My Insider Experience as a Seatfiller at the Grammys
On April 4th, I attended the 64th Annual Grammys, hosted at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. I was not a plus-one nor did I know anyone in the Academy or in the industry. Instead, I went as a seat-filler.
Ever wonder how the crowds at award shows always seem to be completely full throughout the entire night? I did too – until about a year ago, when I first heard about seat-filling. Seat fillers are hired by award shows to make sure that the crowd never seems empty when the camera pans across the venue. Websites like Seatfillers and More give members the opportunity to be a seat filler at some of the most premier events for free, including the Grammys. The only catch is that beyond the free ticket, the rest of the financial burden is yours to pay like attire, transportation, and lodging; but for most people, being able to have the ticket alone is worth any price.
I randomly signed up for a Seatfillers and More membership one day with my friends, and quickly requested to be a Grammy’s seat filler the second it came out. I thought nothing of it, so you can imagine the shock on my face when I was notified that my request was confirmed a month later. Just one week before the Grammys were set to occur, at exactly 12:18 AM, I received the life-changing email: I was one of the 150 people chosen out of thousands of applicants. I still don’t know if my affiliation with the Recording Academy had anything to do with me getting the tickets (I am a GrammyU member), or if I was simply just extremely lucky. After reading the email, I immediately rushed to buy my plane and hotel tickets, and scrambled around my closet to find a dress that was appropriate for the event. I eventually settled for a simple black jumpsuit - something elegant enough to fit in, but not dramatic enough to stick out like a sore thumb.
Despite the excitement I felt about the event, I was also extremely intimidated by the email, which detailed a long list of rules that each seat filler had to follow. Some of the rules prohibited us from talking to talent unless they talk to you first, we could not record any part of the show, and no entry to unauthorized areas. If you were seen doing any of these things, you would be asked to leave immediately. The email also explained how seat filling works - during any commercial break, you are allowed to sit in any empty seat. Once that person comes back, you would either need to find another seat, or go back to the holding area (backstage) and wait for the next commercial break. For many people, seat filling is a game of musical chairs; if you are lucky, you may never have to move at all, and can enjoy the show in one spot the entire night. Lastly, the email warned us to “come prepared to stand for long periods of time”, and this in particular was emphasized several times in the email.
Boy were they right about standing around: for around two hours, we were simply in line, waiting to be checked in and to receive further directions. During that time, I was able to make a lot of friends, who like me, were ecstatic about the night. While the wait was long and they took away our phones, I was happy that I was able to meet people all around the world (someone even flew in from London) who came all the way to Vegas for one special night.
At around 4:00 PST or 1 hour before the show was set to start, they finally let us in the arena, and we slowly watched as the empty venue quickly filled up. I was first put on the right side of the arena and practically stayed there for the first half of the show, unlike my new friends, who were constantly getting up and moving to fill other seats. The entirety of that time, I sat 4 feet away from Paris Hilton (who was ‘sliving’ in her sparkly gown), and watched as people came up to her and asked for pictures. Silk Sonic kicked off the show with an incredible performance, and I watched performances from Olivia Rodrigo, BTS, Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga and more, all from the same seat. I also had a great view of the celebrities sitting at the round tables; I watched Lady Gaga clapping like a proud mom when Rodrigo won her first Grammy, Justin Bieber dancing to Lil Nas X, and BTS taking pictures with Megan Thee Stallion. Watching celebrities interact with each other was so interesting, and definitely a once in a lifetime experience.
Although my experience as a viewer on the side of the arena was amazing, , I was still jealous of the seat fillers who were on the main floor, who had a better view of the stage and a chance to interact with their favorite artists. After talking to the woman in charge of administering the seat fillers, I was brought down to the main floor, where I sat near the front and off to the side. There, I danced to Justin Bieber, watched in awe as Carrie Underwood vocalized, witnessed Doja Cat running past me from the bathroom to receive her award, and even Finneas sneaking out of the arena at some point. I spent the rest of the night trying to fully take in the fact that I was just a couple of feet away from some of the world’s biggest musicians.
Once the award show was approaching the end and everyone was rushing to leave the venue, I mustered up all the courage I had to strike a conversation with some of the members of BTS (who look even better in real life, if that is even possible). After doing so, I knew I was content, and that nothing else could have happened that would possibly top such a mind-blowing experience. I spent the Uber ride back to my hotel reminiscing about every little detail that happened that night.
Of course attending the Grammys was a night of great live entertainment, but it was also a wonderful learning opportunity to see how live shows operate. As someone who wants to work in the music industry eventually, getting a behind the scenes view of one of the world’s biggest music events was fascinating. I didn’t realize how rushed everything was during commercial breaks, for example. The second a performance ended, everyone was shuffling around the arena. There was a countdown to when they would start recording again, and after every countdown, they told us to clap as the camera panned across the arena. While this kind of knowledge may ruin the illusion of perfection that is shown on TV, it was still extremely insightful to know.
Although I was not able to document my own experience in video, in a way, I was glad I could soak in the experience in real time. My night at the event has inspired me to be on my phone less at concerts, and try to fully live in the moment. The Grammys program sitting on my top shelf serves as a reminder to one of the most exciting nights of my life, and keeps me motivated that I’ll be able to return to the Grammys in the future - not as a seatfiller, but as an executive in the exciting music industry.
