INSIDE TRACK
SEE WHO IS LIKELY TO GET A GRAMMY TONIGHT
All is set for music’s biggest night.
Some of the industry’s most coveted trophies will be handed out Sunday at the Grammys — marking the first ceremony since the Recording Academy introduced a task force to tackle diversity and inclusion issues that’ve plagued the award show.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the 61st edition of the annual event.
When and where is it?
A year after its much-heralded return to New York City, the Grammys are back in Los Angeles for the 2019 show. The ceremony kicks off at 8 p.m. Eastern at the Staples Center and will air on CBS.
A red carpet show begins at 5 p.m. on Grammy.com and on The Recording Academy’s Facebook page, and will be carried on CBS’s Facebook as well.
E! News’ red carpet coverage starts at 4 p.m.
Who is hosting?
Alicia Keys makes her debut as host of the Grammys, but she’s certainly no stranger to the award show.
The singer-songwriter has won 15 Grammys out of 29 nominations in her career, most recently taking home a trophy for best R&B album in 2014 for “Girl on Fire.”
The “Empire State of Mind” singer vowed during a recent interview with The Associated Press that this year’s ceremony will celebrate “the power of music.”
“I would love to ensure the peace and the good energy in the room so that our shoulders can all drop and we can feel the true blessing of having music as a universal language," Keys said.
Who is performing?
This year’s lineup features an impressive blend of veteran performers and contemporary stars.
Diana Ross, Cardi B, Travis Scott, Lady Gaga, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Post Malone, Dua Lipa and Camila Cabello are among the big names slated to take the stage during Sunday’s show.
The performance by Ross will come in celebration of her 75th birthday March 26. Yolanda Adams, Fantasia and Andra Day, meanwhile, will come together for a tribute performance for the Aretha Franklin, who died in August at 76.
Will female representation improve?
Last year’s Grammys only saw one female performer — Alessia Cara, for best new artist — win a major solo award.
Recording Academy President Neil Portnow sparked controversy after the ceremony for suggesting it was up to women to “step up” in the music industry, before walking back that remark.
A diversity and inclusion task force was later introduced by the Recording Academy to improve representation issues, and viewers will be eager to see if anything’s changed this year.
There are multiple women in each of the song, record and album of the year categories, which wasn’t the case last year. Six of the eight nominees for best new artist are female acts as well.
Among the nominees are Cardi B and Brandi Carlile, who are both up for multiple major awards. Lady Gaga is too, nominated for song and record of the year for “Shallow,” her hit with Bradley Cooper from the movie “A Star is Born.”
Is a big night in store for Cardi B?
The wildly popular Bronxborn rapper could win the first Grammy of her career Sunday night.
She’s nominated for five awards on the strength of her album “Invasion of Privacy,” which is up for album of the year and best rap album.
Her catchy hit “I Like It” is nominated for record of the year, while the song “Be Careful” is a finalist for best rap performance. And her collaboration with Maroon 5, “Girls Like You,” is up for best pop duo/group performance.
Last year, Cardi, 26, was nominated for two awards — best rap song and best rap performance for “Bodak Yellow”— but did not win.
Will rap and R&B be recognized this year?
Kendrick Lamar leads all artists in 2019 with eight nominations, while fellow hip hop star Drake is second with seven nods. It will be interesting to see if Grammy voters give love to hip hop and R&B nominees in the night’s biggest categories Sunday, as they’ve leaned toward pop in recent years.
In 2018, for example, Bruno Mars swept song, record and album of the year, beating JAY-Z in each of those categories and Lamar and Childish Gambino in two of them. JAY-Z led all artists last year with eight Grammy nominations but didn’t win a single award.
And in 2017, Adele won each of those three categories over Beyoncé, who had released “Lemonade” the previous April. Adele said during her album of the year speech that she “can’t possibly accept this award” and called Beyoncé “the artist of my life.”
Drake, Lamar, Cardi and Childish Gambino are each nominated in at least two of the song, record and album the year categories.
Why won’t Ariana Grande be there?
Grande confirmed she won’t be attending the show after discussions fell through for her to perform.