“It’s the most bitchin’ party of the year,” Tom Hanks declared, welcoming Clive Davis to the stage. The party in question, Davis’s pre-Grammys gala, is, in fact, just that—a private night nearly as big for the who’s who of Hollywood as the Grammys itself.
As is tradition, it was set in a glitzy ballroom at the Beverly Hilton; the room’s plethora of chandeliers and illuminated walls mimicked a purple starlit sky. It’s the kind of party where even industry professionals are struck by the caliber of the night’s attendees. “I just took a picture with Lana Del Rey,” one guest said, beaming.
Del Rey’s attendance, for instance, is testimony to Clive Davis’s ability to summon out even those who rarely frequent the Grammy award show itself. The Honeymoon singer being just one of the many faces that the starry-eyed bystanders lined up outside the hotel came to see. Mariah Carey made an entrance shoulder-to-shoulder with singer Monica (speaking of megastars you don’t see out every day!), while in the middle of the room, Carter Reum snapped photos of wife Paris Hilton and friends. Julia Garner, who waved timidly as Davis awarded the actor an onstage shout-out, attended in a bright red gown. Spotted elsewhere were Cher, Avril Lavigne, and Machine Gun Kelly.
As much of a spectacle as the guest list itself, Davis’s Pre-Gala is known to come packed with performances that nearly rival the televised show. This year, Serena Williams welcomed Green Day to the stage for a performance celebrating the rock band’s 30-year anniversary, and Davis himself brought out Best New Artist-nominated Ice Spice just before Lainey Wilson hit the stage to sing a rendition of Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken.” Later came performances from the Isley Brothers and more as guests ultimately enjoyed a dinner at their tables, the room buzzing with eager energy to keep the party, which had kicked off on the later evening end, going well into the night.
