lifestyle TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

Music & Movies

Tori Kelly sings during the Clive Davis & The Recording Academy’s 2016 Pre-Grammy Gala Adam Lambert Elle King show in Beverly Hills, California. — AP/AFP photos Grammys set with Lamar, Swift in front he music industry was set Monday to recognize its top Andra Day artists at the Grammys, with socially conscious rapper TKendrick Lamar and pop superstar Taylor Swift leading nominations. The music world’s annual extravaganza in Los Angeles kicked off with a gala late Sunday that brought a rare performance by the surviving members of Nirvana. Lamar, whose experimental rap opus “To Pimp a Butterfly” reflects on the state of race relations in contemporary America, stands to dominate the Grammys with nominations in 11 categories. The Grammy haul is the largest number of nominations for a single artist in one night since Michael Jackson following his massive “Thriller.” Lamar’s “Alright” has emerged as an unofficial anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality. Another track on the album, “How Much a Dollar Cost,” a med- itation inspired by a panhandler in South Africa, was named by President Barack Obama as his favorite song of 2015. But Lamar faces tough competition from his sometime collabora- tor Swift, whose album “1989” was by far the best-selling album for the period. The 26-year-old, who with “1989” fully transformed from country prodigy to pop superstar, is up for seven awards including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for her chart-topping single “Blank Space.” Tied with Swift at seven nominations is Canadian R&B singer The Weeknd, who began his career in near anonymity in 2010 as he posted songs on the Internet but rose to fame last year with “Can’t Feel My Face.”

‘Uptown Funk’ Verdine White, from But a favorite for Record of the Year-which recognizes over- Grohl and Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic played a one-off left, Maurice White and all singles, whereas Song of the Year awards writers-is show together at a New York bar in 2014 following Nirvana’s Ralph Johnson of Earth, “Uptown Funk,” which spent a near-record 14 weeks at num- induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but talk of a Wind and Fire perform. ber one of the US chart. With vocals by Bruno Mars set to a broader reunion by the grunge icons has remained specula- funky beat reminiscent of early Prince, the song marked a tion. Other performers included the 70-year-old , breakthrough as a solo artist by 40-year-old veteran British who has played sparingly in recent years. She offered a spirit- producer Mark Ronson. In a sign of the wide appeal of ed performance of her signature song, “You’re So Vain,” with “Uptown Funk,” among those rooting for it to win is glam met- her son Ben Taylor on guitar. Simon flew to Los Angeles at the al pioneer Alice Cooper, who said he was astounded by the last minute in anticipation of filling in for soft rock crooner production. “It’s not my kind of music, but it’s the best record Barry Manilow, who was rushed to a hospital last week for of the year easily,” Cooper told AFP. “Ronson did an amazing complications from oral surgery. But Manilow nonetheless job on that record. He’s the next big guy,” Cooper said. performed at the party, appearing in good form and spirits. Cooper will perform at the Grammys in his group The “We had no way of knowing until this very day, today, that he Jason Scheff of the band Chicago performs. Hollywood Vampires that features both Aerosmith’s Joe Perry would be able to perform,” Davis told the crowd.-AFP and actor Johnny Depp on guitars. Cooper-who described Depp as a “killer guitar player” despite being better known for movies-promised a loud rendition of Motorhead’s “Ace of Carly Simon Spades” in memory of the metal band’s late frontman Lemmy. The Grammys will pay tribute to a number of artists who recently died, chief among them the rock icon David Bowie. Lady Gaga, whose glittery outfits and sexual frankness bear a clear influence from Bowie, has promised a “multisensory” tribute to the Starman who died last month from a publicly undisclosed battle with cancer.

‘For two geniuses’ Bowie was also honored on the eve of the Grammys at an annual party thrown by veteran music executive Clive Davis, with alternative rock great Beck playing with surviving mem- bers of Nirvana. “This is for two geniuses who are no longer with us,” Beck said as he opened “The Man Who Saved The World”-a Bowie song famously covered acoustically by Nirvana shortly before frontman Kurt Cobain’s suicide. Beck, Honoree Irving Azoff who won Album of the Year in 2015, led the song with touch- accepts the Recording es of both versions as Nirvana’s Dave Grohl, now singer and Academy President’s guitarist of Foo Fighters, returned to drums. Merit Award.

Actor Sylvester Stallone (right) gestures as his wife Barry Manilow performs on stage. Adam Lambert, left, and Jack Antonoff perform on stage. Melissa Etheridge performs on stage. Jennifer Flavin looks on.

US band Chicago performs on stage. Pat Smear, from left, Dave Grohl, Beck, and Krist Novoselic perform on stage.