10 Things We’re Most Excited About at the 2019 Grammys

Music’s biggest night is just around the corner, and the show is already jampacked with diverse performances and talented artists. The 61st annual Grammy Awards is coming to Los Angeles this Sunday, and there’s a lot in store for the night.

This year’s awards show sees a significant change from previous years, since the Recording Academy expanded the number of nominees in the main categories from five to eight, adding more room for fan favorites as well as a more diverse field that better reflects what people are actually listening to.

There’s many things to look forward to this year, but here are the top 10 performances, categories and prospects we’re most excited about.

Album of the Year Reveal

A notoriously hard pick every year is album of the year — especially when the lineup of nominees all had exceptionally strong years in terms of commercial success, streaming numbers, chart success and year-end lists. Popular artists like Drake, Cardi B and Post Malone have all seen big sales and radio airplay with their albums, while projects like Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour and Janelle Monae’s Dirty Computer earned widespread critical acclaim. Other names in the running include H.E.R., Brandi Carlile and the various artists involved in the Black Panther album. This year’s AOTY seems unpredictable, but we’re excited to see who the shiny gold trophy will go to.

Camila Cabello’s Star-Studded Opener

Latin artists performing live at the Grammy Awards is an unfortunately rare occurence. Last year, Billboard reported that fewer than a dozen Latin acts have performed live at the awards show in the past 30 years. But this year, a star-studded group of Latin performers will open the show, when Camila Cabello is joined by J Balvin, Ricky Martin, Arturo Sandoval and Young Thug for a jam-packed performance.

Dua Lipa & St. Vincent’s Performance

Dua Lipa and St. Vincent are teaming up for the first time to make their Grammy stage debut with a special performance. St. Vincent’s MASSEDUCTION is nominated for best alternative rock album and the title track is up for best rock song. Dua Lipa is nominated in the best new artist category and alongside Silk City for “Electricity” in the best dance recording field. This pairing might actually be one of the most interesting of the night, since both artists are versatile enough to fit many styles of performing.

Lady Gaga’s Performance

Lady Gaga is known for putting on quite the show, so it’s no surprise that she’s set to take the Grammy stage for the fifth year in a row. It seems unlikely that Gaga will perform anything from A Star Is Born, given that she and Bradley Cooper will debut their “Shallow” duet at the Oscars two weeks later. So our best guess of which song she’ll perform is “Joanne (Where Do you Think You’re Goin’?),” since a piano version of the song is nominated for best pop solo performance and her producer and co-songwriter Mark Ronson is also set to perform. Regardless of what she ends up singing, Gaga’s performance will not disappoint.

Dolly Parton Tribute

Katy Perry, Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris and Little Big Town will perform country star Dolly Parton‘s iconic hits on the Grammy stage. Kacey Musgraves took to Twitter to comment on the news that she will be paying homage to Parton, who is also the 2019 MusiCares Person of the Year. “*D O L L Y dream come true, fully materialized*,” Musgraves wrote. Not only is Dolly Parton receiving a tribute at this year’s show, she’s also taking the stage for the first time in 18 years to perform her new music from Netflix’s Dumplin’.

Red Hot Chili Peppers & Post Malone

The Grammys has a time-honored tradition of surprising audiences by pairing an old-school favorite band with a newer artist every year. This year is no different, as Red Hot Chili Peppers and rapper Post Malone team up for a combined performance. What song willl they choose? We can’t wait to see.

BTS Presenting

The world’s biggest Korean boy band is coming to town. BTS members Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jin, Jimin, V and Jungkook will attend their very first Grammys, where they will present an award. Their Billboard 200-topping album Love Yourself: Tear is also nominated for best recording package.

Alicia Keys Hosting

Singer Alicia Keys is no newcomer to the Grammy Awards, but this is her first time ever hosting. The 15-time Grammy winner is stepping up to the plate as the first female host since Queen Latifah took on the role in 2005. There’s a first time for everything, and we’re excited to see Keys on the hosting end of the entertainment spectrum this year. “I know what it feels like to be on that stage, and I’m going to bring that vibe and energy,” Keys said in a statement announcing her gig. “I’m so excited to be the master of ceremonies on the biggest night in music and celebrate the creativity, power and, magic. I’m especially excited for all the incredible women nominated this year! It’s going up on February 10!”

Best New Artist Reveal

Another category that is an infamously tough pick every year is best new artist. It’s a stacked race this year with eight contenders, making it the largest number of artists ever competing in the category. The award is one of the most prized among the night, signaling a vote of confidence in whichever artist is chosen. In a recent Billboard poll, readers voted on who they thought should win best new artist. See who’s in the lead so far.

Shawn Mendes Performance

Another first-time Grammy performer is Shawn Mendes. While he’s a newbie to the stage, he’s no stranger to other awards shows. Despite his experience performing in front of live audiences, Mendes opened up to his fans in an Instagram video story about his stage fright and pressures to perform well. “To be completely honest, true and vulnerable with you guys — I realize that I care so much about what people think,” Mendes said in the video. “I realize that’s the backwards thing and what I have to truly do is sit down and sing my song and truly connect with it.” 

The 2019 Grammy Awards take place Feb. 10 from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It will air on CBS starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.