The 57th annual Grammy Awards found a watercooler moment about 90 minutes into the otherwise routine Sunday telecast. At least in terms of an unexpected, transcendent gig with an eye toward social justice: 24-year-old singer-songwriter Hozier was paired with rock icon Annie Lennox and the duo performed smash 2014 gay rights anthem, “Take Me to Church,” followed by 1956 Screamin’ Jay Hawkins hit, “I Put a Spell on You.”
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Hozier reportedly dropped the tuning for his hit from E minor to D minor, and Lennox took it from there with howling, reverberating renditions.
The duet almost didn’t happen. But after insistence from show producer, Ken Ehrlich, the two got in a room Thursday.
“I wasn’t quite seeing it, initially… I think he was a little nervous, to be honest with you,” Lennox told USA Today. “I’m always a little bemused by that, because I’m really not anybody to be afraid of.”
Screengrab via CBS