Before Kesha's beautifully real and raw Grammy performance, Janelle Monae introduced her with a bomb Time's Up speech.
"And to those who would dare try and silence us, we offer you two words: Time's up," Monae said. "Time's up for pay inequality, time's up for discrimination, time's up for harassment of any kind, and time's up for the abuse of power."
ICYMI Janelle Monae's powerful #TimesUp Speech at #TheGrammys … pic.twitter.com/orVS57xcIq
— REAL 92.3 LA (@Real923LA) January 29, 2018
The #MeToo movement bombarded Hollywood, but Monae makes it clear that those same issues run rampant in the music industry as well.
"Just as we have the power to shape culture we also have the power to undo the culture that does not serve us" – Janelle Monae introducing Kesha
— Jenna Wortham (@jennydeluxe) January 29, 2018
"We come in peace," Monae says. "But we mean business."
Kesha's following performance offered her #MeToo statement. In 2014, Kesha accused former producer Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald of rape and emotional abuse spanning a decade of collaboration, a lawsuit which she eventually dropped. However, she didn't stop the fight for justice.
Tonight, the 30-year-old singer performed “Praying” with a backing group of Cyndi Lauper, Camila Cabello, Andra Day, Bebe Rexha and Julia Michaels, all in blinding white outfits.
Watch @KeshaRose's powerful #TimesUp performance at the #GRAMMYs https://t.co/uA29cerRz3
pic.twitter.com/OgkCsqiKoi— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 29, 2018
If you thought Time's Up was just a fad, you're seriously mistaken.
