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| 2019 Grammys: Drake Wins Best Rap Song for ‘God’s Plan’ | 2019 Grammys: Drake Wins Best Rap Song for ‘God’s Plan’ |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| • Alicia Keys is hosting the 61st annual Grammy Awards on CBS. | • Alicia Keys is hosting the 61st annual Grammy Awards on CBS. |
| • See the full list of winners and the red carpet looks. | • See the full list of winners and the red carpet looks. |
| • Drake, who had turned down an opportunity to perform at the show, accepted his best rap song Grammy for “God’s Plan.” | • Drake, who had turned down an opportunity to perform at the show, accepted his best rap song Grammy for “God’s Plan.” |
| • Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” won three awards and Lady Gaga’s “Shallow,” from the movie “A Star Is Born,” won two. | • Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” won three awards and Lady Gaga’s “Shallow,” from the movie “A Star Is Born,” won two. |
| • Camila Cabello opened the show with “Havana” and Travis Scott, Janelle Monáe and Lady Gaga also performed. | |
| LOS ANGELES — The 61st annual Grammy Awards ceremony began Sunday night with the 21-year-old singer Camila Cabello performing her song “Havana” on a neon-colored city street scene, joined by a white-suited Ricky Martin, J Balvin and Young Thug. | LOS ANGELES — The 61st annual Grammy Awards ceremony began Sunday night with the 21-year-old singer Camila Cabello performing her song “Havana” on a neon-colored city street scene, joined by a white-suited Ricky Martin, J Balvin and Young Thug. |
| But the first moment of major star power came a few minutes later, when Alicia Keys, the host, introduced “my sisters”: Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Michelle Obama and Jennifer Lopez. Each spoke about the inspiring power of music throughout their lives. | But the first moment of major star power came a few minutes later, when Alicia Keys, the host, introduced “my sisters”: Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Michelle Obama and Jennifer Lopez. Each spoke about the inspiring power of music throughout their lives. |
| Obama, drawing a thunderous welcome from the crowd at the Staples Center, was nearly drowned out as she delivered her lines. | Obama, drawing a thunderous welcome from the crowd at the Staples Center, was nearly drowned out as she delivered her lines. |
| “From the Motown records I wore out on the South Side,” she said, “to the ‘who run the world’ songs that fueled me through this last decade, music has always helped me tell my story.” | “From the Motown records I wore out on the South Side,” she said, “to the ‘who run the world’ songs that fueled me through this last decade, music has always helped me tell my story.” |
| [Read more about Michelle Obama joining Keys onstage.] | |
| The Grammys are struggling more than ever to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving pop scene, and to meet demands for more equitable gender representation. Last year just one woman accepted a solo award during the broadcast. And public uproar after a remark backstage by the head of the Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammys, that women in music should “step up” to advance their careers led to the establishment of a task force examining how the institution works. | The Grammys are struggling more than ever to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving pop scene, and to meet demands for more equitable gender representation. Last year just one woman accepted a solo award during the broadcast. And public uproar after a remark backstage by the head of the Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammys, that women in music should “step up” to advance their careers led to the establishment of a task force examining how the institution works. |
| Lady Gaga won the first award of the night, best pop duo/group performance, for “Shallow,” her duet with Bradley Cooper from their movie “A Star Is Born.” Tearful, she said she wished Cooper were with her — he was in London for the Baftas, the British film awards — and addressed a theme in the film, in which Cooper plays a singer struggling with addiction. | Lady Gaga won the first award of the night, best pop duo/group performance, for “Shallow,” her duet with Bradley Cooper from their movie “A Star Is Born.” Tearful, she said she wished Cooper were with her — he was in London for the Baftas, the British film awards — and addressed a theme in the film, in which Cooper plays a singer struggling with addiction. |
| “I’m so proud to be part of a movie that addresses mental health issues,” she said. “A lot of artists deal with that and we’ve got to take care of each other.” | “I’m so proud to be part of a movie that addresses mental health issues,” she said. “A lot of artists deal with that and we’ve got to take care of each other.” |
| Producers of the show packed it with female performers and presenters, and men were often outshined or absent. | |
| Shawn Mendes played his ballad “In My Blood” crooning at the piano before a belting Miley Cyrus joined, with bright lights behind him. Janelle Monáe performed “Make Me Feel” with bits of inspiration from Prince and Michael Jackson, but focused on female sexuality, surrounded by female dancers in tight rubber outfits. | |
| One superstar woman after another performed solo routines, as if they were fleshing out different views of diva-hood. | |
