Six out of six for Bruno Mars

Madison Square Garden in New York was the venue for the 60th Grammy Awards that saw the who’s who of the music industry in attendance. The red carpet, was a flurry of couture decked celebrities, some of whom wore a white rose in recognition of the Time’s Up and #MeToo movements fighting against sexual misconduct. Lady Gaga paired her black lacy ensemble with a rose, as did Rita Ora who wanted to show her support. James Corden who played host for the show, the second time in a row, poked fun at himself. “This year, we don’t just have the most diverse group of nominees in Grammys history,” he said. “We also have, for the second year in a row, the least diverse host in Grammys history.”

Entertainment with a message

It was Kendrick Lamar who opened the show with his politically charged performance. The singer threw shade at President Donald Trump with his track LUST, he also rapped to King’s Dead with gun shots in the background as dancers wore symbolic red. Dave Chappelle interjected with a critique on America’s racist attitude. Some of the great musical moments include Sting and Shaggy teaming up for Englishman in New York, and Elton John and Miley Cyrus doing a duet on Tiny Dancer. Janelle Monae who took stage sporting a Time’s Up pin addressed the issues at hand. She said, “We come in peace, but we mean business… And to those who dare try to silence up, we offer you two words: Time’s Up. We say Time’s Up for pay inequality, discrimination or harassment of any kind, and Time’s Up for the abuse of power.” Her speech was following by Praying performed by Kesha, Cyndi Lauper, Camila Cabello, Andra Day, Julia Michaels and Bebe Rexha. The track was significant for being Kesha’s first post her conflict with producer Dr Luke, who reportedly sexually and emotionally abused her. Camila had a message for young immigrants being a Cuban-Mexican herself, explaining, “We remember that this country was built by dreams, for dreams, chasing the American dream. My parents brought me to this country with nothing in their pockets but hope.

They showed me what it means to work twice as hard, and never give up.”

Awards galore

The Grammy for best new artist went to Alessia Cara. The songstress couldn’t believe she won and admitted to pretend winning a Grammy since she was a child. The night b elonged to Bruno Mars who took home not one, but all six awards for which he was nominated. He got Record of the Year for 24K Magic, Song of the Year for That’s What I Like and Album of the Year too. Jay-Z and Beyonce sat front row with their daughter Blue Ivy, who was caught on camera telling her parents to keep it quiet. Unfortunately, Jay-Z who had eight nominations failed to take home an award. Kendrick though took home four Grammys including Best Rap Album, and Best Rap Song. 

(Clockwise: Cardi B performed at the awards; Jerry Seinfeld gets a puppy as consolation prize; Bruno Mars with his wins; Rihanna; Lady Gaga, and Kesha)

Winners

Record of the Year: 24K Magic   — Bruno Mars

Album of the Year: 24K Magic   — Bruno Mars

Song of the Year: That’s What I Like — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus and Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Best New Artist: Alessia Cara

Best Pop Solo Performance: Shape of You — Ed Sheeran

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Feel It Still — Portugal. The Man

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Tony Bennett Celebrates 90 — Various Artists; Dae      Bennett, producer

Best Pop Vocal Album: ÷ — Ed Sheeran

Best Dance Recording: Tonite    — LCD Soundsystem

Best Dance/Electronic Album: 3-D The Catalogue — Kraftwerk

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: Prototype — Jeff Lorber Fusion

Best Rock Performance: You Want It Darker — Leonard Cohen

Best Metal Performance: Sultan’s Curse — Mastodon

Best Rock Song: Run — Foo Fighters, songwriters

Best Rock Album: A Deeper Understanding — The War on Drugs

Best Alternative Music Album: Sleep Well Beast — The National

Best R&B Performance: That’s What I Like — Bruno Mars

Best Traditional R&B Performance: Redbone — Childish Gambino

Best R&B Song: That’s What I Like — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus and Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Best Urban Contemporary Album: Starboy — The Weeknd

Best R&B Album: 24K Magic     — Bruno Mars

Best Rap Performance: HUMBLE — Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap/Sung Performance: LOYALTY — Kendrick Lamar featuring Rihanna

Best Rap Song: HUMBLE —    K Duckworth, Asheton Hogan and M Williams II, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)

Best Rap Album: DAMN — Kendrick Lamar

Best Country Solo Performance: Either Way — Chris Stapleton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance: Better Man — Little Big Town

Best Country Song: Broken Halos — Mike Henderson and Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)

Best Country Album: From a Room: Volume 1 — Chris Stapleton

Best New Age Album: Dancing on Water — Peter Kater

Best Improvised Jazz Solo: Miles Beyond — John McLaughlin, soloist

Best Jazz Vocal Album: Dreams and Daggers — Cécile McLorin Salvant

Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Rebirth — Billy Childs

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Bringin’ It — Christian McBride Big Band

Best Latin Jazz Album: Jazz Tango — Pablo Ziegler Trio

Best Gospel Performance/Song: Never Have to Be Alone — CeCe Winans; Dwan Hill & Alvin Love III, songwriters

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: What a Beautiful Name — Hillsong Worship; Ben Fielding & Brooke Ligertwood, songwriters

Best Gospel Album: Let Them Fall in Love — CeCe Winans

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: Chain Breaker — Zach Williams

Best Roots Gospel Album: Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope — Reba McEntire

Best Latin Pop Album: El Dorado — Shakira

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album: Residente     — Residente

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano): Arriero Somos Versiones Acústicas — Aida Cuevas

Best Tropical Latin Album: Salsa Big Band — Rubén Blades con Roberto Delgado y Orquesta

Best American Roots Performance: Killer Diller Blues — Alabama Shakes

Best American Roots Song: If We Were Vampires — Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit)

Best Americana Album: The Nashville Sound — Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Best Bluegrass Album: tie, Laws of Gravity — The Infamous Stringdusters and All the Rage — In Concert Volume One — Rhonda Vincent and the Rage

Best Traditional Blues Album: Blue & Lonesome — The Rolling Stones

Best Contemporary Blues Album: TajMo — Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’

Best Folk Album: Mental Illness — Aimee Mann

Best Regional Roots Music Album: Kalenda — Lost Bayou Ramblers

Best Reggae Album: Stony Hill — Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley

Best World Music Album: Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration — Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Best Children’s Album: Feel What U Feel — Lisa Loeb

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books and Storytelling): The Princess Diarist — Carrie Fisher

Best Comedy Album: The Age of Spin/Deep in the Heart of Texas — Dave Chappelle

Best Musical Theater Album: Dear Evan Hansen — Ben Platt, principal soloist; Alex Lacamoire, Stacey Mindich, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, producers; Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, composers/lyricists

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: La La Land — Various Artists

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: La La Land — Justin Hurwitz, composer

Best Song Written for Visual Media: How Far I’ll Go — Lin-Manuel Miranda, songwriter (Auli’i Cravalho)

Best Instrumental Composition: Three Revolutions — Arturo O’Farrill, composer (Arturo O’Farrill and Chucho Valdés)

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella: Escapades for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra From Catch Me If You Can — John Williams, arranger (John Williams)

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals: Putin — Randy Newman, arranger (Randy Newman)

Best Music Video: HUMBLE — Kendrick Lamar

Producer of the Year, Classical: David Frost