason Jr. “I look forward to honoring the year in music and being together with our amazing community.”
