Fans were crying foul against the Grammys this weekend when Beyoncé closed the awards show instead of Ledisi with a rendition of “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” by Mahalia Jackson, whom Ledisi portrayed in the film Selma. Now, Ledisi has finally opened up about being replaced by Beyoncé.
As fans of Selma know, Ledisi sang “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” during the award-winning Martin Luther King Jr. biopic, but just like her fans, she was confused about why she wasn’t asked to perform the song live at the Grammys.
“I don’t have a clue,” said Ledisi when asked by “Entertainment Tonight” about why the Grammys snubbed her. However, instead of throwing shade, Ledisi showed grace and chose to show her appreciation for even being a part of the film.
“What I will say and what I’m excited about is that I had the pleasure of playing an iconic figure in Selma, and the song, ‘Take My Hand, Precious Lord,’ it’s been going on forever — starting with the queen Mahalia [Jackson], the queen of soul Aretha Franklin,” Ledisi said.
“Then, I was able to portray and sing my version of the song, and now we have Beyoncé. Her generation will now know the song, so I’m a part of history,” she continued.
It’s sad that Ledisi wasn’t chosen to perform a song that she’s already reintroduced to millions through the film Selma. Of course, many fans have claimed that Ledisi is a victim of industry politics and that, for the Grammy producers, having a younger, lighter-skinned, international superstar like Beyoncé close the show is better than having an older, darker-skinned, R&B star like Ledisi close it. And considering how things played out last night, it’s hard to disagree.
