Northern Ont. woman reflects on meeting Harry Styles and her magical night at Grammy Awards
Northern Ont. woman reflects on meeting Harry Styles and her magical night at Grammy Awards
A northern Ontario woman had the rare opportunity to meet her favourite musician at the Grammys, thanks to social media platform, TikTok.
Reina Lafantaisie, 78, of Sudbury attended the Grammys as Harry Styles’ super-fan and was shocked when she was invited on stage and asked to read the winner of ‘Album of the Year.’
Lafantaisie’s granddaughter, Renee Grenon, said it all began during a family get-together during the holidays.
Grenon said the family began discussing their favourite artists and her grandmother spoke at length about Harry Styles.
“She went on a 10-minute speech to the entire room about how Harry Styles is the ultimate entertainer, he’s got it all, he’s humble, he’s a kind person and she was just speaking so passionately,” she laughed.
Grenon said she couldn’t help but secretly record the conversation and put the edited the 10-minute clip TikTok.
The next morning, the video had gone viral.
Lafantaisie said she was upset at first that her granddaughter had posted the clip to social media, but quickly changed her mind.
A few weeks later, a Grammys producer invited Lafantaisie to the show as Harry Styles’ Superfan, while Grenon was allowed to accompany her as a guest -- but wasn’t allowed to attend the show.
They said they weren’t given a lot of information about what was going to happen.
When it came down to the moment for ‘Album of the Year,’ Reina Lafantaisie said she had no idea she was going to be asked to read the winning name. (Photo courtesy of Chris Pezzello)
“We were told to tell our families to watch the Grammys, but that was it,” said Grenon.
Lafantaisie didn’t expect to meet Styles at all, let alone three times.
She had brought a card with her to give to Styles and she gave it to a producer who she’d been in touch with. She said Styles had just accepted his first award when he came walking in her direction.
“He saw me and came up to me and did a double take and said, ‘it’s you!’” she said.
The second time she saw him was when she was waiting in line to go the bathroom.
“He saw me again and came up to me and touched my face and said ‘thank you so much for the beautiful card,’” Lafantaisie said.
“How much can one woman take?!”
When it came down to the moment for ‘Album of the Year,’ Lafantaisie said she had no idea she was going to be asked to read the winning name.
“I certainly didn’t know I was going to give the award to Harry Styles,” Lafantaisie laughed.
She said she didn’t bring her glasses up on stage out of shock, and had trouble reading the name.
“I couldn’t see that well and I’m looking and there’s big enough letters and I couldn’t really see it at all,” she said.
“But then I got the focus enough and I saw it said ‘Harry’, and then I was OK and I shouted it out as hard as I could.”
Grenon, who was watching from her hotel room next door, said she was shocked to see her grandmother up on stage.
“I couldn’t believe it,” she said.
When it came down to the moment for ‘Album of the Year,’ Reina Lafantaisie said she had no idea she was going to be asked to read the winning name -- Harry Styles. (Supplied)
“I was like, ‘what is happening right now?’”
After Lafantaisie called his name, Styles came up on stage to accept the award, giving her a big hug.
“I never expected he’d run up to me and give me a hug like that,” she said.
“And when he did that, I don’t know how my knees didn’t buckle.”
Lafantaisie said there are a number of reasons why she likes the musician so much. She said she’s seen Elvis Presley twice, and Styles’ magnetism and star power remind her of him.
He’s also what she expected.
“He’s so caring and a warm human being. He is such a good human being.”
At her granddaughter’s place in Toronto before heading home to Sudbury, Lafantaisie said it’s a moment she won’t soon forget.
“I’ll remember that until the day I die,” she said.
“You’re talking to a very happy, very fulfilled grandmother.”
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When it came down to the moment for ‘Album of the Year,’ Reina Lafantaisie said she had no idea she was going to be asked to read the winning name. (Photo courtesy of Chris Pezzello)
When it came down to the moment for ‘Album of the Year,’ Reina Lafantaisie said she had no idea she was going to be asked to read the winning name -- Harry Styles. (Supplied)
