Musgraves rules Grammys
Country/pop singer Kacey Musgraves has won album of the year at the 2019 Grammy Awards, finishing a ceremony that featured a star appearance from Michelle Obama — and a Kiwi cameo via the disembodied voice of Zane Lowe, who took care of introductions.
Musgraves had already taken home best country song and best country album for her critically acclaimed 2018 release Golden Hour.
Host Alicia Keys kicked off the event with a moment celebrating female empowerment, during which she invited the former first lady on to the stage with Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and Jada Pinkett-Smith.
Each artist shared what music meant to them, but when it was Obama’s turn to speak, she was drowned out by cheers for so long, she had to ask people to stop, saying: “All right, we’ve got a show to do”.
She said: “From the Motown records I wore out on the south side, to the Who Run the World songs that fuelled me through this last decade, music has always helped me tell my story . . . music helps us share ourselves, our dignity and sorrows, our hopes and joys, it allows us to hear one another, to invite each other in, it shows us that all of it matters.”
Childish Gambino’s groundbreaking hit This Is America was a major winner, taking home record of the year, best music video, best rap/ sung performance and song of the year. Gambino (aka Donald Glover) was absent from the ceremony.
Lady Gaga was also a star, winning Grammys for best song written for
visual media and best pop duo/group performance for Shallow from A Star is Born. She also took home best solo
pop performance for Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?).
She performed a fiery rendition of
Shallow, with the crowd singing along. As she accepted the best pop duo/ group award, Gaga shared a poignant message about mental health.
“If I don’t get another chance to say this, I just want to say I’m so proud to be part of a movie that addresses mental health issues, they’re so important,” she said.
“And a lot of artists, a lot of artists deal with that. And we got to take care of each other. So, 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 and take them up in your head with you.”
Ariana Grande won her first Grammy, picking up best pop vocal album for Sweetener, beating out Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello.
But she did not attend after a dispute with the Grammys producer, Ken Ehrlich, over his claim Grande had said she didn’t have adequate time to prepare to perform yesterday.
Rising RnB singer H.E.R. took home best R&B performance for Best Part (featuring Daniel Caesar) and best R&B album for her self-titled release.
Briton Dua Lipa won the coveted best new artist award and best dance Recording for Electricity.
Late Soundgarden rocker Chris Cornell received a posthumous award for best rock performance for his song When Bad Does Good.
Cornell’s daughter Toni and son Christopher called the win a “bittersweet” moment for the family.
Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys and Smokey Robinson performed a tribute medley celebrating the sounds of Motown.
Diana Ross performed two of her songs, The Best Years of My Life and Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s
Hand) — finishing her set by telling the crowd: “Happy birthday to me!”
Dolly Parton joined her own tribute performance, which was opened by Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves. Parton joined to sing her hit Here You Come Again, and was later joined by her goddaughter Miley Cyrus for her song Jolene.