Sting hailed the Grammys' return to the Big Apple with a performance tonight of his 1987 solo song "Englishman in New York." But only after joining host James Corden for a pre-taped karaoke session on a local subway. Reggae-fusion artist Shaggy, Sting's latest collaborator, was also part of the skit. A series of jaded riders were not amused by their impromptu performance.

Sting recently announced a full-length album with Shaggy, a little more than a year after he released the solo LP 57th & 9th. Titled 44/876, the Shaggy project was described as a new "collaborative, island-influenced album" in a recent news release.

They originally met up to work on a single song, but the session for "Don't Make Me Wait" convinced them to pursue a wider partnership. Sting and Shaggy paired up tonight to play a portion of the song as well, shifting from "Englishman in New York" to "Don't Make Me Wait." 44/876 is due on April 20.

Before tonight, Sting had already claimed 16 Grammys over the course of his career, both as a solo artist and with the Police – beginning with the 1980 rock instrumental award for the title track to Reggatta de Blanc. The Police announced their long-awaited reunion after performing "Roxanne" at the 2007 Grammys, launching a lengthy tour.

This evening's broadcast began with a performance by U2 and current nominee Kendrick Lamar. Elton John was also set to take the stage with Miley Cyrus just days after announcing his retirement from touring.

 

 

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