Full name: Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez. Five times fast, anybody?
So: If you didn't know enough about him to be a fan before, chances are you are now.
He’s also been a Goodwill Ambassador for United for Colombia, a non-profit that raises awareness about the impact of land mines within Colombia.
I feel like the theme for tonight is "church" because everyone is taking us there with these performances.
And he’s also apparently a great guy. He established the Mi Sangre Foundation to help victims of anti-personnel mines, and in 2005, he was named one of the world's 100 most influential people by TIME Magazine.
“Juntos” = “together.” Juanes is great on guitar!
It’s a Latin pop number, but it also seems to traffic in alternative rock, right? Very cool, as is the singer himself. He used to be in a metal band, Ekhymosis.
Background: The Colombian singer recorded this song for the Disney soundtrack “McFarland, USA.”
Juanes snapped a serious selfie just before he hit the GRAMMY stage!
That was a huge treat, but the hits keep coming. This is Juanes with his brand-new hit “Juntos.”
My favorite lyric, for it’s humanness: “Why am I so emotional?
No, it's not a good look, gain some self-control …”
Yours?
And what about the mighty Ms. Blige? I know this is no competition, but who has more soul? Hard to say.
What do you love best about Sam Smith? His self-effacing personality? His voice? The whole package? That great checked suit?
A little “Stay With Me” trivia: fellow Brit Ed Sheeran covered it at BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. He called it his “favorite song of the last year,” and added, “I think it’s an instant classic." He was correct.
There is just no arguing with the soul and honesty in this song. It’s a clear-eyed reckoning, enough to make you wince with recognition.
One of the best things about this song is its slow, steady build
In a 2014 GRAMMY.com interview, Mary J. Blige shared some thoughts on Sam Smith: "Some people just were born to sing the blues. To sing to the broken hearts," said Blige. "The blues is just not all sad, [it's] something that people can relate to really heavy. And Sam definitely has that. This is why I feel like we're so similar."
Here they are now, sailing into Sam’s much-loved megabit “Stay With Me.” You are not alone if you know all the words!
Settle in! Get ready! Sam Smith and Mary J. Blige are up next.
Speaking of memorable, we’ve covered a couple of indelible GRAMMY moments on the liveblog tonight. While we’re waiting for the next big performance, tell us your favorite GRAMMY moment of all time. Not just tonight, but ever.
What about Rihanna’s wardrobe choice? She is always red hot on the red carpet, and tonight was no exception. Although: Was she a little understated tonight? Who’s on your fashion dos and don’ts list? We’ve seen some memorable getups.
Paul McCartney: still amazing on bass, drums, guitar, piano, you name it. Could he have handled that harp, during the Usher performance? I would not be surprised.
Here is what I’m wondering as we sail into the commercial: What are your thoughts about superstars like the three we just saw getting together? Does it work? Is it such a spectacle, so important to the integration of musical styles, that the results don’t matter much?
What did you think of the onstage chemistry? Was everybody’s ego in check?