The 61st annual Grammy awards which were hosted on Sunday at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, California. They were a celebration of Black Excellence, hosted by singer/songwriter Alicia Keys who was joined by Michelle Obama, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga, who spoke on the importance of music. And while Michelle was interrupted by deafening cheers from attendees, she did speak on how music unites, helps us share ourselves and allows us to hear one another.
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Alicia Keys made history as the first female to host the Grammy awards in 14 years. The last woman who hosted the Grammy’s was award-winning American rapper and singer/songwriter Queen Latifah who hosted the Grammy’s in 2005.
The performances
With performances from Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner singer Dianna Ross who did a special 75th Diamond Diana birthday performance as an honour to her greatest musical performances. Other notable performances came from the likes of Cardi B, Alicia Keys (who at some point played on two pianos at the same time), Janelle Monae, Travis Scott, H.E.R and Chloe x Halle just to name a few.
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The tributes
An awards show wouldn’t be complete unless we paid tribute to the musical legends who have left us, which is what the ‘In Memoriam’ Tribute segment sets to do as they honoured the artists who passed away in 2018. A special tribute was played to Legendary musician Aretha Franklin who died in August 2018 as Yolanda Adams, Fantasia, and Andra Day took to the stage and performed a rendition of ‘Natural Woman’.
The 61st Annual Grammy Awards winners
Record of the year
This is America – Childish Gambino
Song of the year
This Is America — Donald Glover and Ludwig Goransson, songwriters (Childish Gambino)
Best R&B Performance
Best Part – H.E.R. Feat Daniel Caesar
Best R&B Album
H.E.R. – H.E.R.
Best Rap Performance
Kings Dead – Kendrick Lamar. Jay Rock, Future and James Black & Bubblin – Anderson .Paak
Best Rap Song
Gods Plan – Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Brock Korsan, Ron LaTour, Matthew Samuels and Noah Shebib, songwriters (Drake)
Best Rap album
Invasion of Privacy – Cardi B
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Emanon – The Wayne Shorter Quartet
Producer of the year
Pharrell Williams
Best Music Video
This is America – Childish Gambino
Best Comedy Album
Equanimity & the Bird Revelation – Dave Chapelle
Best Instrumental Composition
Blut Undo Boden (Blood and Soil) – Terence Blanchard
Best Album Notes
Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by William Ferris — David Evans, album notes writer
Best Historical Album
Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by William Ferris — William Ferris, April Ledbetter and Steven Lance Ledbetter, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer
Band Best Gospel Performance/Song
Never Alone — Tori Kelly featuring Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin and Victoria Kelly, songwriters
Best World Music Album
Freedom — Soweto Gospel Choir
SEE ALSO: Soweto Gospel Choir win their third Grammy Award
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
Black Panther — Ludwig Göransson, composer
Best Music Film
Quincy — Quincy Jones; Alan Hicks and Rashida Jones, video directors; Paula Dupré Pesmen, video producer
Best Reggae Album
44/876 — Sting and Shaggy
Best R&B Song
Boo’d Up — Larrance Dopson, Joelle James, Ella Mai and Dijon Mcfarlane, songwriters
Best Rap/Sung Performance
This Is America — Childish Gambino
Visit the Grammy Awards official site for full list of winners
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