By Dawnielle Floyd |Staff Writer|

Nominees for Best Original Song, Sam Smith, The Weeknd, and Lady Gaga had amazing performances at the 88th Oscar Academy Awards on Feb. 28.

Reciting his first Academy Award nomination “Writing on The Wall,” from the film “Spectre” Smith took home the Oscar for best original song.

Smith’s piece was simple but classic with a black tuxedo and bow tie, he stood center stage as the the audience listened in admiration.

The Weeknd turned heads with the performance of his hit song “Earned It.” The stage was lit up with street lamps and chandeliers as an aerialist floated above his head and lithe dancers circled around the stage—The Weeknd brought a shade of grey to the stage.

Frontman Dave Grohl from Foo Fighters who wasn’t nominated for an Oscar this year, did a solo acoustic rendition to The Beatles’ “Blackbird,” in the memoriam segment.

Singer David Bowie, actors Maureen O’Hara, and Leonard Nimoy were a few recognized in the montage.

Finally, Lady Gaga recited a powerful ballad that brought the audience and viewers at home to tears, as she displayed her empowerment anthem “Till it Happens to You”.

Gaga dressed in all white, playing a grand white piano, and brought out dozens of men and women who are survivors of sexual assault, exposing their forearms with words of encouragement like, “You are Love,” “Not Your Fault,” and “Unbreakable”.

The song “Till it Happens to you” comes from the CNN Films documentary “The Hunting Ground,” which spreads awareness of the recent assaults taking place on American college and university campuses.

Student Maria Alabi stated, “I admire Lady Gaga for the performance she gave, she reminded us that sexual assault still occurs on various campuses, and allowing the survivors to show off their courage was amazing.”

When the song ended they all joined hands and raised them in unification on stage as the Dolby Theater stood for a standing ovation.

All of the nominees for Best Original Song performed amazingly, leaving their performances to go down in as the most memorable Oscar performances.