The Grammys gala in Los Angeles on Sunday was a night for girl power, and music’s top stars delivered with a series of powerful performances — some of them edgy, some simply glorious.
Here is a look at the musical highlights of the night:
Pop provocateur Janelle Monae and queen of sass Cardi B stunned with show-stopping numbers celebrating female sexuality.
Monae, whose futurist blend of pop and psychedelic funk scored her a nomination for Album of the Year, brought a girl gang to the stage to perform the Prince-influenced “Make Me Feel.”
Some of her dancers sported the iconic pink vagina pants from her video “Pynk,” which nabbed a nomination for Best Music Video.
“Let the vagina have a monologue,” the genre-bending performer said — a lyric from her song “Django Jane.”
But it could have been the motto of the night.
Queen Cardi delivered a sexually charged rendition of her hit “Money,” sporting leopard thigh-highs, peacock-style feathers and a flapper-esque wig as she gyrated for the crowd on a rhinestone-encrusted piano.
Among those wowed by the performance from the 26-year-old rapper — who made history with her win for Best Rap Album — was rapper Offset, with whom Cardi shares a child.
The pair — who had recently separated — appeared to be going strong on the red carpet, where they lovingly touched tongues for the paparazzi.
Lady Gaga won three awards on the night, two of them for “Shallow,” the signature song from her blockbuster film “A Star Is Born.” When the moment came for her to belt out the song, she did not disappoint.
Gaga — sporting the glittering cat suit of a pop diva, not the mousy brown hair of her ingenue character in the movie — was without her duet partner, Bradley Cooper, who was in London attending Britain’s BAFTA film awards.
So she teamed up with her fellow songwriters including Mark Ronson to deliver the tune — high on dramatics, high on energy. When she belted out a guttural wail mid-song, the audience cheered.
Rising Cuban-American star Camila Cabello kicked off the glamour-dripping night with a colorful performance of her sultry hit “Havana.”
The Cuban-American raised in Miami was joined by rapper Young Thug, Colombian Latin trapper J Balvin and iconic trumpeter Arturo Sandoval for the infectious performance, which offered a bilingual portrait of diversity reflecting the massive influence of Latin music on the US charts.
And Jennifer Lopez wowed the audience with her exuberant ode to Motown that included inflections of salsa.
Beyond the performances by of-the-moment stars, Grammys night was crowned by two of the biggest stars in music history — country legend Dolly Parton, and disco diva Diana Ross.
Parton, who was honoured at a pre-gala event as the MusiCares Person of the Year for her philanthropic contributions, joined forces with a constellation of singers including her goddaughter Miley Cyrus and pop star Katy Perry.
The most memorable part of the medley came when Parton and Cyrus belted out “Jolene,” before Parton and others joined forces on her mega-hit “9 to 5.”
A powerful tribute to the late “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin saw Yolanda Adams, Fantasia Barrino and Andra Day — who donned garters and a feathered mini skirt — slay the late Queen of Soul’s classic hit “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” moving the crowd to its feet.
Ross — resplendent in a gauzy red gown — took to the stage to celebrate her upcoming 75th birthday in March.
“Together we have no limits. There’s only success ahead. And you can lead the way. Learn, dream, unlock new doors. All is possible with music and with you,” she said, before shouting out: “Happy birthday to me!”
All the winners
Album of the Year
Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour
Record of the Year
Childish Gambino – This Is America
Best New Artist
Dua Lipa
Best Rap Album
Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy
Best R&B Album
H.E.R. – H.E.R.
