Arlington’s own Maren Morris was part of the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Sunday night, featured prominently in Target’s star-studded TV spot featuring Zedd and Grey and their new track, “The Middle.”
“Music has always been a powerful way we connect with our guests, and this was another great opportunity to bring them more music and access to their favorite artists,” said Rick Gomez, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Target. “The GRAMMYs are an exciting night for fans and an important spotlight for artists and brands, so we wanted to bring this team together in a way that only Target can.”
The spot was directed by music video and commercial director Dave Meyers, who’s known for his collaborations with Justin Timberlake, Kendrick Lamar, Dave Matthews Band, Missy Elliot, Britney Spears and others. Hip hop choreographer Nadine “Hi-Hat” Ruffin worked with 50 dancers on the high-energy number that blends country and electronic dance music.
There were cameos throughout the spot, including comedian Lele Pons, and dancers Jade Chynoweth, WilldaBeast, Janelle Ginestra, Erica Klein, Phoenix Lil’Mini, Kid David, and Kesh.
Target sponsored the commercial spot as part of its #MoreMusic campaign. The company has previously partners with Carly Rae Jepsen, Gwen Stefani and others as part of the campaign.
The new song will also become the soundtrack for the Target Style spring marketing campaign, which kicks off on February 4.
Morris also performed with the Brothers Osborne and Eric Church on the song, Tears in Heaven, a tribute to victims of the Las Vegas shooting last year.
To watch the video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr9G3ttG924&feature=youtu.be
The tribute:
From Associated Press:
Three artists who performed at a country music festival that became the site of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history honored those music fans lost at deadly concert attacks with a tearful performance at the Grammy Awards.
Country artists Eric Church, Maren Morris and Brothers Osborne delivered a moving performance of Eric Clapton’s Grammy-winning classic “Tears in Heaven,” during the 60th annual Grammys Awards in New York City on Sunday, the names of victims behind them.
“All of country music was reminded in the most tragic way then connection we share with fans and the loving power that music will always provide,” said Eric Church who seemed to struggle to speak.
The artists put their own spin on the mournful song in honor of the victims at the Route 91 Harvest Festival last October in Las Vegas, as well as a bombing outside an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, in May.
“Tears in Heaven,” which won three Grammys in 1993 including record and song of the year, was written after Clapton’s four-year-old son died in 1991 after falling out of a high-rise window.
The touching tribute was handled tenderly between singer TJ Osborne’s soulful baritone, Morris’ Texas twang and Church’s forceful singing, although a bad microphone made much of Morris’ intro before the song unintelligible.
“The painful truth is that this year in just those two events 81 music lovers, just like us, went out to enjoy a night of music and never came back home,” Morris said