Amid some of music’s biggest stars at the 2019 Grammys was a surprise guest.
Michelle Obama made an unexpected appearance to talk about the influence of music—and was greeted with a standing ovation from the crowd at the awards ceremony.
“We’ve got a show to do,” the former First Lady said in reaction, before sharing how music has touched her life.
“From the Motown records I wore out on the South Side to the ‘Who Run the World’ songs that fueled me through this last decade, music has always helped me tell my story,” Obama said as she stood on stage alongside Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Jada Pinkett Smith and Grammys host Alicia Keys.
“Music helps us share our selves—our dignity and sorrows, our hopes and joys,” she continued. “It allows us to hear one another. To invite each other in. Music shows us that all of it matters. Every story within every voice. Every note within every song.”
Obama tweeted that she dropped in at the Grammys to support Keys.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Mahita Gajanan at mahita.gajanan@time.com