Best Rap Song
Drake – God’s Plan
Song of the Year
Childish Gambino – This Is America
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper – Shallow
Producer of the Year, Non – Classical
Pharrell Williams
Best Rap/Sung Performance
Childish Gambino – This Is America
Best Rap Performance
(Tie)
Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future, & James Blake – King’s Dead
Anderson .Paak – Bubblin
Best Rock Album
Greta Van Fleet – From the Fires
Best Rock Song
St. Vincent – Masseduction
Best Metal Performance
High on Fire – Electric Messiah
Best Rock Performance
Chris Cornell – When Bad Does Good
Best Urban Contemporary Album
The Carters – Everything Is Love
Best R&B Song
Ella Mai – Boo’d Up
Best Traditional R&B Performance
(Tie)
Leon Bridges – Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand
PJ Morton – How Deep Is Your Love [ft. Yebba]
Best R&B Performance
H.E.R. – Best Part [ft. Daniel Caesar]
Best Latin Jazz Album
Dafnis Prieto Big Band – Back to the Sunset
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
John Daversa Big Band – American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
The Wayne Shorter Quartet – Emanon
Best Jazz Vocal Album
Cécile McLorin Salvant – The Window
Best Improvised Jazz Solo
John Daversa – Don’t Fence Me In
Best Reggae Album
Sting & Shaggy – 44/876
Best Dance/Electronic Album
Justice – Woman Worldwide
Best Dance Recording
Silk City & Dua Lipa – Electricity [ft. Diplo and Mark Ronson]
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Kernis – Violin Concerto
Best Classical Compendium
Fuchs – Piano Concerto Spiritualist
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Monteverdi – Songs of Orpheus
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Kernis – Violin Concerto
Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
Laurie Anderson – Landfall
Best Choral Performance
McLoskey – Zealot Canticles
Best Opera Recording
Bates – The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs
Best Orchestral Performance
Shostakovich – Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11
Producer of the Year, Classical
Blanton Alspaugh
Best Engineered Album, Classical
Shostakovich – Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11
Best Pop Vocal Album
Ariana Grande – Sweetener
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Willie Nelson – My Way
Best Pop Solo Performance
Lady Gaga – Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?)
Best Country Song
Kacey Musgraves – Space Cowboy
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
Dan & Shay – Tequila
Best Country Solo Performance
Kacey Musgraves – Butterflies
Best Music Film
Quincy Jones – Quincy
Best Music Video
Childish Gambino – This Is America
Best Regional Roots Music Album
Kalani Pe’a – No ’Ane’i
Best Tropical Latin Album
Spanish Harlem Orchestra – Anniversary
Best Regional Mexican Music Album
Luis Miguel – ¡México Por Siempre!
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album
Zoe – Aztlán
Best Latin Pop Album
Claudia Brant – Sincera
Best Spoken Word Album
Jimmy Carter – Faith: A Journey for All
Best Children’s Album
Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats – All the Sounds
Best Folk Album
Punch Brothers – All Ashore
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Fantastic Negrito – Please Don’t Be Dead
Best Traditional Blues Album
Buddy Guy – The Blues Is Alive and Well
Best Bluegrass Album
The Travelin’ McCourys – The Travelin’ McCourys
Best Americana Album
Brandi Carlile – By the Way, I Forgive You
Best American Roots Song
Brandi Carlile – The Joke
Best American Roots Performance
Brandi Carlile – The Joke
Best New Age Album
Opium Moon – Opium Moon
Best Song Written for Visual Media
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – Shallow
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
Ludwig Göransson – Black Panther
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
The Greatest Showman
Best World Music Album
Soweto Gospel Choir – Freedom
Best Roots Gospel Album
Jason Crabb – Unexpected
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Lauren Daigle – Look Up Child
Best Gospel Album
Tori Kelly – Hiding Place
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
Lauren Daigle – You Say
Best Gospel Performance/Song
Tori Kelly Featuring Kirk Franklin – Never Alone
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
Steve Gadd Band – Steve Gadd Band
Best Immersive Audio Album
Eye in the Sky: 35th Anniversary Edition
Best Remixed Recording
HAIM – Walking Away (Mura Masa remix)
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
Beck – Colors
Best Historical Album
Various Artists – Voices Of Mississippi: Artists And Musicians Documented By William Ferris
Best Album Notes
Various Artists – Voices Of Mississippi: Artists And Musicians Documented By William Ferris (David Evans)
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
“Weird Al” Yankovic – Squeeze Box: The Complete Works Of “Weird Al” Yankovic
Best Recording Package
St. Vincent – Masseduction
Best Arrangement, Insruments and Vocals
Randy Waldman Featuring Take 6 & Chris Potter – Spiderman Theme
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or a Capella
John Daversa Big Band Featuring DACA Artists – Stars and Stripes Forever
Best Instrumental Composition
Terence Blanchard – Blut Und Boden (Blood And Soil)
Best Alternative Music Album
Beck – Colors
Best Musical Theater Album
The Band’s Visit
Best Comedy Album
Dave Chappelle – Equanimity & the Bird Revelation
A NAN Report