| With Cooper absent, Lady Gaga took on their power-ballad duet, “Shallow,” singing both parts herself. Dressed in a black sequined suit and high platform heels, she thrashed on the stage like a 1970s arena rocker, as pyrotechnics announced the song’s climax. | |
| Diana Ross, appearing in a wide, lacy gown, celebrated her 75th birthday with two hits from her solo career, “The Best Years of My Life” and “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand).” Winding up her performance, she ordered those in the crowd to wave their hands, saying: “Together we have no limits. You can learn, dream, unlock new doors. All is possible.” | |
| She ended with, “Happy birthday to me!” | |
| Dolly Parton had the most cross-generational appeal, singing a five-song medley with Katy Perry, Kacey Musgraves, Miley Cyrus and Maren Morris that had Smokey Robinson and the K-pop group BTS all dancing and singing along in the crowd. It ended with a nostalgic singalong on “9 to 5” that seemed to pull in the whole arena. | Dolly Parton had the most cross-generational appeal, singing a five-song medley with Katy Perry, Kacey Musgraves, Miley Cyrus and Maren Morris that had Smokey Robinson and the K-pop group BTS all dancing and singing along in the crowd. It ended with a nostalgic singalong on “9 to 5” that seemed to pull in the whole arena. |
| Shortly thereafter, Musgraves won her third Grammy of the night — best country album for “Golden Hour” — and gushingly doled out thanks to her manager, the Grammys and her fans. | Shortly thereafter, Musgraves won her third Grammy of the night — best country album for “Golden Hour” — and gushingly doled out thanks to her manager, the Grammys and her fans. |
| “I never dreamed that this record would be met with such love, such warmth, such positivity,” Musgraves said. | “I never dreamed that this record would be met with such love, such warmth, such positivity,” Musgraves said. |
| H.E.R., the stage name for the 21-year-old singer and songwriter Gabriella Wilson, who is up for best new artist and album of the year, led a slow-build version of her ballad “Hard Place.” Cardi B performed “Money” dressed in purple and black like a supervillain, while dancers around her moved and spread their legs in synchronous motion like a bawdy Busby Berkeley sequence. In the audience, the rapper Offset, her husband, stuck out his tongue suggestively. | |
| And in one of the Grammys’ signature mash-ups, which typically draw immediate eye-rolling on social media, Post Malone, whose moody rap-sung tracks have been giant streaming hits, performed with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. | And in one of the Grammys’ signature mash-ups, which typically draw immediate eye-rolling on social media, Post Malone, whose moody rap-sung tracks have been giant streaming hits, performed with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. |
| The first anticlimax of the night came when song of the year was awarded to Childish Gambino for “This Is America.” It was the first rap song ever to win the award — but Donald Glover, the actor and musician who performs as Childish Gambino, was not present to collect the honor. | The first anticlimax of the night came when song of the year was awarded to Childish Gambino for “This Is America.” It was the first rap song ever to win the award — but Donald Glover, the actor and musician who performs as Childish Gambino, was not present to collect the honor. |
| Drake, who has been absent from the Grammy ceremony in recent years, was present to accept the award for best rap song, for “God’s Plan” from his blockbuster album “Scorpion.” Before his speech was cut off, he alluded to the gulf between the Grammy establishment and hip-hop culture. | Drake, who has been absent from the Grammy ceremony in recent years, was present to accept the award for best rap song, for “God’s Plan” from his blockbuster album “Scorpion.” Before his speech was cut off, he alluded to the gulf between the Grammy establishment and hip-hop culture. |
| [Here’s the full list of Grammys winners.] | |
| “This is a business where sometimes it’s up to a bunch of people that might not understand what a mixed-race kid from Canada has to say or a fly Spanish girl from New York, or a brother from Houston,” he said. | |
| “But the point is, you’ve already won if you have people who are singing your songs word for word, you don’t need this right here,” he added, holding up the Grammy. | “But the point is, you’ve already won if you have people who are singing your songs word for word, you don’t need this right here,” he added, holding up the Grammy. |
| Along with Kendrick Lamar and Drake, Childish Gambino had been offered a performance slot on the show but turned it down. It was another chapter in the Grammys’ troubled history with hip-hop, in which stars like Jay-Z, Drake and Frank Ocean have publicly expressed disillusionment or anger at being unrewarded for the biggest prizes. By early in the show, there was no sign of Lamar in the audience. | Along with Kendrick Lamar and Drake, Childish Gambino had been offered a performance slot on the show but turned it down. It was another chapter in the Grammys’ troubled history with hip-hop, in which stars like Jay-Z, Drake and Frank Ocean have publicly expressed disillusionment or anger at being unrewarded for the biggest prizes. By early in the show, there was no sign of Lamar in the audience. |
