A star on the Walk of Fame for Pink and her tumultuous career.
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Normally, someone merely showing up to accept a trophy he’s earned doesn’t count as the shock of the night at any awards show. So give Drake credit for having the cachet to pull off the biggest surprise of the Grammys Sunday night just by actually appearing to pick up his trophy for best rap song for God’s Plan.
Gracious and grateful as he seemed, Canadian rapper Drake was not about to let past perceived snubs at this and other awards shows go unmentioned. (He’s also avoided the Junos after appearing on and even hosting that show but going unrewarded.)
He called it “the first time in Grammy history where I actually am who I thought I was for a second, so I like that.” He asked “the kids watching, those aspiring to do music, and all my peers that make music from their heart, that do things pure and tell the truth.”
Childish Gambino’s This is America also made history, becoming the first hip-hop track to win a song of the year Grammy. Lady Gaga dominated the early awards and former U.S. first lady Michelle Obama made a surprise appearance.
Gaga’s song Shallow from A Star Is Born won two Grammys, while the musician-turned actress took a third Grammy home for her song Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Going), which won for pop solo performance. Accepting the award for best pop duo/performance, Gaga took a minute out of her speech to address the issue of mental illness in the entertainment industry.
“I’m so proud to be part of a movie that addresses mental health issues,” she said. “A lot of artists deal with that. And we’ve got to take care of each other.”
Her duet partner and costar Bradley Cooper was in London attending Sunday’s BAFTA Awards.
A Star Is Born tells the story of a rising star (Gaga) and her falling mentor (Cooper), who struggles with substance abuse problems and severe depression.
“If you see somebody that is hurting, don’t look away,” Gaga said. “And if you are hurting, even though it might be hard, try to find that bravery within yourself to dive deep and go tell somebody.”
Already a show with a strong lineup of female performers and nominees, the Grammys sprang a surprise by including Obama in an opening segment that also featured Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, actress Jada Pinkett Smith and host Alicia Keys talking about the power of music.
“From the Motown records I wore out on the (Chicago) Southside to the Who Run the World songs that fuelled me through this last decade, music has always helped me tell my story,” Obama told the cheering celebrity audience in Los Angeles.
“It allows us to hear one another, to invite one another in,” Obama said.
Rapper Childish Gambino’s This is America, about police brutality and racism, won the first big award — song of the year — as well as best music video and best rap performance.
But Gambino, alter ego of actor Donald Glover and Kendrick Lamar, were among several influential stars who were no-shows at the biggest night in music.
Their absence was seen as a snub of an awards show that has often shut hip-hop artists out of its top prizes, despite rap’s dominance as the biggest U.S. music genre.
Folksinger Brandi Carlile, 37, was also among the early winners, taking two Grammys for her Americana music single The Joke and another for her album By the Way, I Forgive You.
An absent Ariana Grande, who pulled out of the show last week after a dispute with producers, won her first Grammy, best pop vocal album for Sweetener.
“This is wild and beautiful. Thank you so much,” Grande tweeted.
And after being honoured as the 2019 MusiCares person of the year on Friday, Dolly Parton took the stage at the Grammys to perform some of her country hits.
Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves kicked off the tribute in matching red ensembles with Here You Come Again and were soon joined by the Queen of Nashville in a white dress with flowing sleeves.
Cyrus took to the stage in an off-white suit with her godmother to perform Jolene, Parton’s 1973 hit that the two have dueted on in the past. Mark Ronson, Kpop group BTS, and others could be seen singing along in the audience. Maren Morris joined the duo for a stripped-down version of Neil Young’s After the Gold Rush.
Parton also performed a song from the soundtrack of the Netflix movie Dumplin’ — Red Shoes. And yes, Parton was wearing red heels.
Music producer Greg Wells won his first Grammy for the soundtrack to The Greatest Showman. The Peterborough, Ont.-raised songwriter was part of the production team who created This Is Me and other pop hits for the Hugh Jackmanled musical.
Other Canadians marking their first time as Grammy winners included Torontoraised R & B singer Daniel Caesar, who split the honour with Gabriella Wilson, known as U.S. performer H.E.R., for their song Best Part.
Fellow first-timer Willo Perron, from Montreal, nabbed the best recording package Grammy for his work on singer St. Vincent’s 2017 album Masseduction.
And Canadian-U.S. violinist Lili Haydn won as part of the quartet Opium Moon. She received the best new age album Grammy for the group’s self-titled 2018 album.
If you see somebody that is hurting, don’t look away. And if you are hurting, even though it might be hard, try to find that bravery within yourself to dive deep and go tell somebody. — Lady Gaga