No?l Duan

2016 Grammy Nominees: From Yearbook Photos to Red Carpet

No?l DuanAssistant Editor

Thu, February 11, 2016 at 5:41 PM UTC

Blake Shelton, Senior Year Portrait, 1994 — Even in his senior year high school portrait, country singer Blake Shelton is rocking the cowboy hat. *(Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)*

Blake Shelton, Cosmopolitan Fun Fearless Men and Women Event, 2012 — Blake Shelton’s impressive facial hair is second only to his smile. *(Photo: Getty Images)*

Bruno Mars, Senior Year Portrait, 2003 — Bruno Mars’ swag is evident early on his senior year portrait — the afro and thousand-watt smile are already memorable. *(Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)*

Bruno Mars, Grammy Awards, 2012 — With his pompadour, gleaming smile, and sunglasses, Bruno Mars is always iconic on the red carpet and stage — even before he starts dancing and singing. (Photo: Getty Images)

Carrie Underwood, Senior Year Portrait, 2001 — Country’s sweetheart, Carrie Underwood, lives up to her nickname with blonde ringlets, glossy pink lips, and a matching pink top in her Oklahoma high school senior portrait. *(Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)*

Carrie Underwood, New York Fashion Week, 2014 — Why mess with perfection? Carrie Underwood still rocks voluminous waves and pink-toned makeup. *(Photo: Getty Images)*

Common, Freshman Year Portrait, 1986 — This was when hip hop artist Common — then known as Lonnie Lynn — had some hair on his head. *(Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)*

Common, Academy Awards, 2015 — Common’s facial hair makes up for the simplicity of his bald head. *(Photo: Getty Images)*

Dave Grohl, Junior Year Portrait, 1986 — In his junior year photo, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters smiles confidently in his mullet cut. *(Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)*

Dave Grohl, ‘Sound City’ Premiere, 2013 — After drumming for Nirvana and becoming the frontman for the Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl grew his hair even longer — with a formidable goatee. *(Photo: Getty Images)*

John Legend, Senior Year Portrait, 1995 — Before he was winning multiple Grammy Awards, John Legend was acing high school, graduating as salutatorian and attending the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania. The sharp tie is a clue. *(Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)*

John Legend, Vanity Fair Oscar Party, 2014 — John Legend looks even sharper in a tuxedo. *(Photo: Getty Images)*

Justin Bieber, Eighth Grade Portrait, 2008 — Baby Bieber’s emo-skater hair is very familiar to those of us who grew up in the aughts, too. *(Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)*

Justin Bieber, Young Hollywood Awards, 2014 — Now we see a faint ‘stache and a suave hairdo. *(Photo: Getty Images)*

Kacey Musgraves, Senior Year Portrait, 2006 — The country singer from Mineola, Texas, smiles sweetly with a choppy bob. *(Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)*

Kacey Musgraves, ACM Honors, 2014 — Kacey Musgraves grew out her hair for a more polished look. *(Photo: Getty Images)*

Kanye West, Sophomore Year Portrait, 1993 — At age 16, he’s all smiles — and his haircut never changed. *(Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)*

Kanye West, Cipriani New York Gala, 2012 — These days, it’s harder to catch Kanye West smiling—but you can always count on him to dress sharp. *(Photo: Getty Images)*

Kelly Clarkson, Junior Year Portrait, 1999 — Before she won *American Idol*, Kelly Clarkson had braces — and a Rachel cut. (Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)

Kelly Clarkson, SiriusXM Studios, 2013 — Clarkson got bolder with her beauty look, from a blonde dye job to bright red lipstick. *(Photo: Getty Images)*

Meghan Trainor, Senior Year Portrait, 2012 — Pop musician Meghan Trainor always had long blonde hair, even in high school. (Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)

Meghan Trainor, American Music Awards, 2014 — While her long blonde hair hasn’t changed style, Trainor now walks the red carpets with slightly more dramatic eye makeup. *(Photo: Getty Images)*

Nicki Minaj, Senior Year Portrait, 2000 — Back when she was known as Onika Maraj at LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts, Nicki Minaj was already rocking the elaborate updos. (Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)

Nicki Minaj, MTV Movie Awards, 2015 — Nicki Minaj looks fiercer than ever with her cat eye makeup. (Photo: Getty Images)

Pharrell Williams, Junior Year Portrait, 1991 — Before he became an award winning musician and producer, Pharrell Williams’ hair did all the talking. *(Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)*

Pharrell Williams, Elle Style Awards, 2014 — Pharrell Williams still looks fly, with less hair though. *(Photo: Getty Images)*

Taylor Swift, Freshman Year Portrait, 2005 — Taylor Swift’s look is high-fashion sleek these days, but back in high school, she had natural ringlets and a goofy smile. *(Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)*

Taylor Swift, Academy of Country Music Awards, 2014 — Taylor Swift transformed from a country sweetheart to BFF of Victoria’s Secret Angels with grown-up look. *(Photo: Getty Images)*

Wiz Khalifa, Sophomore Year Portrait, 2004 — At age 16, rapper Wiz Khalifa, then known as Cameron Thomaz, had yet to get all his signature body tattoos. *(Photo: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library)*

Wiz Khalifa, Golden Globe Awards, 2016 — Wiz Khalifa has become one of the most dapper men on the red carpet, in no small part due to his face and neck tattoos. *(Photo: Getty Images)*

This Monday, the music industry’s best and brightest will come out for the Grammy Awards — and true to being the stage performers that they all are, the red carpet will be a pre-show to watch for. But before they became critically-acclaimed platinum chart toppers, this year’s nominees, like Carrie Underwood, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj and Wiz Khalifa, had surprisingly normal school portraits. Check out their beauty looks, then and now.

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