KID REPORT
February 25, 2003
Backstage at the Grammys
TFK Kid Reporter Jillian Klueber spoke with Norah Jones, John Mayer and Ashanti at music’s biggest event
 Jillian shows off her credentials. |
On Sunday, February 23rd, the rainy streets in front of Madison Square Garden, New York City were crowded with artists and music fans attending music’s biggest event, the Grammy Awards. I was lucky enough to go the Grammys as a TIME For Kids kid reporter! By 3 p.m., I took my front-row seat in the pressroom. I couldn’t wait to cross paths with someone famous. It was going to be great!
 |  Norah Jones performs at the show. |
Interviewing the Grammy Queen
Norah Jones was the big winner of the evening, taking home five Grammys. The first time she entered the pressroom, I stood up and belted out "Norah!" I could feel the camera man’s microphone swing around and hover over my head, waiting for me to ask a question. "How does it feel to win a Grammy in a pop music category?" I asked. (Norah’s music is considered jazz, not pop.) "It’s insane considering I grew up as a trained jazz musician," she told me.
Later in the night, when the show was over, Norah returned to the pressroom holding all five of her Grammys. I asked her what she was thinking when her name was called for the fifth time! "What the heck is happening?" she told me. She definitely didn’t expect so many Grammys. But then again, I’m sure she didn’t expect to sell 6 million copies of her CD, either.
|  Ashanti shows off her Grammy in the pressroom. |
So Many Celebrities!
Being in the pressroom as a kid reporter was a blast! I saw so many
celebrities. One after the other, they walked onto the mini-stage, Grammys in hand, waiting for questions from reporters. India.Arie, No Doubt, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, the Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, Usher, Kelly Rowland, Simon and Garfunkel, Ashanti, Fred Durst, and even Robin Williams brought a rush of excitement to the pressroom!
For some artists, such as Usher, winning a Grammy was an extremely special gift. "I could get used to this happening every year!" Usher said. To other artists, such as India.Arie, the award took on a different meaning. "I’m probably not even bringing this to my house," she said. "I’ll give it to my mother to put on her mantle."
Powerful Performances
The performances were spectacular ranging from Norah Jones to No Doubt. Ashanti’s song "Dream" was very uplifting. She told us that the kids who came on stage during her performance had lost a parent on September 11, 2001 or were terminally ill. I asked Ashanti who had the most musical influence on her as a kid. Besides her dad, she told me, the answer would have to be Mary J. Blige.
An Amazing Night
It sure was an amazing thing to be in the pressroom and it seemed even more amazing to the stars who had won a Grammy. "Thank God!" Usher responded after I asked him what he would scream if he could scream anything after winning the Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.
I asked John Mayer if there was a song he’d written that could explain how happy he felt after winning the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. He replied: "No, but I’ve got a couple of months to come up with one!" Well Mr. Mayer, we’ll see about that.
