LOS ANGELES -- The 67th Grammy Awards have been transformed by the Los Angeles area wildfires - but the show is already highlighting the city's resiliency.
The award show kicked off Sunday night at LA's Crypto.com Arena in high spirits, drawing attention to first responders and the resilience of the music community.
The telecast began with a powerful opening performance of Randy Newman's "I Love L.A." by Dawes - whose members were directly affected by the Eaton fire - backed by John Legend, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, Brittany Howard and St. Vincent.
The show was reformatted as a vehicle to help wildfire victims.
Host Trevor Noah's opening speech was dedicated to those affected by the fires, promising a show that not only celebrates them, but one that also celebrates "the city that brought us so much of that music."
The Grammys have also allotted ad time to be used by local businesses affected by the fires.
On a stage set up to look like the mountains of Los Angeles, the LA born-and-raised Billie Eilish and her brother/collaborator Finneas performed her hit "Birds of a Feather." It was one of a number of ways the show seeks to salute the city. "We love you LA," she told the crowd at the end of the set.
Grammys show montage of wildfire devastation
Leaning into the award show's pivot to wildfire recovery aid, the Grammys aired a heartbreaking compilation of the devastation from the Los Angeles-area wildfires. It included haunting shots of the flames, as well as residents visiting their destroyed homes and schools and pulling cherished memories from the rubble.
"We're going to need each other. We're going to need everyone. Knowing we're not alone makes all the difference," a voiceover said to close the emotional segment out.
Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga love California
Bruno Mars is from Hawaii and Lady Gaga is from New York, but the pair are singing for California.
"We love you, California," Lady Gaga said, closing out the duo's mournful cover of The Mamas & The Papas' "California Dreamin." The performance was part of a segment meant to raise awareness and funds for wildfire relief in the Los Angeles area.