Celebrating the world’s biggest stars, Sunday night’s 61st Annual Grammy Awards, which held at the Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles, United States, had so much to remember, including a few surprises here and there.
Reports describe the outing as standing the “risk of being defined more by who didn’t show up than by the actual attendees, performers and winners.”
The conspicuous absences were filled by some brilliant performances — mostly by women like Brandi Carlile, Janelle Monáe and especially Lady Gaga.
Some of the surprises on the night include Cardi B picking up the award for Best Rap Album, ahead of Pusha T, Nipsey Hustle, Travis Scott and Mac Miller.
It was also a great outing for Drake whose God’s Plan won the Best Rap Song Award.
Nigerian singer, Seun Kuti and his Egypt 80 band who was nominated in the World Best Album category for ‘Black Times’, was defeated by the Soweto Gospel Choir for their Album, ‘Freedom’.
Other nominees of the World Best Album category are, ‘Deran’ by
Bombino; ‘Fenfo’ by Fatoumata Diawara and ‘The Lost Songs Of World War II’ by
Yiddish Glory.
Seun Kuti &Egypt 80 band were also billed to perform at the premiere show of the awards ceremony.
One of the high moments recorded had Lady Gaga in the spotlight. Joined by her “Shallow” co-writers Mark Ronson and Dirty Pretty Things indie-rocker Anthony Rossomando for a Hedwig-like tour de force, Gaga took the pyro-showered Staples Center stage in a silver-sequined unitard, clubfoot platform boots, rhinestoned eyelids and bleachy bedhead. She delivered an absolutely fierce, fearless performance that rocked every bit as hard as her 2017 Grammy duet with Metallica and was as over-the-top and glamtastic as her polarizing Bowie tribute from the 2016 Grammys.
Here are some other winners:
Album of the Year
- Invasion of Privacy, Cardi B
- By the Way, I Forgive You, Brandi Carlile
- Scorpion, Drake
- H.E.R., H.E.R.
- Beerbongs & Bentleys, Post Malone
- Dirty Computer, Janelle Monáe
- Golden Hour, Kacey Musgraves
- Black Panther, Kendrick Lamar
Record of the Year
- “I Like It,” Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin
- “The Joke,” Brandi Carlile
- “This Is America,” Childish Gambino
- “God’s Plan,” Drake
- “Shallow,” Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
- “All the Stars,” Kendrick Lamar, Sza
- “Rockstar,” Post Malone
- “The Middle,” Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey
Song of the Year
- “All the Stars,” Kendrick Duckworth, Solana Rowe, Al Shuckburgh, Mark Spears, Anthony Tiffith
- “Boo’d Up,” Larrance Dopson, Joelle James, Ella Mai, Dijon McFarlane
- “God’s Plan,” Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Brock Korsan, Ron LaTour, Matthew Samuels, and Noah Shebib
- “The Middle,” Sarah Aarons, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Marcus Lomax, Kyle Trewartha, Michael Trewartha & Anton Zaslavski
- “The Joke,” Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth, and Tim Hanseroth
- “In My Blood,” Teddy Geiger, Scott Harris, Shawn Mendes, and Geoffrey Warburton
- “Shallow,” Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando & Andrew Wyatt
- “This Is America,” Donald Glover and Ludwig Göransson
Best New Artist
- Chloe x Halle
- Luke Combs
- Greta Van Fleet
- H.E.R.
- Dua Lipa
- Margo Price
- Bebe Rexha
- Jorja Smith
Best Pop Solo Performance
- “Colors,” Beck
- “Havana (Live),” Camila Cabello
- “God Is A Woman,” Ariana Grande
- “Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?),” Lady Gaga
- “Better Now,” Post Malone
Vocal Album
- Camila, Camila Cabello
- Meaning Of Life, Kelly Clarkson
- Sweetener, Ariana Grande
- Shawn Mendes, Shawn Mendes
- Beautiful Trauma, Pink
- Reputation, Taylor Swift
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
- “Fall In Line,” Christina Aguilera featuring Demi Lovato
- “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” Backstreet Boys
- “Shallow,” Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
- “Girls Like You,” Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B
- “Say Something,” Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton
- “The Middle,” Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
- Love Is Here to Stay, Tony Bennett & Diana Krall
- My Way, Willie Nelson
- Nat “King” Cole & Me, Gregory Porter
- Standards (Deluxe), Seal
- The Music … The Mem’ries … The Magic!, Barbra Streisand
Best Dance/Electronic Album
- Singularity, Jon Hopkins
- Woman Worldwide, Justice
- Treehouse, Sofi Tukker
- Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides, Sophie
- Lune Rouge, Tokimonsta
Best Dance Recording
- “Northern Soul,” Above & Beyond featuring Richard Bedford
- “Ultimatum,” Disclosure (featuring Fatoumata Diawara)
- “Losing It, “ Fisher
- “Electricity,” Silk City & Dua Lipa featuring Diplo & Mark Ronson
- “Ghost Voices,” Virtual Self
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
- The Emancipation Procrastination, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah
- Steve Gadd Band, Steve Gadd Band
- Modern Lore, Julian Lage
- Laid Black, Marcus Miller
- Protocol 4, Simon Phillips
Urban, rap, and R&B categories
Best R&B Album
- Sex & Cigarettes, Toni Braxton
- Good Thing, Leon Bridges
- Honestly, Lalah Hathaway
- H.E.R., H.E.R.
- Gumbo Unplugged Live, P.J. Morton
Best R&B Performance
- “Long As I Live,” Toni Braxton
- “Summer,” The Carters
- “Y O Y,” Lalah Hathaway
- “Best Part,” H.E.R. featuring Daniel Caesar
- “First Began,” PJ Morton
Best Traditional R&B Performance
- “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand,” Leon Bridges (TIE)
- “Don’t Fall Apart On Me Tonight,” Bettye LaVette
- “Honest,” MAJOR.
- “How Deep Is Your Love,” PJ Morton featuring Yebba (TIE)
- “Made for Love,” Charlie Wilson featuring Lalah Hathaway
Best R&B Song
- “Boo’d Up,” Larrance Dopson, Joelle James, Ella Mai & Dijon McFarlane
- “Come Through and Chill,” Jermaine Cole, Miguel Pimentel & Salaam Remi
- “Feels Like Summer,” Donald Glover & Ludwig Goransson
- “Focus,” Darhyl Camper Jr, H.E.R. & Justin Love
- “Long As I Live,” Paul Boutin, Toni Braxton & Antonio Dixon
Best Urban Contemporary Album
- Everything Is Love, The Carters
- The Kids Are Alright, Chloe x Halle
- Chris Dave And The Drumhedz, Chris Dave and the Drumhedz
- War & Leisure, Miguel
- Ventriloquism, Meshell Ndegeocello
Best Rap Album
- Invasion of Privacy, Cardi B
- Swimming, Mac Miller
- Victory Lap, Nipsey Hussle
- Daytona, Pusha T
- Astroworld, Travis Scott
