A PRE-GRAMMY MOMENT WITH CLIVE

Clive Davis was in fine form as he granted audiences to assorted reporters just two days before his yearly pre-Grammy gala. He’s happy to wax eloquent about the star-studded gathering, which is the event of Grammy season, and noted that this year—with their longtime friend and champion Jon Platt due to receive the Recording Academy's Industry Icon award—JAY-Z and Beyoncé will be among the attendees, alongside such luminaries as Nancy Pelosi, Diana Ross, Serena Williams and Martina Navratilova. Possibly because his team thought we were emissaries from a more respectable publication, we snuck in with a few questions.

What stands out about this year’s gala?

Three words that categorize every party since the first one in 1976—at the end, I'm hit by a line of people, and they're saying the same three words: “The best ever.” That’s the challenge, and you have to earn it. It doesn't happen by just having a party, because this is not just a cocktail party or a dinner; this is putting on a show of 10 artists who are going to take an audience out of their seats to an emotional standing ovation.

Whitney played the party six times. Mary J., maybe five, Jamie Foxx, Alicia... I remember when, after Alicia had a platinum album and won all the Grammys, everybody was savoring it. She and I were having lunch and I said, “OK, what's your next dream? With everything that’s happening, what would be your next dream?” She thought for a few minutes and said, “You know what I'd love to happen? I'd love to sing a duet with Aretha Franklin at your party. That would be my next big dream.” And of course, my memory is filled with that great performance between the two of them.

There have been so many unique performances, like Rod Stewart singing with Lou Reed and Slash playing. That was amazing.

And we have the heads of companies from all over the world, including the key players from Spotify and Apple and iHeartRadio.

I imagine the logistics of this thing require a village.

I don't get involved with the logistics; I really just get involved with putting the show together. I don't ask people to attend; we invite them—via email now—and it fills up instantaneously. We have people from all walks of life—sports figures like Scottie Pippen, Martina, Serena Williams, legends like Diana Ross and Berry Gordy. People like Beyoncé and JAY-Z—so many people you respect and admire. It's special.

Tell us something about the upcoming documentary about the gala.

I gotta tell you, there's practically nothing I'm looking forward to more, because in terms of the history of the party, I know what we have. With Jesse Collins and Rob Ford producing, it’s going to be incredible.

What are you looking forward to at the Grammys?

I know that the plans for this year are special. Knowing that Joni Mitchell is going to be doing the Grammys is meaningful and touching; Billy Joel will be doing his new song. I'm also looking forward to it because it's not just an awards ceremony—it celebrates all-time talent. I've designed my party the same way. It's not just about the nominees. I brought back Johnny Mathis last year, Frankie Valli...

The business is going through some changes right now. What's your perspective on this moment as you talk to executives.

The group leaders, the Lucian Grainges, the Rob Stringers—they know how to run their shops. I think the bigger picture is that music is healthy. Having endowed a school in my name at NYU [the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music], I naturally think about the executives and performers of the future. Will there be a future? A few years ago, there was some doubt. But with technology and streaming and all the growth we’ve seen, music is healthy.

Pictured: Clive with (top) HITS loser Simon Glickman; Joni Mitchell; Barbra Streisand; Whitney Houston; Aretha Franklin; TDE's Punch and Top Dawg; Nancy Pelosi; and Clive's son/party amanuensis and attorney Doug Davis