Grammy Awards: Tracy Chapman gives surprise performance

Tracy Chapman performs at the Grammy Awards credit:Bang Showbiz
Tracy Chapman performs at the Grammy Awards credit:Bang Showbiz

Tracy Chapman gave a surprise performance at the Grammy Awards on Sunday (04.02.24).

The reclusive musician - who has performed live just three times since her last tour in 2009 - took to the stage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles alongside country superstar Luke Combs to perform her 1988 hit 'Fast Car'.

Wearing a low-key black t-shirt and jeans, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, Tracy, 59, smiled broadly when the audience erupted in cheers as she began singing and playing guitar before Luke, 33, joined in on the track.

The country star's 2023 cover of the song had made chart history when it became the first song entirely written by a Black woman to top the Billboard country charts.

The 'Give Me One Reason' singer previously the cover her approval.

When it topped the country charts, she told Billboard in a statement: "I never expected to find myself on the country charts, but I’m honoured to be there. I’m happy for Luke and his success and grateful that new fans have found and embraced ‘Fast Car.’”

The evening's next musical performance came from the night's most-nominated artist, SZA.

Dressed in a black trenchcoat and broad-brimmed hat, the 34-year-old singer was in the shadows as she opened with her hit 'Snooze' on a stage resembling a dark alley complete with flaming garbage cans.

After she brushed off the approach of a man at the end of the song, the camera panned to a woman in the audience showing off her samurai skills before she and a group of dancers ran onto the stage to join SZA as she pulled off her jacket to join in on a Quentin Tarantino-inspired performance of 'Kill Bill'.

Ahead of the main broadcast, the star already picked up two awards, Best Pop Duo/ Group Performance for 'Ghost in the Machine' featuring Phoebe Bridgers, and Best Progressive RnB Album for 'SOS'.