Trevor Noah hoped the Grammy Awards could signify "new beginnings" and be “full of hope” for the future.
The 37-year-old talk show host took the reins of Sunday evening's ceremony and expressed his hope that the socially-distanced ceremony would be a symbol of what the future holds, though he insisted it wasn't the time to forget the huge impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on the world over the last year.
He said in his opening monologue: " My name is Trevor Noah and I'll be your host tonight as we celebrate the last 10 years of music that got us through the last 10 years of coronavirus. I know it's been one year, but it feels like 10...
"Tonight, we are hoping that this is all about what 2021 can be, full of joy, new beginnings and coming together. Never forgetting what happened in 2020, but full of hope for what is to come. So, let's do this, people."
And he joked that the musical performances from the likes of Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, and Post Malone would help unite people.
He quipped: "That is what tonight is all about — it's about bringing us all together as only music can. Well, I mean, music and vaccines.
"This evening, we will celebrate music and hopefully forget all our problems, unless one of our problems is being obsessed with Harry Styles, because that's only going to worse, I can promise you."
And, @Trevornoah is so dang cute! pic.twitter.com/me5xgFslZ5
Much of Trevor's monologue explained how the Los Angeles ceremony would be taking place to make it coronavirus-safe, which gave him the opportunity to make some topical jokes, including a gag at the expense of the British royal family, which has been in the spotlight thanks to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey last weekend.
He said: "Tonight, we're going to celebrate some of the fantastic music that has touched our lives and saved our souls over this unprecedented year. And as you can see, we are outside.
“Meaning, we get to enjoy the great Los Angeles air — which I know maybe as dangerous as Covid, but we're willing to take the risk.
"Tonight is going to be the biggest outdoor event this year besides the storming of the Capitol.
“Because, you see, right here in this elegant, open-air tent, we will be presenting the most prestigious, sought-after, peer-voted trophies in music, giving out shiny new Grammy awards live throughout the evening.
“But we have to do it quickly because tomorrow this tent is reserved for an outdoor wedding in Malibu and I do not want to lose my security deposit.
"Now, rest assured, everyone here is following all Covid-19 protocols and guidelines. In fact, this is going to be the rare awards show where the white stuff going up people's noses is cotton swabs. It's really safe.
"So, this year's Grammys does look a little different, I'm not going to front. The whole thing is going to be different.
“But, it's also going to be more exciting, because our impressive nominees will be sitting at those tables for their awards.
"So right now, there is more tension in that tent than at a family reunion at Buckingham Palace."