The production team behind this year’s pandemic-impacted Grammy Awards is getting back together for the 2022 broadcast, the Recording Academy announced on Monday (Oct. 25).
Fulwell 73 Productions will again oversee all aspects of the show, with Jesse Collins, Raj Kapoor and Ben Winston serving as executive producers and Jeannae Rouzan Clay joining as co-executive producer. This marks a promotion for Collins and Kapoor, who were credited as co-executive producers on last year’s show, one rung below executive producer Winston. Showrunning duties in 2022 will flip from Winston, a co-founder of Fulwell 73, to Kapoor.
Prior to becoming executive producer last year, Winston served as co-executive producer for two years under longtime ep Ken Ehrlich.
Returning as director for the second year in a row will be Hamish Hamilton, a veteran of numerous Super Bowl halftime shows, Emmy Awards and other live telecasts. Before Hamilton got the job, Louis J. Horvitz was the Grammys’ long-time director.
“I am so excited to see Raj make his own mark on the world’s biggest musical stage,” said Winston in a statement. “Raj was integral to everything we did to elevate last year’s show and I can’t wait to work alongside him and Jesse to make this year’s show even better. Raj is a one-of-a-kind producer… creative, smart, collaborative, and beloved by crews and artists alike. I learnt last year that showrunning the Grammys is a fulltime gig and no one understands that more than Raj. He is the perfect person to take over the reins this year.”
Kapoor added that he and his team will build on last year’s successes in “fostering an environment of inclusivity and creativity while supporting nominees with one of the most dedicated and talented production teams in television helping to make more memorable Grammy moments for years to come.”
“The team at Fulwell 73 produced an unforgettable show last year and I am both proud and grateful for them to return for the 64th Annual Grammy Awards,” said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. “Having worked closely with this team, I’ve seen the passion, the dedication and the new and creative energy they bring to Music’s Biggest Night. We’re excited to collaborate with Raj, Ben and the team and to see what comes next.”
On July 12, Collins was named showrunner and executive producer of the 2021 American Music Awards, which means he’ll be a key player on both shows, which have been long-time rivals. Jesse Collins Entertainment will produce the AMAs — which are set to air live Sunday, Nov. 21 on ABC — along with dick clark productions. Collins will serve as executive producer alongside longtime AMAs producers Barry Adelman and Larry Klein.
Collins is on a remarkable roll this year. On Feb. 7, he was among the producers of the Super Bowl LV halftime show (starring The Weeknd). On March 14, he was co-executive producer of the 63rd Grammy Awards. On April 25, he was among the producers of the 93rd Academy Awards. On July 13, all three shows were among the five Emmy nominees for outstanding variety special (live). (The award went to Stephen Colbert’s Election Night 2020: Democracy’s Last Stand Building Back America Great Again Better 2020.)
Like most other awards shows that have been produced during the pandemic, the most recent Grammy broadcast suffered from low ratings, drawing 9.23 million viewers (down 51% from 2020) to watch Taylor Swift win album of the year for a record-tying third time and Beyoncé capture her 28th win, setting a new record for the most wins by a female artist.
The 64th Annual Grammy Awards return to Los Angeles’ Staples Center on Jan. 31 and will broadcast live on CBS and stream on Paramount+.