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Every year, the music industry’s elite come together for an evening dedicated to applauding artists’ accomplishments, both by their fanbase and fellow musicians. The Grammy Awards feature over 90 categories spanning a wide array of genres, from pop and country to hip-hop, rock, and jazz, ensuring there’s something for every music enthusiast.
Behind the glitz and glamour of music’s most significant evening lies an intricate web of roles that often go unnoticed. One such role is that of a seat filler, a task Katelyn McLaughlin undertook at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in 2024. She recently opened up about her unique experience, revealing what it was like to be amidst some of her most admired artists.
In a discussion with Showbiz Cheat Sheet, McLaughlin, speaking for OLBG, shed light on the meticulous backstage coordination that ensures seat fillers are always in the right place at the right time, preventing any empty seats from appearing on camera when stars momentarily step away.
“There are essentially two main methods,” she described. “First, you’re stationed in a backstage holding area, where coordinators oversee open seats and guide you accordingly. Sometimes, you might end up in one spot for the entire evening without needing to move.”
“Alternatively, you might fill in for a specific celebrity while they’re absent. You remain there until they return, giving you a tap on the shoulder, and then you retreat to the holding area to await the next vacancy. At times, it gets hectic, and instead of specific directions, you’re advised to take any open seat you spot. Everyone involved is familiar with the routine, so when the original seat occupant returns, they signal you, and you make way.”
“The other option is that you’re filling a specific person’s seat, like a celebrity, while they’re gone. You sit there until they come back, tap you on the shoulder, and then you head back to the holding area to wait for the next spot. Sometimes it gets a little chaotic, and instead of being directed, they’ll just tell you to take any open seat you see. Everyone involved knows the drill, so when the person comes back, they signal you and you move.”
As for what goes on during the commercial breaks, McLaughlin said, “The lights get brighter, and people use those few minutes as an opportunity to move around, talk to people at other tables, or grab a drink. There’s a warning when the lights start to dim, and that’s your signal to get back to your seat.
“Once the lights go down, the show starts up again, and filming resumes. I was really surprised by how fast everything moved. Commercial breaks are short, so people are constantly jumping up, talking, and then rushing back to their seats. The whole process moves incredibly quickly.”
McLaughlin also revealed that while watching at home, you can actually spot who the seat fillers are since they are all wearing a special ribbon pinned to their outfit. She added that there are some “strict’ rules too as producers “insist that you’re not allowed to talk to celebrities unless spoken to. You can’t ever eat or drink anything that’s on the table, and you aren’t allowed to order a drink because you’re technically working. It feels pretty strict.”
However, she believes some seat fillers were intentionally trying to meet their idols, saying, “You can tell some seat fillers stay in certain areas to get closer to specific people.”
But no one was getting near Beyoncé.
“It was hard to get close to her,” McLaughlin remembered. “She seemed to have a lot of friends and family seated around her, which I think was her way of avoiding seat fillers coming into her space. She was wearing a big white cowboy hat, so she stood out in the crowd, and she’s honestly so beautiful.”
Finally, what really surprised McLaughlin that night was “When I was sitting near Taylor [Swift], a lot of cameras gathered around her right before she was announced as Album of the Year. It made me wonder if they already knew she was going to win. It almost felt like they were setting up to capture her reaction either way. That was my theory, anyway!”