Female acts, rap songs win big

LO SA NGELE S » Women returned at the Grammys on Sunday as female acts won album of the year and best new artist, while rap also triumphed, with Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” becoming the first rapbased song to win record and song of the year.

Kacey Musgraves’ “Golden Hour” picked up album of the year, and Dua Lipa won best new artist.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Musgraves said. “I am very thankful. Winning doesn’t make my album any better than anybody else in that category.”

Gambino was the night’s big winner, picking up four honors, including best music video and best rap/sung performance.

Drake surprised the music world when he emerged onstage to accept the best rap song trophy but told the room of musicians that winning awards isn’t necessary if you have real fans attending your concerts and singing your songs.

Drake, who rarely attends awards shows, won the honor for his massive hit “God’s Plan.”

“You’ve already won if you have people who are singing your songs word for word, if you’re a hero in your hometown. Look, if there are people who have regular jobs who are coming out in the rain and the snow, spending their hardearned money to buy tickets to come to your shows, you don’t need this right here. I promise you. You already won,” he said at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

He tried to continue speaking but was cut off as the ceremony suddenly went to a commercial.

Cardi B made history as the first solo female to win best rap album (Lauryn Hill won as a member of the Fugees at the 1997 Grammys).

She was shaking onstage as she tried to give a thankyou speech.

“The nerves are so bad. Maybe I need to start smoking weed,” she said. “I just want to say thank you everybody that was involved ... I want to thank my daughter.”

The Grammys kicked off with a group of powerful women, including Michelle Obama and Lady Gaga, describing the role of music in their lives — a display that came a year after female voices were somewhat muted at the 2018 ceremony.

The opening contrasted with last year’s Grammys, where male acts dominated in nominations and the only woman competing for the top award, Lorde, didn’t get a chance to perform onstage.

Gaga won three awards, including best pop duo/ group performance, a win she shared with Bradley Cooper.

Gaga, now a nine-time Grammy winner, won best pop solo performance for “Joanne,” while hit “Shallow,” from “A Star is Born,” was named best song written for visual media. The song is nominated for an Oscar and also won at the Golden Globes, the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards and the Satellite Awards.

When asked about the lack of women in the top categories at the 2018 Grammys, Recording Academy CEO Neil Portnow said women need to “step up.” He later acknowledged that it was a “poor choice of words,” and his much-criticized remarks forced the academy to launch a new task force focused on inclusion and diversity.

British singer Dua Lipa alluded to Portnow’s 2018 words when she won best new artist.

“I guess this year we’ve really stepped up,” she said.

Musgraves picked up best country album for “Golden Hour,” best country solo performance for “Butterflies” and best country song for “Space Cowboy.”

There was a tie for best rap performance, but Drake was surprisingly not one of the winners. Drake’s “Nice for What” lost to Anderson Paak’s “Bubblin’” and Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future and James Blake’s “King’s Dead,” from the “Black Panther” soundtrack. Album of the year: “Golden Hour” by Kacey Musgraves Record of the year: “This Is America” by Childish Gambino

Song of the year: “This Is America” by Childish Gambino and Ludwig Goransson

Best music video: “This Is America” by Childish Gambino

Best rap album: “Invasion of Privacy” by Cardi B

Best rap song: “God’s Plan” by Drake

Best new artist: Dua Lipa Best country album: “Golden Hour” by Kacey Musgraves Best pop duo/group performance: “Shallow” by LadyGagaandBradley Cooper

Best pop vocal album: “Sweetener” by Ariana Grande

Best pop solo performance: Lady Gaga’s “Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?)” Best R&B album: “H.E.R.” by H.E.R.

Best R&B song: “Boo’d Up” by Ella Mai, DJ Mustard, Larrance Dopson and Joelle James

Best traditional pop vocal album: Willie Nelson’s “My Way”

Best rock song: “Masseduction” by St. Vincent

Best rock album: “From the Fires” by Greta Van Fleet Best rock performance: “When Bad Does Good” by Chris Cornell

Best country song: “Space Cowboy,” Kacey Musgraves Best country solo performance: Kacey Musgraves’ “Butterflies” Best duo/group country performance: Dan+Shay’s “Tequila”

Best alternative music album: “Colors,” Beck