Cardi B, Gambino steal the spotlight
Los Angeles: Female musicians such as Kacey Musgraves, Cardi B and Lady Gaga shone bright at the 2019 Grammys, making history by taking home top awards in categories generally dominated by male artistes. A year after the award ceremony faced severe criticism for its lack of female representation, the Recording Academy seemed to make amends by giving women the centre stage as winners, performers and host.
Women had “stepped up” in a big way as best new artist winner Dua Lipa pointed out, in an apparent dig at outgoing Recording Academy president Neil Portnow.
Portnow had created a furore by saying last year that women needed to “step up” if they desired more representation at the Grammys. With Alicia Keys as a host, the first female emcee after a gap of 14 years, the ceremony was in for major revamp. Keys pulled the night’ s biggest surprise by inviting her “sisters” — former First Lady Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and Jada Pinkett Smith.