‘Boom, Nation Healed’: Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs’ Grammy Performance Draws Bipartisan Social Media Praise

AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

One of the highlights of Sunday’s 66th Annual Grammy Awards was the return of musician Tracy Chapman to the stage to perform her iconic song “Fast Car” with country music star and Grammy nominee Luke Combs, who was nominated for his cover of the song. And the combined forces of the two were enough to set aside partisan bickering for a few minutes on social media.

Transported through space and time back to college and endless replays on my walkman — Tracy Chapman gracing Luke Combs and all of us with FAST CAR at the #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/YGJGnJTfc9

— Christine Pelosi (@sfpelosi) February 5, 2024

Journalist David Itzkoff had a grand declaration after the performance:

Boom, nation healed

— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) February 5, 2024

It was reactions from fans of all political and cultural stripes that made it such a “special” moment, to say nothing of the fact that this was Chapman’s first live performance since 2009:

Tracy Chapman performing “Fast Car” with Luke Combs at the #Grammys was special
pic.twitter.com/wf4G2AEYyK

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) February 5, 2024

Shoutout to Luke Combs for appropriate amounts of giddy while singing next to thee Tracy Chapman.

— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) February 5, 2024

You can tell on Luke Combs face how cool he thinks it is that he’s up there singing this song WITH TRACY CHAPMAN… and he’s right. It IS so cool.

— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) February 5, 2024

It’s that good.

💫 Full clip of the incomparable Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs singing “Fast Car” at the 2024 #Grammyspic.twitter.com/4vfbhUFjT2

— Dr. Malinda S. Smith (@MalindaSmith) February 5, 2024

What if the Tracy Chapman Luke Combs “Fast Car” performance heals our nation

— Sara K. Runnels (@omgskr) February 5, 2024

American excellence. The OG Tracy Chapman & Luke Combs. Beautiful. #Grammys pic.twitter.com/k1SLelcr6n

— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) February 5, 2024

Beautiful.

Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs singing “Fast Car” at the Grammys. WATCH: pic.twitter.com/MWV4KFQrOB

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) February 5, 2024

American excellence. The OG Tracy Chapman & Luke Combs. Beautiful. #Grammys pic.twitter.com/k1SLelcr6n

— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) February 5, 2024

Taylor Swift and Jelly Roll singing along while Luke Combs defers to Tracy Chapman on every note of Fast Car cured everything wrong with me. https://t.co/c3mMxXDxOC

— Will Watson (@will_watson) February 5, 2024

I didn’t know who Luke Combs was before yesterday but now I like Luke Combs after seeing that performance and reading about how respectful he’s been towards Tracy Chapman. He definitely let her take the lead last night and I’m 😭

— Imani Gandy (Orca’s Version) ⚓️ (@AngryBlackLady) February 5, 2024

If that wasn’t enough, Chapman’s original recording of “Fast Car” shot to Number One on iTunes following Sunday night’s performance, 35 years after it was first released.