The 2022 Grammys was more than a night of celebration.
During the April 3 awards show, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeared in a video message to introduce John Legend, who was performing a musical tribute for those who're suffering amid the Ukraine-Russia crisis. Before handing the stage over to Legend, President Zelenskyy made a plea for support for Ukraine.
"The war. What is more opposite to music? The silence of ruined cities and killed people," the Ukrainian leader somberly shared. "Our children draw swooping rockets, not shooting stars. Over 400 children have been injured and 153 children died. And we'll never see them drawing."
According to President Zelenskyy, parents in Ukraine "are happy to wake up in the morning—in bomb shelters, but alive. Our loved ones don't know if we will be together again."
Tying his message into the musical theme of the night, President Zelenskyy continued, "Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded. In hospitals. Even to those who can't hear them. But the music will break through anyway. We defend our freedom. To live, to love, to sound."
President Zelenskyy then shared that his country is facing "horrible silence" amid the ongoing situation with Russia, adding, "Fill the silence with your music! Fill it today. To tell our story. Tell the truth about this war on your social networks, on TV. Support us in any way you can. Any—but not silence. And then peace will come."
Just as President Zelenskyy's speech came to a close, he remarked that he hope that Ukraine's prominent cities would be "free like you on the Grammy stage."
Following this speech, Legend took to the stage, alongside Ukrainian artists Siuzanna Iglidan, Mika Newton and Lyuba Yakimchuk, to perform his new song "Free." All of the onstage performers donned blue or yellow ensembles, paying tribute to Ukraine's flag.
Earlier in the evening, Legend told E!'s Laverne Cox that he couldn't "wait for everybody to hear" his new tune, noting, "It's going to be a special moment."
And that it was.