Grammys 2024: Watch Annie Lennox Sing “Nothing Compares 2 U” And Call For A Ceasefire
Annie Lennox sang “Nothing Compares 2 U” with a glittery tear painted on her face during the In Memoriam segment at the 2024 Grammys. Her performance was a tribute to Sinéad O’Connor, who passed away last year. Lennox was joined by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman of Prince & The Revolution and she concluded her performance by calling for a ceasefire in Palestine and Israel. “Artists for ceasefire!” she shouted while raising her first. “Peace in the world!”
“Nothing Compares 2 U” was nominated for three Grammy awards in 1991 (Record Of The Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and Best Music Video, Short Form). O’Connor won Best Alternative Music Performance for the album it was on, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got.
Stevie Wonder, Fantasia Barrino, and Jon Batiste also performed during the In Memoriam segment. Wonder paid tribute to Tony Bennett with “The Best Is Yet To Come” and “For Once In My Life,” the latter as a duet with footage of the late crooner; the pair won a Grammy in 2007 for their recording of the song. Barrino honored Tina Turner with “Proud Mary,” and was introduced by Oprah Winfrey, who produced the film adaptation of The Color Purple musical, which Barrino starred in. And, after a speech by Lenny Kravitz honoring the “godfather of Black music” Clarence Avant, Batiste covered “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lean On Me,” and “Optimistic” with help from Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Ann Nesby, and Cory Henry.
Other artists honored during the segment include Jimmy Buffett, Shane MacGowan, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Tugoy the Dove, Ahmad Jamal, Andy Rourke, Rudolph Isley, Mary Weiss, Burt Bacharach, Gangsta Boo, Les McCann, Denny Laine, Chita Rivera, Jane Birkin, Wayne Kramer, David Lindley, Randy Meisner, Charlie Robison, Michael Rhodes, Gary Rossington, Gary Wright, Terry Kirkman, George Winston, Melanie, Jean Knight, Rodriquez, Marlena Shaw, Russell Batiste Jr., Rita Lee, Bobby Caldwell, Aaron Spears, Magoo, and Gordon Lightfoot.
Here’s some video: