Grammys 2019: Everything you didn't see on TV during the broadcast

LOS ANGELES – If you watched the 61st Grammy Awards, you know that Cardi B got teary onstage, Drake got cut off after a surprise appearance and Dolly Parton proved she's still a phenomenal performer.

But there are some Grammy scenes that don't make it to the telecast. Here's what we saw away from the camera lenses and backstage at Staples Center on Sunday.

Bebe Rexha was LIVING

Standing in the front, stage right, Bebe Rexha couldn't bear to sit down during Cardi B and Alicia Keys' performances. She was cheering, waving her arms and taking it all in.

Even before the show started, on the red carpet, she appreciated live singing – namely from the Backstreet Boys. The band was serenading USA TODAY, when Rexha enthusiastically joined in, singing the echoey part ("got, got, got... ") of their song "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," and announcing: "That's my favorite song ever!"

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Kacey Musgraves shared her "ultimate fantasy" 

Kacey Musgraves was one of the biggest winners of the night, pulling in four awards including the marquee album of the year award prize for "Golden Hour."

After wiping that shocked look off her face, she was calm backstage, even filling the awkward moments backstage when technical issues interrupted her Q&A with reporters. "Does anyone have any jokes?" she inquired.

Her big celebratory plans for the evening included a party, sure. "But ultimately, my end destination is waiting in bed for my Postmates," she said, though she didn't say what she'd be ordering. "Seeing that it's being delivered is kind of my ultimate fantasy."

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Old Grammys performances played during commercial breaks

Remember when Beyonce performed with Prince in 2004, or when Rihanna performed with Eminem in 2011? Grammy attendees were reminded of those iconic show moments on monitors inside of the arena during commercial breaks.

Also heard during commercial breaks: An announcer warning guests when there are "twenty seconds" until the live show returns, so they can find their seats. At one point, he also said to host Alicia Keys, "Alicia, you're doing great."

Stages were swept and readied off-camera

Though it's hard to tell while watching the telecast, the Grammys utilize two rectangular stages and one circular platform for performances. When one isn't in use, often it's being prepped for the next song. And when it's a commercial break, sometimes there's nothing to hide stagehands mopping and preparing a stage for its next occupant.

But most of the stage managing happens from behind a temporary scrim, which some spectators seated in the pit area could see through, allowing them to see what was about to happen before the rest of the audience.  If you heard screaming before Lady Gaga's performance was announced, that was them.

Dua Lipa finished her cut-off speech backstage

Neither on-site spectators or TV viewers got to hear all of best-new-artist winner Dua Lipa's acceptance speech after her mic was cut off. But the Briitsh singer did get the chance to finish her thoughts backstage.

"I was so lost when that happened, it was difficult for me," she told reporters later. "I'm still trying to figure out how I feel but it's all kinds of amazing emotions." She also wanted to thank her family, her team and her label, noting, "That completely slipped my mind."

She also gave a shout-out to "all the artists that really inspired me. Because without them, I probably wouldn’t have dreamt as big as I did."

Janelle Monae totally brought Brandi Carlile down from a stage panic attack

Backstage, Brandi Carlile admitted she was "so freaking nervous" performing "The Joke" on the Grammy stage, remarking, "As I think you'd know I'd be – I don't think I've ever done anything of that magnitude."

But as she started to play, she saw in the crowd a beautiful, calm face on a person standing up and looking at her.  

"She had total peace on her face. It was Janelle Monae," Carlile revealed. "It really touched me. I lost all my nervousness. And I just sang to her. And everyone else rose to follow her. I won't ever forget that."

A standing ovation followed. It's the same kind of applause that also was received by Dolly Parton – both when she first walked onstage and when she finished her performance – and by Childish Gambino, though  he wasn't in the building to hear the cheers when he made Grammy history by writing and performing the first rap track to win both record and song of the year.

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Women helping women ... with their gowns

After Keys opened the show by sharing the stage with Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Lopez and Michelle Obama, the ladies all exited together. And Gaga behind to help make sure Pinkett Smith's pink train made its way down the stairs.

Diana Ross, who sang in a flowing red gown, got a quick assist from her daughter, "Black-ish" star Tracee Ellis Ross, who made sure her mom got up and down the circular center stage without tripping.

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PJ Morton said he was proud of Maroon 5's halftime show

Maroon 5 was universally criticized for the Super Bowl halftime performance. But keyboardist PJ Morton, who won a Grammy for best traditional R&B performance for "How Deep Is Your Love," stood by his band's performance. He said it was an "honor" to be part of the big show.

"I think that’s the only time I’ll be able to play for 100 million people at one time," said Morton. "I’m glad I did it. I’m glad we did the work to be able to make it to that point."

Soundgarden Chris Cornell's posthumous Grammy was 'bittersweet'

Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, who died by suicide in May 2017, won a posthumous Grammy for best rock performance with "When Bad Does Good."

It was a bittersweet moment as Cornell's daughter Toni, 14, and son Christopher, 13, wearing a t-shirt with her father's picture on it, accepted the award during the Grammy pre-show telecast.

"It was very difficult," said Toni backstage. "Obviously, we miss him so much. And we saw him work on this so hard. It was really sad he couldn’t be there himself to accept the award for something he was so proud and worked so hard on."

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