In direction of the top of the primary act of the 2024 Grammy Awards, Tracy Chapman — 15 years since her final tour and largely absent from the general public eye — joined nation singer Luke Combs on stage for a duet of “Fast Car.” Chapman wrote and launched the track in 1988, and Combs had spent 2023 driving a wave of recognition for his note-for-note cowl.
The second captured the in-house viewers — see Taylor Swift singing alongside — and at house. The present hit four-year viewership highs. It was a very candy pay-off for producer Ben Winston, who spent the months main as much as the present by no means actually believing they’d get Chapman on stage. Such is the agony of creating the Grammys, apparently, the place talks with artists ceaselessly fall by and a lot of the evening depends on who will get nominated eight weeks earlier than the present.
Winston, who’s now a 12 months out from his job showrunning pal James Corden’s late Late Late Present, lately spoke about crafting one of many Grammys’ larger moments — the evening additionally included that Joni Mitchell efficiency — and provides some updates on his different gigs. In any case, Winston can be the producer on Hulu’s The Kardashians, the place he’s lately resumed filming, Ellen DeGeneres‘ upcoming comedy particular and, it seems, a bit of mission for the upcoming Olympics.
So inform me about getting Tracy Chapman on board. Clearly, that was such an enormous second.
In order that was Raj Kapoor and Patrick Menton, who we make the Grammys with. They got here into my workplace, 4 or 5 months earlier than the present, and mentioned, “This Luke Combs thing is blowing up. How amazing would it be if we could get Luke and Tracy together?” Tracy hasn’t achieved something in a very long time. I wish to say years. So, that’s every part you possibly can need from a Grammy present. So there was curiosity from her, however I used to be like, “I won’t believe it until it happens.” There’s typically curiosity from superb artists. There’s at all times curiosity. It’s the Grammys. Whether or not you may power it over the road is the factor.
I’d think about you’ve had a number of plans fall by over time.
I actually attempt to shield my coronary heart and never get too enthusiastic about issues. As a result of, in the meantime, we’re engaged on the comeback of Billy Joel, the primary time he’s ever written a track in 30 years, and the Joni Mitchell dialog was occurring between me and Brandi Carlile. We’d tried to get that the 12 months earlier than and it didn’t occur. I used to be nonetheless pushing on that with Brandi. So, there was irons in fires. The entire time, Raj and Patrick are saying, “Tracy’s still in play.” They’re asking about timings and rehearsals. When she confirmed, I used to be simply so excited — but in addition so decided that we’d maintain it a shock.
And you probably did.
Because the display goes up, you simply see her arms are like “Oh, those can’t be Luke Combs’ hands.” Revealing Tracy was such a magical second. First, it’s a comeback of an absolute icon who means a lot to so many communities and music followers all around the world. However it’s additionally this stunning second between two artists. There was simply this collective stunning factor that occurred within the room, all people experiencing one thing in that second of unity and collective enjoyment that we don’t essentially get in our divisive, fractured society and world. It was simply this good second the place music actually can deliver folks collectively. Additionally, type of boldly, we put it on the finish of act one. We needed to win the belief of the viewers, to be like, “No, you’re in for a real treat tonight.”
It actually had legs. That clip was circulating for days.
I didn’t essentially notice it might be as massive because it was. I believe that the response to the present was higher than I’ve ever seen in my 5 years doing it. I believe we received that stability. There was one thing for everyone.
Who makes the seating chart? I discovered the social dynamics at play within the pit this 12 months to be simply… fascinating.
Oh, I do the desk plan.
Is that disturbing or enjoyable?
I’m meticulous about it, however I actually take pleasure in doing it. It distracts me for a second. It’s like doing the most effective ever marriage ceremony. Everybody will get a plus-one, just one plus-one. So what you’re doing is matching a pair with one other couple. Who do I put Taylor [Swift] with? Who do I put Beyoncé with? Who do I put Billie [Eilish] with? And the place do they go inside the room? I combine and match it, as a result of I would like folks strolling from completely different components of the room. I don’t know who’s going to win, however I wish to watch folks stroll by this hole right here or that hap there. That means you’ve received a great deal of stunning faces on digital camera as they go previous.
Are you signed on for subsequent 12 months?
Sure. I don’t know if I’ve received a contract, but when they need me to do it, I’m doing it!
Okay, so is your mind already spinning in regards to the prospects of the previous couple of months of music? There are new albums from Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Kacey Musgraves, Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish, all dropping albums, and this wild cultural second of the Drake-Kendrick beef. Is all that simply catnip?
