Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for NARASThe Weeknd's 2016 Grammys appearance sure has gotten off to a good start!
First, he nabbed two awards before the show even started (that would be for Best R&B Performance and Best Urban Contemporary Album, of course). The artist is nominated for five other awards, including Record of the Year for "I Can't Feel My Face" and Album of the Year for Beauty Behind the Madness, but for a solid five minutes it was all eyes on his live performance.
Ariana Grande kicked things off, introducing The Weeknd as the third performance of the evening. "How did this next performer land his seven nominations tonight?" she asked. "Well ladies and gentleman, get ready for the pun of the century...he earned it." Cha-ching!
After that slightly awkward joke (and an even more awkward silence), The Weeknd relieved everyone by kicking off the music (you know, the reason we're all here?). He launched into "Can't Feel My Face," followed by "In The Night." It was a much more stripped-down version than his fans are used to, as the artist was accompanied by just a pianist and a cello player. (And that beautiful voice we all know and love, of course.) There was no auto-tune to be found, and certainly no party vibes.
Even though it was a bit of a departure, it certainly struck a chord with the audience—he nabbed a standing ovation, with bold names like Adele and Russell Simmons standing to cheer on his acoustic vibe.
Here's hoping the rest of the evening goes just as smoothly!