Grammys Seat Filler Reveals How Beyoncé Avoids Fillers and Keeps Them Out of Her Space
Each year, the best of the best in music gather for one night in which artists’ achievements are celebrated by their fans and peers. Grammy Awards are given out across more than 90 categories in several different genres. So whether you’re a fan of pop, country, hip-hop, rock, or jazz, the Grammys has somethong for everyone.
There’s so much that goes into music’s biggest night and jobs that you likely aren’t even aware exist. One is that of a seat filler. That was Katelyn McLaughlin’s job in 2024 when she was a seat filler at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. Now, she’s sharing her experience about what it was like being up close and personal with some of her favorite performers.
Speaking on behalf of OLBG, McLaughlin told with Showbiz Cheat Sheet how things are coordinated backstage for all the seat fillers to know when and where to go and ensure that cameras don’t catch an empty chair in the audience when a star steps away.
“There are basically two ways it works. One is that you’re in a holding area backstage, and the seat filler coordinators watch for open spots and direct you where to go,” she explained. “You might sit in one seat all night without moving.
“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!”
