A Fitting Farewell: Fantasia Barrino Channels Tina Turner’s Fiery Spirit at the 2024 Grammys
As the multi-faceted In Memoriam segment of the 66th Annual Grammy Awards came to a close, Oprah Winfrey kicked off her Grammy tribute to the late, great Tina Turner, who died in May 2023, with a tip passed along from award-winning singer and songwriter, from icon to icon. “She used to say to me, ‘Oprah, you should dress up for dinner, even if no one else is there. Just so you feel beautiful to you. For yourself.’”
After several stirring Grammy in-memoriam segments, including Stevie Wonder covering songs from Tony Bennett and Jon Batiste leading a choir through a heartfelt rendition of “Lean on Me,” Winfrey took the stage standing in front of a smiling image of Turner.
To honor Turner’s extraordinary legacy, Winfrey introduced Fantasia Barrino for a passionate performance of Turner’s classic “Proud Mary.” Dressed in a dazzling gold fringe jumpsuit, Barrino led the crowd in a joyous, funk-infused dance party that seemed to channel Tina’s fiery onstage spirit.
“Tina Turner was always a towering figure,” Winfrey said as a guitarist started playing the iconic guitar riff for “Proud Mary” to back her. “She is our forever goddess of rock & roll, who inspired millions, a moving symbol of grace and grit, soul and power. Our love and respect for Tina grew as we witnessed her bravely reclaim her freedom.
As the opening notes rang out, Barrino sauntered down the neon-lined steps leading from the stage, microphone in hand. “Grammys, get up on your feet, you know what time it is!” she enthused, her powerful vocals in fine form. When the music paused, Barrino showed off her prodigious pipes by boldly singing the first verse a cappella.
The track kicked back in and Barrino made her way into the audience, trailed by a retinue of backup dancers. She playfully coaxed a grinning Dua Lipa out of her seat to spin and bop along. Camera flashes exploded as Barrino shimmied over to Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s table, with Queen Bey unable to resist dancing along in her cowboy hat and heels.
As the performance reached its apex, Barrino wrapped up her exhilarating journey through the arena atop a central platform. “Tina, we love you!” she exclaimed, paying one last homage while the crowd roared and gave her a well-deserved standing ovation.
With her scintillating vocals and captivating stage presence, 2007 American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino was certainly up to the task of saluting Tina Turner’s enduring musical impact. It was a tall order, but Barrino delivered – and then some.
As Oprah aptly put it, with tributes like this, the beloved Grammy-winner’s one-of-a-kind voice and 10acious spirit will continue to reverberate for generations to come.
