Trevor Noah is able to face one of many hardest audiences of his profession — the hundreds of thousands watching as he as soon as once more hosts the Grammy Awards.
“It is easily the most nerve-wracking thing that I do, but I love it every single time,” Noah tells The Associated Press ahead of Sunday’s telecast. “Each year there’s a new highlight and a new moment that is embedded into my memory.”
The 2024 Grammy Awards will air reside on CBS and Paramount+ from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The telecast — with SZA having a number one 9 nominations — shall be Noah’s fourth consecutive internet hosting gig for the awards.
He mentioned he is wanting ahead to the reside performances, particularly ones by nominated artists Burna Boy, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa and Travis Scott.
“I always love seeing artists who have an innate understanding of how different and powerful the live experience is, and I think Burna Boy is one of those artists,” Noah mentioned. “He actually excels in reworking reside power right into a particular second in time.
“Billie Eilish has never given a half-hearted performance. Every time she’s on stage, it feels like watching a vignette from a classic film. It’s really thought-out and beautiful. I think Dua Lipa is one of the best pop performers of our lifetime. She does a fantastic job for this generation. Travis Scott is definitely going to be doing something crazy, so we should get ready for that. I would tune in because I think it’s a good mix of predictably amazing and then unpredictably amazing as well.”
The comic, finest recognized for internet hosting Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” from 2015-22, simply gained an Emmy Award for finest speak sequence for the final season of the present. He beforehand gained one in 2017 for internet hosting a spin-off present, “The Daily Show — Behind the Scenes,” which was voted excellent short-form selection sequence.
Noah will not be solely a number this 12 months — he is additionally a nominee, along with his comedy album “I Wish You Would” up towards “I’m an Entertainer” by Wanda Sykes, “Selective Outrage” by Chris Rock, “Someone You Love” by Sarah Silverman and “What’s in a Name?” by Dave Chappelle.
“I’ve looked into all the Grammy bylaws, and there’s nothing that says being the host will give you any leg up in winning the award,” Noah jokes. “I think Dave Chappelle is the favorite because he’s always the favorite, and rightfully so.”
If that occurs, do not count on Noah to be complaining that he misplaced the Grammy to Chappelle or that it is the second time he is misplaced a finest comedy album Grammy to Chappelle.
“I don’t understand how people live in a world where you can lose something that you never had. I’ve never won a Grammy. I don’t have a Grammy. Unless Dave Chappelle comes to my house and takes my Grammy. I can never lose the Grammy to him,” he says.
Award present hosts have had a tough few years, with The Slap marring the Oscars in 2022 and comic Jo Koy getting critically panned on the Golden Globes earlier this 12 months.
“In my head, it was always hard being a host. I always assumed anything could happen. I guess the very nature of comedy has always felt like that for me,” says Noah. “I never blame an audience. I might not enjoy an audience, but I never blame an audience.”
Harvey Mason Jr., president and CEO of the Recording Academy, has obtained Noah’s again, calling the comic “a total pro” as host.
“There’s never a hesitation, never a hiccup. There’s never a stumble. Second of all, he relates so well to the artists and to the music community in my mind, because he’s a fan and he’s an appreciator and a lover of music,” says Mason.
Noah says he is having fun with his life post-“The Daily Show,” which incorporates internet hosting the interview podcast “What Now? with Trevor Noah” which has attracted the likes of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Bill Gates, Kerry Washington and DaBaby.
“I’m trying to build a platform where I get really comfortable and people get really comfortable having honest and open conversations with each other,” says Noah. “We’re in slightly quick provide of that compassion for one another as human beings.”
Associated Press Music Writer Maria C. Sherman contributed to this report.
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