Usher celebrates Prince at Grammys, with help from a dancing (but not singing) FKA twigs

Less than four years after his tragic death, Prince earned a tribute at the Grammy Awards from a fellow legend when Usher returned to center stage for the first time since he joined a young Justin Bieber at the 2011 ceremony. Backed by longtime Prince percussionist Sheila E. and, on the pole, British avant-pop star FKA twigs, Usher led viewers through a medley of the fallen genius’ work.

During her introduction, Alicia Keys advanced the medley with a teaser for an upcoming CBS prime-time special on Prince at the Grammys. Plug achieved, the eight-time Grammy winner Usher walked on stage wearing a short Prince-esque purple jacket. Usher opened with his take on “Little Red Corvette� before moving into his minimalist funk jams “When Doves Cry� and “Kiss.� In his life as an artist, Prince earned a whopping 38 Grammy nominations, and won seven. Memorably, in 2007 Prince joined then-rising star Beyoncé for a medley of his and her hits, including “Crazy in Love� and “Purple Rain.�

Though FKA twigs lost to Lil Nas X‘s “Old Town Road� in the video category earlier in the day, she earned more eyeballs during this nighttime performance. She was nominated in the music video category for “Cellophane, “ but rather than join Usher and Sheila E. to sing during the medley, FKA twigs’ sole role was not as an innovative artist but as pole-dancer to Prince’s jams. The seeming slight was quickly noted on social media, where fans expressed outrage at what seemed like a lesser assignment.