Joni Mitchell, Post Malone, Black Crowes Shine At Clive Davis Grammy Gala
Joni Mitchell, Post Malone, Barry Manilow and the Black Crowes highlighted the 50th anniversary of Clive Davis's famed Pre-Grammy Gala for 2025.
Clive Davisâs famed Pre-Grammy Gala hit a major milestone Saturday night, as the event originally created to celebrate Barry Manilowâs first Grammy nomination has now gone on for 50 years as one of the award seasonâs most iconic fixtures.Â
Like the rest of the Grammy programming this year, with Los Angeles reeling after suffering multiple devastating wildfires, the Gala took on a renewed purpose this year, reshaping its purpose into a high-profile fundraiser for MusiCares. Along with the MusiCares Person of the Year event honoring the Grateful Dead Friday, it was one of the few Grammy events that didnât get canceled this year.Â
âWe must acknowledge the pain, the loss and the devastation of the wildfires that befell Los Angeles earlier this month,â Davis told the crowd in his opening speech Saturday night. âThe Recording Academy and I decided to transform this evening, along with tomorrowâs Grammy Awards telecast, into a fundraiser for MusiCares.â
For this yearâs show, attendees were asked to donate at least $500 if they could, and a QR Code was frequently displayed on screens by the stage throughout the night linking to the MusiCares Fire Relief Fund. Davis himself said during his speech that he gave a six-figure donation to kickstart the giving for the night.Â
Clive Davis attends the 67th GRAMMY Awards Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute on February 01, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for The Recording Academy) Getty Images for The Recording Academy
âThis one is a little different,â Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said on stage as he opened the evening. âWeâre facing a long road ahead. When the fires started, there were actually a lot of questions about whether the Grammys should even go on. After consulting the state and city leaders, we decided to move forward. It was not an easy decision, but we knew we could use this platform to raise awareness, support first responders and celebrate the resilience of this community.â
Aside from the fundraiser element, the evening had all the makings of Davisâs typical party. The biggest difference â a pleasant surprise â was that for once the party concluded before midnight. A mixture of music industry power brokers, celebrities and politicians piled into the ballroom at the Beverly Hilton at 7 p.m. drinking champagne and grabbing Hors dâoeuvres before finding their seats for dinner.Â
The gala showcased a healthy mix of revered legends and just-budding superstars on stage, and as he does at each, Davis took a few minutes between performances to acknowledge some of the stars in the audience for the evening. Those in attendance this year included Jennifer Lopez, Bill Maher, Jeff Ross, Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz, Jack Antonoff and Margaret Qualley, Cameron Crowe, Nancy Pelosi, Gracie Abrams, Gayle King, and Weird Al, among many others. Jimmy Kimmel took the stage several times to introduce Davis and to encourage the crowd to give.Â
The Black Crowes kickstarted the evening with help from the Red Hot Chili Peppersâ Chad Smith, Metallicaâs Robert Trujillo and superproducer Andrew Watt, who played a high-octane medley of Led Zeppelinâs âGood Times Bad Times,â Black Sabbathâs âWar Pigs,â and Zeppelinâs âWhole Lotta Love.â
Michael Buble was tapped to perform a tribute to late legend Quincy Jones, who was close with Davis and attended several of the parties.
Manilow, a fitting inclusion for the 50th anniversary given he was the inspiration for the event in the first place, performed âMandyâ after a clip aired of him performing the song on âMidnight Specialâ back in 1975.
Joni Mitchell performs onstage during the 67th GRAMMY Awards Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute on February 01, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) Getty Images
But easily the most iconic moment of the night was a stunning performance from Joni Mitchell, who sang âBoth Sides Nowâ and âSummertime,â beaming a smile as the crowd cheered and she heard her bandmates play. Even in a room filled with jaded music executives often difficult to impress as they get to see stars perform in intimate settings on a regular basis, no one dared to speak a word while she performed, nor look away from the stage as long as she was at her throne.
The Clive Gala also hosts the Salute to Industry Icons Award each year, with this yearâs recipient being Universal Music Publishing Group CEO Jody Gerson, the first woman to be appointed CEO of a major music publisher. UMG CEO Lucian Grainge presented her the honor.Â
Post Malone, one of Gersonâs signed artists, played his diamond-certified âSunflower,â which he joked was âmy only good song.â
âPlease take care of the people out there kicking ass on the frontlines,â Malone said as he left the stage, also shouting out Gerson.Â
Doechii performs onstage during the 67th GRAMMY Awards Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute at The Beverly Hilton on February 01, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) Getty Images
Four of this yearâs Best New Artist nominees took the stage this year, with Doechii playing âDenial Is A River,â while Benson Boone played âBeautiful Things,â Teddy Swims sang âLose Controlâ and Shaboozey performed âA Bar Song (Tipsy).â
Finishing the night was Yolanda Adams, who sang a cover of Whitney Houstonsâ rendition of âI Will Always Love You.â
âThis was always Whitneyâs favorite time of the yearâ Davis told the crowd as he introduced Adams. âTonight would be no way complete without a performance to honor one of the greatest vocalists and artists of all time.â