Time’s Up: tearful Kesha’s rallying cry to women at ‘white rose’ Grammys

Dozens of Grammy Award performers and attendees wore or held white roses in New York on Sunday in support of the Time’s Up movement in an awards season where every awards show has confronted sexual misconduct in show business.

“My message on this is for everybody to treat each other like we want to be treated,” said Reba McEntire, winner for best roots gospel album. “It’s the golden rule.”

Singer-songwriter Ledisi, who had three nominations and who performed at the Women’s March in Las Vegas last weekend, said: “It’s important for us to call out this madness.”

Most stars wore black and a Time’s Up pin in support of the movement at the Golden Globes earlier this month. Fewer wore roses at the Grammys, but there was still a sober and serious air among those attending.

“I was just saying to someone that it’s so commonplace that most of the time women don’t even know they’ve been harassed,” said Andra Day, nominated for two R&B Grammys.

“So I think talking about it and changing the narrative about how we should be treated, particularly in this business but across all industries, is important. It’s exciting. We’re on a precipice right now.”

The sexual misconduct scandals that have rocked politics, media and Hollywood have not so far upended the music industry.

Record mogul Russell Simmons is perhaps the biggest industry name accused of sexual misconduct. Former Epic label head L.A. Reid has also faced accusations.

Inside the Grammy Awards auditorium, the acceptance speeches largely avoided the issue until the show reached its midpoint and Janelle Monae stepped up to demand safe working environments, an end to harassment and equal pay for women.

“We come in peace, but we mean business,” she said.