Inside Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy gala at the Beverly Hilton

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A surprising way to show respect to your 93-year-old host? Apparently, calling him a tough, ruthless person who would do anything for success in the music industry.

At Saturday night’s pre-Grammys gala at the Beverly Hilton, Monte Lipman publicly praised Clive Davis. Davis had hosted an exclusive gathering of celebrities and music industry leaders. Lipman, head of Republic Records, was being honored with the Recording Academy’s Industry Icon award, along with his brother and partner Avery, and the recognition clearly made him appreciate those who had helped him succeed in the music business.

Here’s a partial guest list for Saturday’s party at the Hilton ballroom: Joni Mitchell, Nancy Pelosi, Stevie Wonder, Colman Domingo, Frankie Valli, Martha Stewart, Lana Del Rey, Karol G, Brandi Carlile, Bill Maher, Teyana Taylor, Gladys Knight, Bryan Cox, Jeff Goldblum, Max Martin, and, notably, 96-year-old Motown founder Berry Gordy – likely the most seasoned attendee alongside Davis.

It was great to see so many big names there, probably to celebrate the Lipmans winning their award. They’ve been on a roll lately, working on huge hits for artists like Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Post Malone—and even this surprisingly fun animated series, “KPop Demon Hunters!”

But mostly folks had come to schmooze and to take in the entertainment Davis had arranged.

The show, as usual, mixed established artists with rising stars. This year’s lineup included three nominees for the Grammy’s best new artist: Sombr, who playfully acted moody during a performance of “12 to 12”; Olivia Dean, who shone brightly as horns enhanced her song “Man I Need”; and Alex Warren, who seems to be tiring of performing his hit “Ordinary.”

I was really impressed by the performances at the pre-Grammy gala! Clipse and John Legend teamed up for a beautiful rendition of “The Birds Don’t Sing” – their album, “Let God Sort Em Out,” is in the running for Album of the Year, which is exciting. And the women of Huntr/x from “KPop Demon Hunters” absolutely killed it with their performance of “Golden,” a Song of the Year nominee. Both acts definitely brought the energy and showcased why their work is being recognized.

Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll teamed up to honor Ozzy Osbourne, and Jennifer Hudson paid tribute to Roberta Flack. Hudson’s stunning performance of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” was so beautiful, it brought a rare moment of silence to the event.

The show also honored two iconic figures still with us: Bernie Taupin and Art Garfunkel. Darren Criss performed “Bennie and the Jets,” one of the many hits Taupin wrote with Elton John, and then was joined by Laufey for a lively rendition of Elton John and Kiki Dee’s disco song, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” (Someone should really consider casting Criss and Laufey in a new version of “Grease”!)

Dan + Shay paid tribute to Art Garfunkel with a performance of “Mrs. Robinson” before introducing the 84-year-old singer himself. Garfunkel walked onstage wearing a tuxedo and Phillies cap, sat down, read a poem he’d written on an envelope, and finished the show with a heartfelt, though slightly unsteady, rendition of “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

Behold more pictures from Saturday’s event:

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2026-02-02 00:31