Lizzo’s Knockout Grammy Performance Included a Tribute to Kobe Bryant & It Was So Important

She’s our leading lady this year, so you already should’ve known that Lizzo’s Grammys 2020 performance video was going to exceed all expectations. At this point, outstanding shows and songs are just a habit for the 31-year-old rapper and singer. She had a legendary lead-up to award’s season, racking in record after record on the Billboard charts for tracks like “Truth Hurts” and “Cuz I Love You” ahead of her 2019 release of her debut album, Cuz I Love You. Every effort was so impressive, it landed her at her first-ever Grammys this year with eight nominations. Of course, Lizzo didn’t let the opportunity pass without also taking the time to honor tonight’s biggest loss: Kobe Bryant.

Lizzo is 2020’s most-nominated artist, let alone the Grammys’ leading female artist and artist of color this year. Before diving into her stunning rendition of “Cuz I Love You,” she shouted out the 41-year-old NBA legend, who passed early today, Jan. 26. “Tonight is for Kobe!” she said, before taking the stage with an impressive backing ensemble.

Lizzo is nominated for Best New Artist, while Cuz I Love You is nominated for Album of the Year. The album already took home a Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album earlier this evening. Meanwhile, Lizzo’s hit song “Jerome” also won the Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance. Her song “Exactly How I Feel” (ft. Gucci Mane) was nominated for Best R&B Performance (it lost out to Anderson .Paak’s “Come Home” ft. Andre 3000), whereas “Truth Hurts” reigns in with three nods for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance. Whew.

What’s really significant about Lizzo’s golden year at the Grammys is that her three nominations for “Truth Hurts” are actually something of an anomaly. According to Rolling Stone, the powerhouse vocalists’ hit single—which you can watch her perform on the Grammys stage below—was actually released for the first time in 2017.

https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1221600940232527873?s=20

Normally, a song released three years ago wouldn’t even qualify for Grammy Awards consideration. Yet “Truth Hurts” got its big break when its iconic hook, “I just took a DNA test, turns out I’m 100% that bitch,” was featured in a bunch of viral TikTok videos. By 2019, it blew up and eventually hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts by September 2019.

Fast forward to tonight’s performance, and it looks like the long wait was well worth it for this star. While Lizzo has spoken out about her turbulent past and all the struggles she faced ahead of her wins, her leading light at the Grammys 2020 has only proven that her latest successes are the first of many yet to come. Check out the performance below to see why we’re convinced.

https://twitter.com/MTVNEWS/status/1221600726842998793?s=20

The 62nd GRAMMY Awards is broadcasting live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020.