The late Michael Jackson, who we are well aware tragically passed away last June, was honored during the 2010 Grammy Awards last night with a fitting tribute performed by Céline Dion, Smokey Robinson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and Usher. The singers dueted with MJ on his ballad Earth Song, a performance that was broadcast on television in 3D. Not only did the attendees of the Grammy Awards (like Rihanna) outfit themselves with 3D glasses (courtesy of Target, who gave out the 3D glasses for FREE for the event last night) but so, too, did viewers at home … like me:
The Grammys rode the 3-D wave Sunday with a special-effects-laden tribute to the late Michael Jackson in an awards show that featured many big spectacle moments. Jackson’s children, Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11 appeared after the tribute to accept a lifetime achievement award for the pop star, who died in June of a prescription drug overdose. Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson and Usher performed in the tribute, mingling their voices with the voice of the late King of Pop against the backdrop of a 3-D film featuring Jackson’s 1995 eco-friendly “Earth Song.” Free 3-D “Grammy” glasses were distributed at Target stores nationwide so viewers could watch the show in 3-D from their living rooms. Part of the Jackson film shown during the Grammys aired in the recent documentary “This Is It” which was shot during rehearsals for Jackson’s comeback tour and showed the pop star looking fit just days before his death in June 2009. Jackson had intended the environmentally themed song and film to be part of that tour, which was supposed to have begun in July 2009. He was considered one of the most commercially successful entertainers of all time whose music and videos transformed the art and broke down racial barriers. The clip features a lush forest through the eyes of a young girl.
I hope you hung on to your 3D glasses because uploaded video clips of the Earth Song performance will (kinda) appear in 3D if you watch them on your computer :) In addition to the technologically fitting tribute performance last night, MJ‘s children Prince Michael Joseph and Paris Michael Katherine appeared on stage to accept the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award which was awarded to MJ posthumously during the show:
After the jump, check out video of MJ‘s kids accepting his award on stage, check out a backstage photo of Prince and Paris posing with their little brother Blanket AND bust out those 3D glasses, yo, you can watch Earth Song in 3D right here on the blog …
It’s amazing how much MJ‘s kids have grown up in the past few months. Paris, especially, looks like a young lady already! The clip of Prince accepting the award is really sweet, check it out:
Aww, you can tell he was a little nervous … but he did a great job. I assume, from his comments, that Prince and his siblings intend on taking up some of their father’s philanthropic endeavors in his memory. I’m curious to see how that turns out. Altho Blanket (Prince Michael Joseph, II) didn’t appear on stage, he was in attendance as this cute backstage photo shows:
And, in case you either missed it or just want to watch it again, here is Earth Song performed by Michael Jackson, Céline Dion, Smokey Robinson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and Usher in 3D:
I’ve already watched this, like, 5 times now. I’m not too crazy about the song but I love 3D :) This was a very cool, very fitting way for the Grammy Awards to honor Michael Jackson. I’m not sure that he would’ve wanted his children up on stage like that but I bet — wherever he may be — he is proud of them and is honored by this tribute. What did y’all think of this performance? Cool, right? Did you enjoy it as much as Beyoncé apparently did?
[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source, Source, Source]
he he The glasses are funny… We have different ones that don’t look as silly in England!!
Beautiful <3 I loved how Carrie Underwood got so into it. It was amazing with all the performers on stage.
So cool. YOu know what I love as a side note? Rihanna looks totes normal in those glasses. Just another Sunday for her.
I thought when the panned the audience and Beyonce had her gorgeous dress on and those redic white glasses I was gonna pee my pants. she was ROCKIN them. it was awesome.
Paris is so pretty. He was so nervouse but I was proud of them (: I need 3D glasses
Did anyone notice Will.I.AM from the B.E.P.s? He had painted his black or something… so they matched the rest of his ensemble. Made me laugh. @ Mela, she TOTALLY does look like it’s a normal look for her to rock. Love her.
I love these kids and I really hope they are able to stay away from the public eye now… as their father would have wanted. And Blanket is SO MJ’s mini me!
Ugh..I never made it to Target to get my 3D glasses so the damn video was giving me a headache! I wish they could have figured out how to make it look normal if you didn’t have the glasses..Does that technology even exist? Ahh well..It was still kinda cool to listen to it..And Paris is such a little beauty! I loved that they were wearing MJ’s type of outfits..So cute!
Is this on the “This Is It” album? I love this song!!!!
One of my favorite MJ songs; so glad they sang it.
It was cool and all. But I just think it’s a bit hypocritical for all these big stars to stnd up and sing about the earth and justice and people, yet they are bathed in gold, diamonds and jewels, which come at a huge cost both to the earth from mining and mercury poisening, and to the people who work the mines in almost slavery conditions and suffer from mercury poisening, to the selling of the jewels which funds the very wars that they are singing about. So rich folks, step it up and start walking the walk.
i liked the performance of the earth song and i had tears in my eyes just as i did when i went to see this is it.i was glad they chose the earth song as it sends a message that was so important to michael. it was nice to see mj’s kids accepting the award as i think they really must have felt very proud of their father seeing all those people honouring him but of course nervous too.prince is so mature and paris is so sweet. you can see that mj did such a good job rasing them from just the way they speak so brave. i was surprised to see 3t with them (their cousins who also are musicans quite famous in the 90′s). i love 3t and they always remind me of michael. i know that they were very close to their uncle mj and knowing that they accompined the kids makes me feel better that mj’s kids wanted to do this and that they have great support within their family.thanks for posting
Jennifer Hudson’s voice triumphed all of them! I bet Beyonce was in the crowd thinking, “Bitch stole my Oscar!” And Carrie Underwood’s voice was great! <333333
I thought the performance was great, and a very fitting way to honor MJ. I was crying a bit when the kids got up there to speak. I think their dad would be proud….
Woohoo, Paris rockin’ the glasses! I’m a proud four-eyed girl. ;)
It made me even more eager to go to Disneyland soon and see Captain Eo!
Those are the cheap 3D glasses, we have all different kinds here btw!
@annie-
It’s sort of random, but I often wonder when the issue of diamonds will ever come into public view. I really think most people are still totally unaware of what that entire industry is actually based on- it’s disgusting, as bad as fur, if not worse. Not that celebrities are likely to start any sort of movement, but I would think a lot of people would think twice and perhaps stop accumulating it if they knew what occurs so they can have their silly jewelry.
i felt like they were trying to tie in as much with the haiti relief fund.. chose the most convenient song possible. but a good blues gospel song about the earth is a good blues gospel song. so, it was really powerful. although it was strange how 5 super talented singers could not out do mj’s passion in singing about things like the earth, plants and animals… and i never really appreciated michael’s vocal range.. until i saw this.. although he is gone, the fella can really sing and perform. and so shamelessly.. even if its again, about really odd stuff like mother earth, plants and animals.
prince and paris.. have grown so much in the past few months. could tell prince was very nervous too.. but he held his own. and look at that little blanket with his big eyes!!! wat a cutie pie.
His children really do make me think of MJ in a whole new way. I mean they are SO poised and mature for their age. You know he did something right. I look forward to seeing what they do in life. Hopefully michael provided a solid ground from which they can withstand the media attention that will follow them as they grow, as well as stay away from fake people that will try to take advantage of them because of who they are.
Dear Michael we loves you !! In your mumbai-show i really missed & it was a sweet dream.