20 Established 1961 Lifestyle Awards Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Images for the late Nipsey Hussle and Kobe Bryant are projected onto a screen while YG, John Legend, Kirk Franklin, DJ Khaled, Meek Mill, and Roddy Ricch perform onstage during the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards. — AFP photos

op iconoclast Billie Eilish cleaned up “We’re all feeling crazy sadness right now. Pat the Grammys on Sunday, winning Earlier today, Los Angeles, America and five awards, as the music world the whole wide world lost a hero.” mourned the loss of LA’s hometown bas- “And we’re literally standing here ketball hero Kobe Bryant with a series of heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant emotional tributes. Eilish, 18, swept the built,” said Keys, before launching into a “big four” prizes-Album of the Year, Song soulful rendition of “It’s So Hard to Say of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Goodbye (To Yesterday)” with the group New Artist-in an industry acknowledge- Boyz II Men. “He would want us to keep ment of her wave-making role as the new the vibrations high,” Keys later said, reference point for pop’s future. “What’s before singing a humorous yet soothing next? I don’t know-be in this moment is all opening monologue at the piano. A mush- I’m thinking about,” Eilish told reporters rooming crowd of people, many of them in backstage. tears, gathered near the arena to mourn the 41-year-old Bryant. Flags were flying at half-mast. ‘Lift each other up’ But the show went on, with an under- US rapper Lil Nas X (cen- stated performance from Eilish who out, hold each other down and lift each ter) and South Korean boy US singer-songwriter Billie Eilish (left) and Finneas O’Connell pose in the press thanked her fans-and fellow nominee other up.” The veterans were not shut out- band BTS perform room with the awards for Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Best New Artist, Ariana Grande-in accepting her haul of Lady Gaga won two Grammys for her onstage. Song Of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Album during the 62nd Annual Grammy trophies. “Mainly I think the fans deserve soundtrack for the hit film “A Star Is Awards. everything,” she said, standing alongside Born,” and one went to Beyonce, who her brother Finneas O’Connell, who nabbed the prize for best music film for shared in her Grammy glory while also “Homecoming.” winning his own producing and engineer- ing awards. “I feel like they have not been Billie Eilish performs onstage. talked about enough tonight because they’re the only reason any of us are here Lizzo-one of her main competitors, at all. So thanks to the fans.” And she gave who won three awards-kicked off the a shoutout to Grande, who despite five glitzy gala at the Staples Center by dedi- nominations went home empty-handed, cating it to Bryant, in the very arena saying that Grande’s “thank u, next,” had where the NBA icon made history with been a lifesaver for her. “I think it deserves the Los Angeles Lakers. “Tonight is for more than anything in the world, I love Kobe,” shouted the 31-year-old twerking you so much,” Eilish said. flautist, hours after his death in a helicop- Lil Nas X took home two Grammys for ter crash was confirmed. His 13-year-old his pop culture phenomenon “Old Town daughter and seven others also died in the Road,” while Lizzo won three out of her incident. eight nominations. “This whole week, I’d Lizzo then launched into an eye-pop- be lost in my problems, stressed out-and ping medley performance of her top hits then in an instant all of that can go away that set the tone for the night. She handed and your priorities really shift,” the 31- US rapper Lil Nas X poses in the press room with the awards for Best Music Video US rapper Lil Nas X (right) and US singer-songwriter Billy Ray Cyrus perform over to host Alicia Keys, who offered year-old superstar said, alluding to and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. onstage. another love letter to Bryant’s memory: Bryant’s death. “Let’s continue to reach

US rapper Lil Nas X performs onstage. (From left) YG, John Legend, Kirk Franklin and DJ Khaled perform onstage. US singer-songwriter Billie Eilish (left) and brother US producer Finneas accept the award for Song Of The Year for ‘Bad Guy’.