When Lady Gaga And Metallica Performed At The Grammy Awards
A memorable scene in Grammy chronicles shows James Hetfield, the famous lead singer of Metallica, singing powerfully beside pop icon Lady Gaga as they delivered "Moth Into Flame." This unlikely pair graced the stage at the 59th Grammy Awards in the Staples Center, Los Angeles on February 12, 2017.
This surprising musical alliance began at a simple dinner event hosted by actor Bradley Cooper. Metallica's renowned drummer Lars Ulrich and Lady Gaga were guests there. Ulrich explained, "I sat next to her at a dinner party and thought, 'This could be interesting.' So I asked, 'We're performing at the Grammys soon, would you like to join us?' and she immediately said, 'Yes, that sounds wonderful!'"
Gaga, recognized for her diverse musical tastes, had often expressed her fondness for metal music. She had gone to Iron Maiden and Anthrax concerts and mentioned 'Metal Militia' from Metallica's debut album as a favorite song. She showed her commitment by coming to rehearsals several hours before Metallica. Hetfield praised her on The Howard Stern Show, calling her "very creative and a brave artist."
The actual Grammy night faced several problems. Laverne Cox, while introducing the act, did not name Metallica, later sending an apology on Twitter. When Metallica started playing, Hetfield's microphone did not work, silencing his strong voice. Gaga reacted quickly by sharing her microphone with him, changing a technical failure into a close duet.
After the show, Hetfield revealed his anger, saying, "I felt humiliated. I haven't been so upset in ages." Ulrich agreed on The Late Late Show that the first moments backstage were very tense. The cause of the audio issue was simple: a worker had accidentally unplugged a cable right before their performance.
Yet there was a positive outcome. Hetfield later told the New York Post, "It turned out to be helpful because I shared a microphone with Lady Gaga — perhaps more than she expected. It seemed like a true partnership because of that issue."
Such stage troubles might stop other performers, but Metallica and Lady Gaga showed their expert skills and toughness. Their Grammy act, though flawed, stays firmly in the minds of viewers as a special blend of rock and pop music.
