What Rihanna's Performance Was Supposed To Be Like

Understandably, lots and lots of disappointed peeps are asking why Rihanna cancelled her Grammys performance. But I am here to tell you that they are all asking the wrong question. The real question should be — since we'll never get a chance to see it *shakes fist at sky* — "What was Rihanna's Grammy's performance supposed to be like?" Luckily, James Corden has answered that for us. Not because he's some sort of Rihanna clairvoyant, which would be cool, but because he had a personal, vested interest in the whole thing.

You see, like you, Corden was totally blindsided by Rihanna's Grammy's cancellation. Except while you may have been upset about missing Bad Gal Ri Ri kill it on stage because you're a fan, Corden had even more reason to be forlorn as a professional. His explanation sort of makes me want to cringe for him, as he was practically stood up in epic rom com fashion. But, selfishly, I'm too overwhelmed by how cool Rihanna's performance sounded like it was going to be to offer him a virtual hug at the moment.

On The Late Late Show With James Corden, the host gave us some "inside info, gossip on the Grammys," saying,

I get a call saying Rihanna's got this big thing planned for her song "Kiss it Better" and she's doing a whole '80s talk show thing, and what she wants you to do is be like an '80s talk show host. I had funny glasses, and I'd introduce Rihanna and then at the end she'd come and sit with me, like it was its own talk show.

It does sound like it would have been highly entertaining, right? Besides, newfound performance insight aside, Rihanna never ever gives a mediocre show. Us fans are doubly right in our assumption that we missed out on something major. Anyway, as his tale goes,

So today, I get all dressed up, this morning a guy came, measured me for an '80s suit. I get down there, do the red carpet, tell everyone I'm going to be introducing Rihanna, she's asked me personally to be part of it, it's amazing. Then I get to the end of the red carpet and they say Rihanna's had to pull out of the show. She's been pulled out, she's been told by a doctor she's not allowed to sing, it could really damage her voice.

So, yeah. Boo for him, but also boo for us. Imagine the gloriousness that could have occurred. It's totally reasonable to feel sorry for our Rihanna deprived selves right now. But that said, we can all still dream along with Corden about how things could have been given his revelation, which you can check out below.