Cardi B, Taylor Swift, BTS and more are heading to the Grammys

The Grammys is moving forward full steam, and the annual musical celebration has recruited some big names to do it. The Recording Academy announced its list of performers over the weekend, building up excitement for the March 14 show.

In an official release, the Grammys revealed the likes of Cardi B, Bad Bunny, BTS, Brandi Carlile, DaBaby, Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, John Mayer, Megan Thee Stallion, Harry Styles and more will take the stage at the 2021 show. “Artists will be coming together, while still safely apart, to play music for each other as a community and celebrate the music that unites us all,” the Recording Academy said in a statement on March 7.

Taylor Swift is also returning to the awards show’s stage for the first time since 2016, when 1989 won album of the year. This time around she’ll be performing from her latest Folklore album, which is up for six prizes including album and song of the year (“Cardigan”). And while that’s impressive to be sure, it’s Beyoncé who leads this year’s nominees with nine nods, including two for record of the year (“Black Parade” and the “Savage” remix with Megan Thee Stallion). Bey wasn’t among the names of performers, but never say never to an appearance—virtual or otherwise.

Black Pumas, Mickey Guyton, HAIM, Brittany Howard, Miranda Lambert, Lil Baby, Tamika D. Mallory, Chris Martin, Maren Morris, Post Malone and Roddy Ricch rounded out the confirmed list of presenters. Meanwhile the Grammys also plans on honouring some of the independent music venues that have been impacted by the pandemic, including The Troubadour and The Hotel Café in Los Angeles, the Apollo Theater in New York, and The Station Inn in Nashville. According to the Recording Academy, employees from the venues will present some of the awards throughout the night.

As previously announced Daily Show host Trevor Noah will host the event. “Despite the fact that I am extremely disappointed that the Grammys have refused to have me sing or be nominated for best pop album, I am thrilled to be hosting this auspicious event,” Noah revealed in a statement last November. “I think as a one-time Grammy nominee, I am the best person to provide a shoulder to all the amazing artists who do not win on the night because I too know the pain of not winning the award! (This is a metaphorical shoulder, I'm not trying to catch Corona). See you at the 63rd Grammys!"

The Grammys were originally supposed to air at the end of January from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, but because of COVID-19 concerns, it was pushed to next weekend. The location has also changed. Now Noah and a handful of people will present at the Los Angeles Convention Center, with the broadcast picking up remotely from other places.

Extending the broadcast to March also put a bit of time in between the controversy the Recording Academy faced last November after The Weeknd failed to receive a single nomination at this year’s show, despite his album, After Hours, spending 47 weeks on the Billboard chart where it held the top spot for more than four consecutive weeks.

After The Weeknd was shut out from the nominations he took the Grammys to task on Twitter, with fellow Canadian musicians like Drake and Elton John also speaking out on The Weeknd’s behalf. But just because the Grammys were able to put some physical distance between industry insiders calling them out for corruption and the date itself doesn’t mean anything has been fixed internally. Now eager fans everywhere are waiting to see if the nominating body will go the way of the Golden Globes and pledge to do better, or if it will just bury its head in the sand.

The Grammys air Sunday, March 14 at 8 pET.  

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