Harry Styles' Dancers Address 2023 Grammys Performance Mishap

While Harry Styles had a golden night at the Grammys with his two wins, it seems like his performance of "As It Was" didn't go according to plan. Read what two of his dancers had to say.

By Elyse Dupre Feb 07, 2023 3:46 PMTags
Watch: Harry Styles Praised by One Direction Bandmates After His Grammy Wins

Harry Styles' Grammys performance apparently wasn't the same as it was in rehearsals.

After seeing some less than golden reactions to his "As It Was" number, the singer's dancers are speaking out, revealing that they had to overcome a major stage mishap during the live show.

"Y'all are going to be seeing a lot in the media about this performance," dancer Brandon Mathis said in a since-expired Instagram Stories video reshared on Twitter. "But what you don't know is that the moment the curtain opened and it was time to perform, our turntable started spinning in reverse. Backward. Freaking all of us out on live television, and there was nothing we could do to stop it."

Brandon said they had spent a week "rehearsing this piece perfectly" with the turntable going one way only to have it go the other during the Feb. 5 show, forcing them to adjust in the moment. 

"And in real time, we have to troubleshoot and try to do a complete piece in reverse," he continued. "Talk about professionalism."

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Grammys 2023: Behind-the-Scenes Moments

Another dancer, Dexter, also shed some light on what the routine was supposed to look like in a since-deleted TikTok. They said, according to Entertainment Tonight, that the performance included "these beautiful formations," noting that the routine was "amazing" during rehearsals. But when the turntable started turning the wrong way, they had to pivot, which was no easy feat. 

"To switch all those patterns around on the spot, having not even walked in that direction, it sounds easy," Dexter reportedly added. "Since it's circular, it pulls you in different directions and is such a special type of balance. We got accustomed to one way, and it was the opposite way. So, luckily we worked together and did our best and got to one cool formation in time for the overhead shot but had to change the rest."

JC Olivera/WireImage

A Grammy source acknowledged to E! that "unexpected things happen in live television" and noted "Harry showed he was the ultimate pro in not missing a beat." 

And it seems like both dancers agree. In an Instagram post, Brandon called Harry a "rockstar" as well as a "kick ass down to earth human being who truly cares about what he's doing and who he's doing it with." Meanwhile, Dexter praised the "Adore You" artist for how he handled the situation.

"Harry did his best to be able to walk and reverse everything while he was singing and reverse his entire duet," they said per ET. "Unfortunately, news outlets didn't know what was happening, so they called it lethargic or boring or whatever, but it really was that we're just trying to f--king stay standing."

Despite the snafu, Harry still had an epic night, winning both the Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album Grammys for Harry's House

"When we get in the studio and begin a record, we just make the music that we want to make," he told reporters backstage. "And I think it feels really nice to feel like oh, that is the right thing to do."

E! News has reached out to Harry's rep and to the Grammys for comment.

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