| The song of the year award still brought some humor. Keys said that in 2004 she had lost song of the year to John Mayer, who later split his trophy in half to share it with her. He joined her to present the award, saying about their divided Grammy, “This has got to be the coolest joint custody agreement in show business history.” | The song of the year award still brought some humor. Keys said that in 2004 she had lost song of the year to John Mayer, who later split his trophy in half to share it with her. He joined her to present the award, saying about their divided Grammy, “This has got to be the coolest joint custody agreement in show business history.” |
| All but nine of the Grammys’ 84 awards were given out in a nontelevised ceremony that was attended by few of the night’s big stars. Carlile led the pre-show portion with three wins in the American roots category, taking best American roots performance and song for “The Joke,” and Americana album for “By the Way, I Forgive You.” They were the first Grammys of Carlile’s career. | All but nine of the Grammys’ 84 awards were given out in a nontelevised ceremony that was attended by few of the night’s big stars. Carlile led the pre-show portion with three wins in the American roots category, taking best American roots performance and song for “The Joke,” and Americana album for “By the Way, I Forgive You.” They were the first Grammys of Carlile’s career. |
| “Americana music is the island of the misfit toys; I am such a misfit,” Carlile said, accepting the second award. “It is the music that has shaped my life and made me who I am, and even given me my family.” | “Americana music is the island of the misfit toys; I am such a misfit,” Carlile said, accepting the second award. “It is the music that has shaped my life and made me who I am, and even given me my family.” |
| Lady Gaga and Kacey Musgraves each had two. Lady Gaga’s “Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?),” a piano version of a song first released more than two years ago, took best pop solo performance, and “Shallow” took best song written for visual media. Musgraves’s “Butterflies” won best country solo performance and “Space Cowboy” took best country song. | Lady Gaga and Kacey Musgraves each had two. Lady Gaga’s “Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?),” a piano version of a song first released more than two years ago, took best pop solo performance, and “Shallow” took best song written for visual media. Musgraves’s “Butterflies” won best country solo performance and “Space Cowboy” took best country song. |
| Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” won best rap-sung performance and best music video, and Kendrick Lamar’s song “King’s Dead,” from the “Black Panther” soundtrack, tied Anderson .Paak’s “Bubblin” for best rap performance. (The score for “Black Panther” also won an award for its composer, Ludwig Göransson.) | Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” won best rap-sung performance and best music video, and Kendrick Lamar’s song “King’s Dead,” from the “Black Panther” soundtrack, tied Anderson .Paak’s “Bubblin” for best rap performance. (The score for “Black Panther” also won an award for its composer, Ludwig Göransson.) |
| [Here’s what to look for on the Grammys red carpet.] | |
| The pre-show awards may be invisible to most of the general public, but they can set important benchmarks in the industry, and have the power to reshape careers among artists in genres far beyond pop radio. | The pre-show awards may be invisible to most of the general public, but they can set important benchmarks in the industry, and have the power to reshape careers among artists in genres far beyond pop radio. |
| One barrier was broken with the award for best engineered album, nonclassical, which went to Beck’s “Colors.” Among its winners was Emily Lazar, a studio veteran who became the first woman to win as mastering engineer in that category. | One barrier was broken with the award for best engineered album, nonclassical, which went to Beck’s “Colors.” Among its winners was Emily Lazar, a studio veteran who became the first woman to win as mastering engineer in that category. |
| “I am so grateful to be one of the people,” she said, “that young women see and they can say: ‘I can see it. I can be it. That’s a cool career, I want to go do that.’” | “I am so grateful to be one of the people,” she said, “that young women see and they can say: ‘I can see it. I can be it. That’s a cool career, I want to go do that.’” |
| Claudia Brant, a seasoned songwriter for Latin artists who won best Latin pop album for “Sincera,” noted that for all the Grammys’ power, it is the daily studio work that matters the most. | Claudia Brant, a seasoned songwriter for Latin artists who won best Latin pop album for “Sincera,” noted that for all the Grammys’ power, it is the daily studio work that matters the most. |
| “Of course it’s going to change my career, because it’s the biggest recognition I’ve ever gotten,” Brant said. “But tomorrow I’ll have a session in the studio with another artist that’s looking for good songs.” | “Of course it’s going to change my career, because it’s the biggest recognition I’ve ever gotten,” Brant said. “But tomorrow I’ll have a session in the studio with another artist that’s looking for good songs.” |
| The Grammys missed a chance for another milestone in the producer of the year category. The award went to Pharrell Williams. Had it gone to Linda Perry, she would have been the first woman to take home that award. | The Grammys missed a chance for another milestone in the producer of the year category. The award went to Pharrell Williams. Had it gone to Linda Perry, she would have been the first woman to take home that award. |
