Common Talks Beyonce’s Grammy Performance
On Sunday night, Common and John Legend will take the stage at the 57th annual Grammy Awards to perform “Glory,” the song they wrote and performed for the movie Selma. Before the performance, though, Common revealed that the duo will be introduced by a very special guest.
The Chicago rapper confirmed to Rolling Stone that Beyoncé will introduce “Glory” by singing the gospel standard “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.”
“We’re getting an introduction from the great Beyoncé,” Common tells Rolling Stone. “That’s a whole other level, to have her singing ‘Precious Lord.’ I’m excited.” (In Selma‘s official soundtrack, Ledisi sings the song, known as a favorite of Martin Luther King Jr.)
“It’s the Grammys stage, so we’re going to deliver some of the best performances we ever had,” adds the rapper. “Expect the spirit of what the movie is about, the spirit of what the movement is about, and the spirit of what ‘Glory’ is about.” Last month, Legend and Common both won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.
Common adds that he’s proud to be performing a song like “Glory” on a national stage in a time when police brutality and civil rights have returned to the headlines. “This is what I live for,” he says. “This is what I want to do as an artist. This is who I want to be as a person – to be able to speak up and say things that can impact people’s lives, and things that can be inspiring to human beings. There’s no other song besides ‘Glory’ that I’d want to be my first opportunity to perform at the Grammys.”