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.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire' are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
‘We made them safer and more fun’: Here’s what’s new about e-scooters
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been gaining popularity in the capital and this season comes with some changes and updates.
Houston braces for flooding to worsen in wake of storms
High waters flooded neighborhoods around Houston on Saturday following heavy rains that have already resulted in crews rescuing hundreds of people from homes, rooftops and roads engulfed in murky water.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Canadian Auger-Aliassime reaches first Masters final in Madrid with another walkover
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to his first ATP Masters final, and he hasn't had to play all that much tennis to do it.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Golf season a summer tourism driver in Canada
Golf is a sign of spring and summer and a major driver for seasonal tourism, experts say.