A behind-the-scenes look at how celebrities prepare for the Grammys

Year after year, the stars of the Grammy Awards appear fully dressed, seemingly conjured by a magical spell and covered in glitter, sequins and layers of glam. But they didn’t exactly roll out of bed looking like this.

Megan Thee Stallion, for example, demands a glam Grammy routine that wouldn’t be complete without three things: anime, ginger tea and dance. “It’s like a party when I get them glam,” Megan’s make-up artist said, Lauren Child. “If he’s not watching anime, he’s up and twerking to a playlist he puts on.” Often included in this playlist is Megan’s new music, which Child gets to hear before it’s released.

We spoke with Child and a few other hair and makeup artists to get a behind-the-scenes look at the Grammys build-up.

A celebrity’s preparation for the Grammys begins long before the glam days. In fact, putting together a look takes weeks of preparation. “Meg [Thee Stallion] he’ll keep inspirational photos on his phone for months,” Child said. “He has a really great vision of what he wants. Let’s work together. I’ll suggest blue eyeshadow and she’ll say, “Maybe not all blue, but about in my lower waterline.”

Hair salon Kiya Wright will initiate a text message with a celebrity’s entire team to coordinate the look a week or two in advance. “Clothing drives everything,” Wright said. “Once the stylist sends the photos, we’ll start thinking about hair and makeup.” Wright works with Laverne Cox, who is very active in the preparation process. “He plans what he wants and sends me pictures,” Wright said. “I like working with her because she is very open [trying new things].”

Depending on where the Grammys are held, the hairstylist and makeup artist travel to the celebrity’s home or hotel to get ready. “If the customer is local, we usually prepare it at home, but if they are from out of town, we prepare it in a hotel,” he said. David Von Cannonwho styled actress Rachel Zegler’s hair for the 2022 Grammy Awards. “Because the awards were in Vegas last year, almost everyone got ready in a hotel room.”

Make-up artist Jen Rose Said glam starts around 10am and sometimes the dressing room will show up earlier for last minute changes. “When you see the carpet on TV, it looks like it’s night, but usually most red carpets are around 2:30 or 3 in the afternoon [Pacific time]”, he revealed. Rose begins with skin care, using an exfoliator and eye patches on her client before spending about an hour on makeup. The child, on the other hand, lets the celebrity sit in a sheet or clay mask while the hairstylist gets started.

When it comes to Grammys glam, the relationship between a client and their hair and makeup artist is paramount. The glam squad isn’t just there to get the celebrity ready for the cameras, they provide a sense of familiarity, comfort and confidence before their client walks the red carpet. “I like to be a source of calm. The last thing I want to do is make them nervous when I’m right in front of them,” Child said.

Putting the customer at ease is also one of Rose’s core values. “You have to have good energy. If you’re stressed, you’re going to make the other person stressed,” Rose said. “It’s more than just making someone look good and sending them out the door. The client will take your energy before your talent.

Rose remembers calming the models presenting the trophies as she prepared them to take the stage. “The models are really nervous because that’s not what they normally do. They meet every celebrity on stage. To make them more comfortable, I always ask them if they want to listen to music or not. I’ll have an idea of ​​what their personality is.”

When Wright works with Ciara, the star likes to sing music, pop or gospel. “It’s funny. We’re going to get together and have time for our little girl,” Wright said.

There are several moving parts on Grammy morning. To save time, the hairstylist and makeup artist often maneuver around each other to complete the glam simultaneously.

“Communicate with the hairstylist if we’re working on the talent at the same time,” she said Natalia Carrasco, which featured 2022 Latin Grammy artists, Flor de Toloache. “If I want to make sure I get the perfect eyeliner line without getting it in my eyes, I’ll ask the stylist to stop for a second or two.”

The hairstylist and make-up artist must work together to be effective. “Sometimes it can be a challenge when we’re short on time,” she admitted Deanna Paleiwho rigged the Grammys for SZA and Becky G. “But we’re all team players and we give each other time and space to do the best we can.”

Rose described the training environment as chaotic and full of people, clothes and styling tools. “It’s usually racks and racks of clothes, things they’ve tried, things they still want to try. The closet is everywhere,” he explained. “Hair has a huge table set up with all kinds of irons and makeup has a wide range of everything she needs.”

In addition to the glam squad, there is a catering table with sandwiches, snacks and some of the stars’ favorite foods. “People are walking around with laptops, making calls, making sure people are on time,” Rose added.

No matter how early the glam squad arrives, Child said, they’re always in a hurry. “Things will come out. Most of the time, the client is getting off the makeup chair to have a private appointment or go to sound check,” Child revealed. “Even though we have limited hours, we always rush to the last minute. We’ll put the finishing touches on it before it has to go.”

Having a client show up “fashionably late” in the morning doesn’t help either. “Nine times out of 10, the celebrity shows up late,” Rose said. “You may have gone out the night before or gone out to breakfast with someone.”

Wright has promoted the Grammys since the ’90s and sees today’s red carpet as inspired by that decade. “Grammys [hair] it changes over time, but it comes back and reinvents itself,” he said. “There are a lot of ’90s hairstyles these days. The diving part, the little jumps, Bambi half up and half down with his head. The voluminous supermodel hair of the 90s. Now it’s all back.”

Red carpet glam is all about the cameras, so makeup can feel heavier. “Camera flash can wash off a lot of makeup, which is why I wear more than normal,” Child explained. “The clients I work with are extremely glam, extremely sexy. I always ask them how they want to feel and I start from how they want to be presented.”

Rose, however, sees stars turning to a more natural, glowing complexion for this year’s Grammys carpet. “A few years ago, I went overboard with contouring and highlighting,” she admitted. “Now it’s all about a fresh face and natural beauty. Even the lips turned into a really natural gloss. Nothing too crazy.

Carrasco’s clients asked to appear as themselves on the red carpet, without having their face transformed. However, the makeup artist says one product isn’t going anywhere: highlighter. “The no-makeup look is popular, but at the Grammys, people tend to want a little bit of glitz,” she said. “The highlighter will make your skin glow when the cameras are flashing.” His favorite product: Bobbi Brown Bronze Glow Illuminator Powderwhich he applies on the tops of the cheekbones, above the eyebrows and on the tip of the nose.

Although red carpet looks are becoming more natural, Wright believes there will always be a place for full glam. “If you want to be natural, be natural, but the heavy girls are still out there,” she said.

Whether it’s casual or glamorous, Wright sees the red carpet as a stage for self-expression. “Everyone can be whoever they want to be at the Grammys,” she said. “He’s legendary. You are part of an era of iconic musicians. You’re there right before the big moments happen. You are part of history.”