At the Grammy Awards on Sunday night, Adele wanted to get it right.
The singer, a super-fan of the late George Michael, was tasked with taking on a tribute to the late singer: a slowed-down rendition of “Fast Love” that found Adele visibly emotional.
She was just a minute in when she stopped the song and swore.
“I know it’s live TV. I can’t do it again like last year,” she said, a reference to technical difficulties in her 2016 performance. “I’m sorry for swearing and I’m sorry for starting again. Can we please start it again? I’m sorry, I can’t mess this up for him. I’m sorry. I can’t. I’m sorry for swearing. I’m really sorry.”
Adele began again, this time completing the performance to a standing ovation.
“You got this, girl,” the Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammys, tweeted as she persisted.
You got this, girl #GRAMMYs
— Recording Academy (@RecordingAcad) February 13, 2017
It was a rare moment of human error in an carefully choreographed show, though another came not long after: Metallica frontman James Hetfield’s microphone was off through the first few verses of a performance with Lady Gaga, until someone realized the error and flipped the sound back on.
Adele was working double-duty on Sunday: she sang “Hello” to open the Grammys, and still has potential trophies ahead of her–including Album of the Year.
George Michael, the Wham! singer and solo star behind “Careless Whisper,” “Faith” and many other hits, died on Dec. 25, 2016, Christmas Day. Michael was just 53.
— David Greenwald
dgreenwald@oregonian.com
503-294-7625; @davidegreenwald
Instagram: Oregonianmusic
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