The annual pre-Grammys fundraising event this year focused on the Los Angeles wildfires that devastated the area just weeks ago.
Fifty years ago, music mogul Clive Davis threw a party to celebrate the release of Arista Records’ first Grammy record of the year nominee: Barry Manilow’s Mandy, with Stevie Wonder, John Denver and Elton John among the attendees.
What was a one-off celebration for an enduring hit morphed into one of the best-known and most exclusive parties of the year: the pre-Grammy benefit gala hosted by Davis on the Saturday before the Sunday award show.
At the 2025 event, once again held at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California, Manilow performed his 1975 classic after being introduced with a short video depicting him doing the same five decades earlier.
“Can you believe I looked like that,” Manilow joked after attendees watched both versions. “Can you believe Clive looked like that?”
There was a lot to celebrate across five decades, but in the direct aftermath of the devastating wildfires that destroyed more than 14,000 structures and displaced tens of thousands of people, efforts to raise awareness and donations punctuated the night.
A QR code was placed at every table and flashed on screens to encourage contributions to the Recording Academy and its affiliated MusiCares charity to aid the relief efforts.
The evening, infamous for running into the wee hours of the morning, concluded at a respectable 11.30pm to avoid distracting from the cause.
“This one is a little different,” Recording Academy chief executive Harvey Mason said in his opening remarks. He said organisers aimed to use the platform to honour first responders and celebrate “the resilience of this community”.
Since launching LA wildfire relief efforts, the academy has raised almost 5 million US dollars (£4 million) in aid, he announced.
The tonal shift came as no surprise, with the gala being one of the few 2025 Grammy week events not cancelled due to the fires.
Many performers and industry veterans used their time on stage to bring attention to relief efforts.
“Please take care of the people kicking ass on the front lines, the first responders,” the charismatic Post Malone said after a stripped-down arrangement of his 2018 track Sunflower.
Sets were a mix of legendary talent, like Joni Mitchell moving some to tears with Both Sides Now, and newer voices including Samara Joy and the 2025 best new artist nominees Doechii, Shaboozey, Teddy Swims and Benson Boone, the latter of which ended his performance with an athletic flip.
Sprinkled throughout the performances were tributes to late producer Quincy Jones.
Michael Buble covered Fly Me To The Moon, Jennifer Hudson belted through Aretha Franklin’s (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, and gospel singer Yolanda Adams ended the night with a powerfully heartfelt rendition of Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You.
Jody Gerson, chairman and chief executive of Universal Music Publishing Group, was honoured with the 2025 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons Award at the star-studded event.
“I have a confession. There were a few times early in my career where I crashed this party,” she said, noting she received her first invitation in the early 2000s and being honoured “deeply, deeply touched” her.
She added: “Music can brighten our darkest days. And we need artists to bring light now more than ever.”
Gaining admittance to Davis’s event is notoriously challenging. The A-listers who made the cut this year included Jennifer Lopez, Babyface, Gayle King, Nancy Pelosi, Jack Antonoff, TEMS, Willow Smith, Berry Gordy, Paris Hilton, Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, Diane Warren, Gracie Abrams, John Stamos and Justin Tranter.
