It wouldn’t be the Grammy Awards without pre-Grammy parties to get everyone in the mood—for winning. On Thursday night, February 9 in Los Angeles, the music industry got together for events including the 59th Annual Grammy Red Carpet Rollout, along with parties hosted by DJ Khaled, Def Jam, Billboard’s Power 100, OK! Magazine, Spotfity’s Best New Artist Party, Delta Air Lines and the Essence 8th Annual Black Women in Music party. And that was just Thursday night!
Not to be missed was a special pre-Grammy event supported by the Whole Planet Foundation—of Whole Foods Market—and other partners at OHM Nightclub in Hollywood. The fete honored Olowo-n’djo Tchala and Prairie Rose Hyde, co-founders of Alaffia, dedicated to alleviating poverty and empowering communities in West Africa through the fair trade of shea butter and other indigenous resources.
That night’s event performers included Grammy-nominated artists La Santa Cecilia, and Rene Marie, along with The Reluctant Apostles featuring Katey Sagal, Givers and Takers and our subject here, Chris Assaad. Celebrity hosts included drummer/producer Vince Wilburn Jr. of the Miles Davis Estate.
Parade caught up with Chris pre-performance, and he was his usual upbeat breath of fresh air. Canadian Chris, who says he’s always been an overachiever, was once on his way to becoming an attorney, until he caught the music bug—for good. He’s known for two albums, Glory Fire and then an EP, Into the Light. In this interview he tells us about what inspires him and shares his big news about his latest musical outing, the I Won’t Die album, due for release on March 8.
Chris says he’s doing what he’s “always lived for and loved: music, songwriting, storytelling, making art and creating.” Remember, he says, that “every single voice matters. Everyone’s gifts are essential.” Get to know him better here.
Tune in the Grammys Sunday on CBS, 8 p.m.ET. Oh, and here’s your Grammy trivia for now. The most honored albums in Grammy history are U2‘s How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb in 2005 and Santana‘s Supernatural in 2000. Both albums took in a record nine awards.
