Sberbank of Russia

03/04/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/04/2021 05:29

Maria Minogarova and Aleksandr Anatolievich to host Grammy Awards livestream on Okko

Due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19 in Los Angeles, the Recording Academy made the decision to postpone the Grammys, originally scheduled for February 1, to March 15.

Multimedia service Okko, part of the Sber ecosystem, will air exclusive live coverage of the 63rd Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony on March 15. Hosting the special three-and-a-half-hour-long broadcast will be legendary MTV VJ Aleksandr Anatolievich and model, blogger, and TV presenter Maria Minogarova. NRJ, one of the most popular radio stations in Russia, will serve as the ceremony's media partner.

The full awards ceremony will be available on Okko after the broadcast. The live stream starts at 4 a.m. MSK. There will also be a post-show special uploaded later featuring the highlights and best performances from the ceremony.

The Grammys are the only peer-based awards in the music industry, voted on by members of the Recording Academy, who themselves make music in all genres and represent various areas of the industry, including songwriters, producers, sound technicians, and sound engineers.

Grammy nominees were announced in late November. The nominations include records in a wide variety of genres, including pop, classical, jazz, rap, R&B, and rock. Beyoncé leads the nominations with nine, followed by Dua Lipa, Roddy Ricch, and TaylorSwift with six each, Brittany Howard with five, John Beasley, Justin Bieber, Phoebe Bridgers, DaBaby, Billie Eilish, David Frost, and Megan Thee Stallion all tied with four.

The 63rd Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony audience will bear witness to a significant number of changes to the show's organization, with Emmy Award winner Ben Winston serving as executive producer, taking over from Ken Ehrlich after his 40-year run. An experienced scriptwriter, director, and producer, Winston worked on 'The Late Late Show with James Corden,' with whom he created everyone's favorite 'Carpool Karaoke.'

The live broadcast of the Grammy Awards will be available exclusively to registered Okko users with Light, Optimum, and Premium memberships via iOS, Android, and Smart TV apps, Okko SmartBox, SberBox, and on okko.tv and premiere.okko.tv.

Viewers watching the broadcast will be able to comment on the ceremony in the chat, send virtual animated emoticons, ask the hosts questions, and add a reminder about the upcoming premiere at premiere.okko.tv.