Adele shows her Fast Love for George as she scoops five Grammys
● Singer scoops five awards and beats Beyonce to best album
Adele pays an emotional tribute to her friend George Michael at the Grammy awards with her rendition of his song Fast Love although she had to ask for the song to be restarted during a ceremony marred by technical problems.
Adele scooped five awards including three of the ‘big four’ for a second time to take her Grammy total to fifteen on a memorable night in Los Angeles, however it was her shock defeat of Beyonce in the best album category that made headlines.
The Hello singer scooped the top award for her multi-million selling album 25, which Beyonce had been widely tipped to win for her politically-charged Lemonade, though conceded during her acceptance speech that she couldn’t accept the award, even reportedly breaking it in half to share with her fellow nominee.
The Beyonce album – which deals heavily with the theme of black identity – reigniting the row over a lack of recognition for black artists by the awards.
Several artists, including the likes of Kanye West and Frank Ocean, had steered clear of the ceremony in protest over decisions taken in previous years, with Ocean even refusing to submit his highly-rated album Blonde for consideration saying the Grammys “do not seem to be representing very well for people who come from where I come from, and hold down what I hold down”.
However Adele refused to let political arguments get in the way of her admiration for her heavily-pregnant contemporary.
“I can’t possibly accept this award,” she said on receiving the gong.
“The Lemonade album was just so monumental and well thought-out and beautiful and soul-bearing, we appreciate that.
“All of us artists here adore you. You are our light. I’m very humbled and I’m very grateful, but Beyonce is the artist of my life”.
The London-born singer then seemed to break the Grammy in half as a way of splitting the award, however some sources have reported that it was a genuine mistake.
The 28-year-old was the big winner on the night, also bagging the song of the year and record of the year both for 2015’s Hello, while Greg Kurstan, who produced the track, landed the gong for best producer. She would later pay an emotional tribute to friend George Michael, with her rendition of Fastlove although had to ask for the song to be restarted during a ceremony marred by technical problems.
Lady Gaga and Metallica’s duet of Moth to a Flame was beset by microphone issues meaning singer James Hetfield was inaudible throughout the first verse, causing the Metallica frontman to angrily throw his guitar at a tech at the end of the performance.
David Bowie posthumously won in all five categories he was nominated in for Blackstar, including best alternative album and best rock performance.
Beyonce wouldn’t leave the Staples Centre empty handed as she scooped the best video award for Formation as well as best urban contemporary album, before a lavish and elaborate performance of the songs Love Drought and Sandcastles.
Chance the Rapper was named best new artist and also captured best rap album for his self-released ‘Coloring Book’.
There were plenty of posthumous tributes to artists who sadly passed away in 2016, with the likes of Leonard Cohen and Sir George Martin honoured, while Bruno Mars took to the stage for soulful tribute to Prince’s Let’s Go Crazy complete with the singersongwriter’s trademark cloud shaped guitar.
However the night belonged to Adele, who replicated her three-out-of-four haul from 2012, catapulting her into fourth place when it comes to the most all-time Grammys won by a female solo artist.
“I was gone for so long and had my baby and raised him and slowly edged my way back to work. I honestly didn’t think people would still care about me,” she said backstage.
“I struggled and I still do struggle being a mum but this made me feel in some way like I have got some of myself back again.”
It can be hard recalling a time when Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, to use her full name, did not dominate the music world. It is actually nearly a decade since a TV debut on the BBC’S Later...with Jools Holland and breakthrough single “Hometown Glory.” She has been pretty much unstoppable on both sides of the Atlantic since the release of her debut album, 19, in 2008.
Within months she had won the Critics’ Choice prize at the Brit Awards and was named best new artist at the Grammys.
Since then she has won countless awards, including an Oscar, set umpteen records and notched up more than 100 million album sales. After triumphing at the Brit Awards last year with her third album 25, Adele was being hailed as one of the world’s biggest entertainment brands. Much of this was down to the sheer volume of records she can sell at time when her industry is in decline. But she has also been ranked alongside the likes of Grand Theft Auto and Star Wars.
She has over a year to wait until she celebrates her 30th birthday, but it is hard to imagine what else is left for Adele to achieve. But, strange as it may sound, there is still a lingering feeling around the singer that she has not quite had the recognition she deserves from the industry. Her down-to-earth nature and heart-on-sleeve approach to her music has won her millions of admirers, but may have something to do with the fact she is still treated less than seriously in some quarters.
Perhaps her latest haul of five Grammys will make the doubters wake up and realise that she is not only a hugely talented and determined performer, but a modern-day musical phenomenon and a shining example to aspiring songwriters everywhere.