I’m glad I don’t get to vote. (Laughs) It will be a really, very massive 12 months — and one other, simply from what you’ve mentioned, unimaginable 12 months of girls in music. And we’ve simply come off a 12 months the place solely one of many eight Album of the Yr nominees was male. However the motive why this is likely one of the hardest reveals to do is that you simply actually can’t do something till eight weeks earlier than with the vast majority of these artists. You possibly can speak to a Tracy Chapman and a Joni Mitchell. So though you’re mentioning a great deal of superb artists, we are able to’t even have conversations with them till the nominations come out. They wouldn’t wish to tempt destiny by having these conversations with us anyway.
You’re a 12 months out from TheLate Late Present ending. What do you miss most about having the every day gig?
I miss these morning conferences, sitting round with 12 folks that you simply love, speaking about what you’ll try this day. I miss the instantaneous feeling of reaching one thing day by day. Each single day, we’d make an hour of tv. Now I’m doing numerous reveals, however all of them take weeks or months. And I miss my pal.
James present received a number of credit score for departing from the usual late-night format. The time slot went to After Midnight, basically a recreation present, and we lately noticed John Mulaney embrace Nineteen Seventies chaos in All people’s in L.A. Do you see room for extra innovation in that area? And is that one thing that you simply’d wish to be part of sooner or later?
For certain. I believed John Mulaney’s present was actually enjoyable. It was an actual breath of recent air. However, with these reveals, you’ve at all times received to have a look at who your expertise is and simply construct round that. Lots of people would discuss how we have been bringing the British sensitivity over — Graham Norton, the place friends got here out on the similar time — however I by no means considered it like that. I felt like we had a genius on the helm in James, so we needed to construct round his persona. John Mulaney is an effective instance. That’s what they did so effectively on that present. It suited him. There’s no level taking a expertise or making them do a present that any individual else can do.
The place’re you at with The Kardashians proper now?
I don’t know if we’ve been introduced that we’re capturing season six early, however we’re. And, if you happen to see them out, you see our cameras. We’d by no means achieved a actuality present on the firm, so after we first took it over, of their transfer to Disney, I used to be nervous. I didn’t learn about what the expertise can be like. However they are surely such a delight to work with. I do know I sound like I’m saying this as a result of it’s an interview. (Laughs). However they actually work onerous, so it’s a pleasure to movie.
And past season six?
Lengthy might it proceed. There’s at all times one thing attention-grabbing occurring of their lives. I believe it’s truthful to say that the E! Present, Retaining Up with the Kardashians, was a actuality present in regards to the existence of this household. What we’ve made, and this is likely to be overblown, is a docuseries about six fascinating businesswomen who’re vastly profitable and vastly well-known and the way they address what’s truly occurring of their life. We’re not looking for storylines, like different actuality reveals may need to. There are already so many attention-grabbing issues occurring — each of their lives and on their schedules. That’s what a actuality present must be. We don’t must create storylines that an viewers is aware of aren’t true.
You’re producing Ellen DeGeneres’ stand-up particular. You’ve achieved a number of live performance specials, however not a lot comedy. What was the draw?
There’s large enchantment. She’s one of many biggest stand-ups of all time. She’s an absolute icon. And so after we met and had a dialog about it, I jumped on the probability to pitch us as producers. I’m honored that she agreed. It’s simply nice to see her on stage, mic in hand, speaking in regards to the issues that matter to her.
Once you initially met together with her, did you notice it might be billed as her last particular?
We met so early within the course of. I’m not being cute, however I don’t suppose it even got here up. I didn’t know she’d truly mentioned that it was going to be her final. (Laughs) Is that what she mentioned? If it’s going to be her final, then I’m very honored that we’re making it. Seeing her on stage doing these warm-up gigs has made me actually excited in regards to the present. It’s poignant and humorous. After we got here to America, James and I, we used to observe the Ellen Present. We have been so in awe of every part that sense of enjoyable she created.
In earlier years, I really feel such as you’ve had a number of specials within the combine — the Pals reunion, the Adele live performance, Elton John — however, throughout the board, there are fewer within the combine. Is that simply one other influence of the strike?
That Pals Reunion was mega. I actually beloved making that. Additionally, it’s now a lot extra poignant due to every part that’s occurred since. However, you’re proper, there are fewer specials occurring proper now. I believe that’s in all probability nonetheless a fallout from the strike. These specials take a very long time to pitch after which make after which reduce. As quickly because the strike was over, I believe the primary precedence was “How do we get our series back on air?” and “How do we commit to long-running things?” I don’t suppose they have been fascinated with particular. There’s much less cash within the trade for the time being and everybody’s extra prone to spend it on sequence.
What’s subsequent for you?
We’re doing a bit of particular proper now. We’re producing the handover ceremony from Paris to L.A. for the top of the Summer season Olympics. You understand how, throughout the closing ceremony, there’s a 15-minute factor the place they hand it over to the brand new host nation? I used to be tasked with the mission of what that one thing is for L.A., and we’ve been engaged on one thing actually cool.
