12 Established 1961 Lifestyle Awards Tuesday, March 16, 2021 In this handout photo US singer Beyonce accepts the Best In this handout photo Megan Thee Stallion, winner of the In this handout photo (from left) Laura Sisk, Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner, and Jonathan Low, winners of the Rap Performance award for “Savage” onstage during the Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song awards for Album of the Year award for ‘Folklore.’ 63rd Annual Grammy Awards at Los Angeles Convention ‘Savage’ and the Best New Artist award, poses in the media Center. — AFP photos room. omen won every major Grammy to make sad music to feel like it mat- at Sunday’s history-making gala, tered,” she said. “And I’m just so grateful Wa joyful night for music’s biggest and so honored because happiness is stars after a devastating year for the something we all deserve and need in industry, with Beyonce, Megan Thee our lives.” Stallion and Taylor Swift triumphing at the Brittany Howard-known for fronting the socially distanced event anchored by band Alabama Shakes-won Best Rock electrifying performances. It was a monu- Song, as Fiona Apple scored two awards mental night for Beyonce, who broke the for her album “Fetch The Bolt Cutters,” record for most career wins by a female which many critics hailed as a master- artist with 28. Swift became the first piece. Though most of the rock fields woman to win the coveted Album of the were unprecedentedly dominated by Year prize three times, this year for “folk- women, The Strokes won for Best Rock lore,” the first of her twin quarantine Album for “The New Abnormal,” their first releases. And rap sensation Megan Thee Grammy ever. Rap legend Nas also won Stallion charmed while accepting her for the first time after 14 nominations, three awards including Best New Artist- with his “King’s Disease” winning Best and disarmed viewers with a perform- Rap Album. And Nigerian superstar ance that set the Los Angeles stage Burna Boy scored his first trophy for Best ablaze. Global Music Album, ecstatically accept- Megan and Queen Bey earned two ing the prize which he said “is a big win US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, winner of awards together, for their remix of the for my generation of Africans all over the the Album of the Year award for “Folklore” rapper’s smash hit “Savage.” The world.” But it wouldn’t be the Grammys (From left) Tiara Thomas, Jeff Robinson, and H.E.R., winners of Song of the Year for “I Can’t poses in the media room. Houston rapper teased with that track without controversy. The Weeknd has Breathe”, poses in the media room. along with her single “Body,” before serv- pledged to stop submitting music for ing up a thirst trap of a duet with none awards consideration after he surprising- other than Cardi B, both of them in metal- accept her first trophy of the day, which she said had an “untoppable” year and ly received no nominations, despite a big lic gear that left little to the imagination. she shared with her daughter Blue Ivy, for deserved to win. “You deserve it, honest- year commercially. — AFP The audacious duo performed “WAP,” a best music video for “Brown Skin Girl.” ly, genuinely, this goes to her-can we just gyrating, thigh-baring celebration of But she set social media alight when cheer for Megan Thee Stallion,” she told female sexuality that ended atop an enor- she was spotted in the audience and the small audience of mainly nominees mous bed. The night featured a host of then took the stage in a figure-hugging and performers. The soulful 23-year-old impressive performances featuring Dua black leather mini wrap-dress alongside R&B performer H.E.R. pulled an upset in Lipa, DaBaby, Swift, Bad Bunny and Megan Thee Stallion to accept their prize scooping the Grammy for Song of the Record of the Year winner Billie Eilish, for Best Rap Song. “As an artist, I believe Year for her justice-minded song “I Can’t among others-a line-up that kicked off it’s my job and all of our jobs to reflect the Breathe,” which tackles Black pain and with chest-baring Harry Styles, who won times. And it’s been such a difficult time,” police brutality. his first ever award. Beyonce said, with her husband Jay-Z “I didn’t imagine that my fear and that The ceremony, which fell nearly a year looking on, as she received her history- my pain would turn into impact,” the to the day after Covid-19 grounded tours making award. “So I wanted to uplift, musician said in accepting her trophy. and forced performance venues to close, encourage, celebrate all of the beautiful And Swift snagged Album of the Year- stood as a concerted effort by the music Black queens and kings that continue to while losing all of the other five awards world to try to move past a crushing 2020 inspire me and inspire the whole world.” she was up for. She thanked her fans, by celebrating its biggest stars. And saying: “You guys met us in this imagi- there is perhaps no one bigger than Eilish strikes again, honors Megan nary world that we created, and we can’t Queen Bey, whose Best R&B But it was Billie Eilish who took Record tell you how honored we are.” It was a Performance award for her summer track of the Year-a category in which Beyonce less shiny night than predicted for British “Black Parade,” an homage to Black had two nominations, one with Megan star Dua Lipa, who was shut out of the Thee Stallion-a moment that brought to major categories but won Best Pop Vocal In this screengrab John Legend, winner of the Billie Eilish, winner of the Record of the Year power and heritage, sent her into the Best R&B Album award for “Bigger Love” per- Grammy record books. It was not even mind Beyonce’s controversial losses to Album, for her sparkly disco ball of a award for ‘Everything I Wanted’ and the Best Adele in 2017. In accepting her second record released just as the pandemic forms. Song Written for Visual Media award for ‘No clear initially that Beyonce would attend the event, when she did not Zoom in to straight Record of the Year prize, the 19- took hold. “I felt really jaded at the end of Time to Die,’ poses in the media room. year-old Eilish nodded to Megan, who my last album, where I felt like I only had In this screengrab Harry Styles, winner of the (From left) Billie Eilish and Finneas accept the Record of the Year award for “Everything I In this screengrab Brittany Howard accepts the Best Rock Song award for ‘Stay High’. Best Pop Solo Performance award for Wanted” from Ringo Starr onstage. ‘Watermelon Sugar. In this screengrab Burna Boy accepts the Best Global Music Album award for In this screengrab Lupita Infante names ‘Jesus Is King’ by Kanye West as win- In this screengrab Chika announces Tiffany Haddish as winner of the Best ‘Twice as Tall’ from Chika. ner of the Best Contemporary Christian Music Album award onstage. Comedy Album for ‘Black Mitzvah’ onstage..