TFK NEWS TEAM
March 5, 2002
Behind the Scenes at the Grammy Awards!
TFK Kid Reporter Taylor Lasley spoke with Alicia Keys, Nelly Furtado and other stars during music's biggest week
 Taylor poses in front of the Staples Center. |
Check out our special Grammy Awards Slideshow for more on music's up-and-coming and hottest stars!
Here in Los Angeles, the Grammy Awards are a really big deal! For the past month, everyone in the city has been preparing for the big awards ceremony nonstop, which was held February 27. Not only did I get to cover the Grammys as a TIME For Kids reporter, but I was also the only kid reporter in the TV and radio pressroom on the big day! I can't believe I actually got to be a part of music's biggest event!
 |  Nelly Furtado shows off her Grammy in the pressroom. |
An Insider's Look at the Pressroom
When I got to the Grammys, I did not sit in the actual auditorium where the audience sat. I sat in the TV and radio pressroom, which was still really exciting! I was surrounded by reporters and camera crews. Everyone was so nice. Grammy winners started entering the pressroom as early as 2:30 p.m. during the ceremonies, which are held before the show is aired on television. At first, things were kind of boring since awards were being given to people I'd never heard of in categories such as Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (with Orchestra).
Grammy Fashion Takes Center Stage
Later in the afternoon, the super celebs came out! Then the pressroom erupted and everyone was shouting to get their questions answered. The first big-name celebrity to come out was Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, who produced the Grammy Award-winning song, "Lady Marmalade." She was very nice and personable, although her outfit was awfully loud. She wore a bright purple suit with brightly colored diamonds on it.
|  Alicia Keys, this year's "Best New Artist" winner, performs the Tango at the Grammys. |
Nelly Furtado wore a beautiful dress in a bright shade of orange. Nelly was very nice and friendly. I was surprised by how nice all the artists seemed to be (though they were not necessarily the best dressed)! The most beautiful by far was Alicia Keys! Her eyes shimmered with silver glittering eye shadow. With her hair pulled back the way it was, it made her look very elegant. Alicia also had the best message for kids: “There's nothing that can stop you. So love yourself and just try to be the best you can be.”
Live from the Staples Center
As a special bonus after meeting all these awesome people, I got to see some of the stars perform at the Grammys. I saw Alicia Keys, Nelly Furtado and Outkast perform live. Nelly’s performance with guitarist Steve Vai was excellent. I never realized that just a singer and a guitarist could make such a nice duet! Once again, Alicia Keys stole the show! Her medley of “Fallin’” and “A Woman’s Worth” was amazing. It was so cool to actually be able to see Alicia play the piano and then get up and do the tango.
|  Taylor did a live interview about covering the Grammys on CNN's Headline News. |
The icing on the cake of this whole experience was that I was actually the subject of media frenzy. I got a chance to visit NBC, where I met a producer for Jay Leno’s Tonight Show. A news anchor at CNN Headline News also interviewed me and so did CBS radio and many other radio stations including KGO, the biggest radio station in San Francisco. Phew! That was a lot of interviews!
Meeting so many celebrities was lots of fun. But I also got a better appreciation for what journalists do for a living. Let me tell you, it's not all fun and games. You have to meet crazy deadlines and work really long hours. But no matter how much work it is, it's still more fun than I'd ever imagined!