| The organizers of the Grammy Awards call it music’s biggest night. | The organizers of the Grammy Awards call it music’s biggest night. |
| The show’s three and a half hours of network television time certainly represents the music industry’s highest-profile media real estate. This year the top awards felt a little bigger as well, with the slate of nominees extended to eight from five. | The show’s three and a half hours of network television time certainly represents the music industry’s highest-profile media real estate. This year the top awards felt a little bigger as well, with the slate of nominees extended to eight from five. |
| [Never miss a pop music story: Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Louder.] | [Never miss a pop music story: Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Louder.] |
| To no one’s surprise, women were well represented among the nominees. Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Maren Morris and Kacey Musgraves all competed in the most important categories, facing artists including Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone and Childish Gambino. | To no one’s surprise, women were well represented among the nominees. Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Maren Morris and Kacey Musgraves all competed in the most important categories, facing artists including Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone and Childish Gambino. |
| Other performers included music greats like Parton and Diana Ross and rising stars like Dua Lipa and H.E.R. | Other performers included music greats like Parton and Diana Ross and rising stars like Dua Lipa and H.E.R. |
| And it wouldn’t be the Grammys without at least one dark-horse nominee. That spot belonged to Carlile, a critically respected singer-songwriter in an Americana-meets-alt-country idiom whose album “By the Way, I Forgive You,” while reaching No. 5 on Billboard’s chart, had far less impact on the culture than, say, “This Is America,” or virtually any track on Drake’s blockbuster album “Scorpion.” | And it wouldn’t be the Grammys without at least one dark-horse nominee. That spot belonged to Carlile, a critically respected singer-songwriter in an Americana-meets-alt-country idiom whose album “By the Way, I Forgive You,” while reaching No. 5 on Billboard’s chart, had far less impact on the culture than, say, “This Is America,” or virtually any track on Drake’s blockbuster album “Scorpion.” |
| The expansion of nominees in the top four categories — album, record and song of the year, and best new artist — has made the field more diverse. But it has also made it trickier to predict who will win. | The expansion of nominees in the top four categories — album, record and song of the year, and best new artist — has made the field more diverse. But it has also made it trickier to predict who will win. |
| In record of the year, for example, five songs are, more or less, hip-hop: Drake’s “God’s Plan,” Kendrick Lamar’s “All the Stars,” Post Malone’s “Rockstar,” Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” and Cardi B’s “I Like It.” They are up against “Shallow”; “The Middle,” a country-pop mashup sung by Maren Morris; and Carlile’s piano ballad “The Joke.” | |
| Will the hip-hop songs cancel one another out on Grammy voters’ ballots, thus giving a boost to a song like “The Joke”? Does “Shallow” have an advantage simply because of its association with a popular movie? Or will voters feel compelled to select a woman with a great rise-to-fame story, like Cardi B? | Will the hip-hop songs cancel one another out on Grammy voters’ ballots, thus giving a boost to a song like “The Joke”? Does “Shallow” have an advantage simply because of its association with a popular movie? Or will voters feel compelled to select a woman with a great rise-to-fame story, like Cardi B? |
| Those kinds of questions are bedeviling the industry’s usual oddsmakers, which makes the contests more intriguing. | Those kinds of questions are bedeviling the industry’s usual oddsmakers, which makes the contests more intriguing. |
| One star who was there, however, was Keys. A 15-time Grammy winner, she is also an outspoken advocate for women in music; last year, she helped found an organization, She Is the Music, that is working to promote female producers and engineers — behind-the-scenes studio jobs that have long been overwhelmingly held by men. | One star who was there, however, was Keys. A 15-time Grammy winner, she is also an outspoken advocate for women in music; last year, she helped found an organization, She Is the Music, that is working to promote female producers and engineers — behind-the-scenes studio jobs that have long been overwhelmingly held by men. |
| At the Grammys, the job of host has typically been a small one. The previous host, James Corden, took the role expecting to be on camera for only about 15 minutes. But Keys’s involvement carried symbolic weight. | At the Grammys, the job of host has typically been a small one. The previous host, James Corden, took the role expecting to be on camera for only about 15 minutes. But Keys’s involvement carried symbolic weight. |
| “Celebrating so many amazing nominees, particularly women nominees,” she told The Associated Press before the show, “is so incredibly magnificent and so many are my friends.” | “Celebrating so many amazing nominees, particularly women nominees,” she told The Associated Press before the show, “is so incredibly magnificent and so many are my friends.” |
| [Here’s the full list of Grammys winners.] | [Here’s the full list of Grammys winners.] |