LOS ANGELES: Rapper Megan Thee Stallion was named best new artist at the Grammy Awards on Sunday in a ceremony aimed at putting the coronavirus pandemic, which crushed live music, in the past.
The 26 year-old singer from Texas, known for promoting women's empowerment and body positivity, also won for her rap performance of single "Savage", featuring Beyonce.
Megan thanked God for "putting life into my body, for even being here today... It's been a hullava year, but we made it," she said.
British pop star Harry Styles, wearing a feather boa over a bare chest, and teen phenomenon Billie Eilish sporting her trademark green hair, kicked off the socially-distanced ceremony, playing in a room empty apart from a handful of other musicians.
Hosted by Trevor Noah, the hybrid ceremony of pre-recorded and live performances took place both indoors and outdoors in Downtown Los Angeles, but without the usual mass audience.
"We're hoping that this is all about what 2021 can be, full of joy, new beginnings and coming together. Never forgetting what happened in 2020, but full of hope for what is to come," Noah said.
Earlier on Sunday, BTS lost in the best pop duo or group performance against Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande for their single "Rain on Me."
The seven-member band from South Korea had been hoping to be the first K-Pop act to win a Grammy after a breakthrough year in the United States for the genre.
The top three races - album, record, and song of the year - are expected to be announced towards the end of the three and 1/2 hour telecast.
British pop singer Dua Lipa ("Future Nostalgia") and Taylor Swift ("Folklore") are seen as the top contenders for album of the year.
Kanye West took the Grammy for his gospel album "Jesus is King," while Beyonce also won best music video for "Brown Skin Girl," which she shared with her nine-year-old daughter Blue Ivy.
Eilish, who dominated last year's Grammys, won for her theme song to the upcoming James Bond film "No Time to Die." Eilish, 19, also has two other nods on Sunday for her ballad "Everything I Wanted."
Beyonce, the most nominated female artist in Grammy history with 79 career nods, went into Sunday's ceremony with a leading nine nominations, mostly from music that celebrated Black culture in a year of racial turmoil in the United States.
But she is not on the list of musicians booked for Sunday's three-hour show, which will also feature Swift, Latin star Bad Bunny, Post Malone, Miranda Lambert and Black country singer Mickey Guyton.
The winners are chosen by some 11,000 voting members of the Recording Academy.
Reuters
Mon Mar 15 2021
Megan thanked God for "putting life into my body, for even being here today... It's been a hullava year, but we made it," she said. Filepic/REUTERS
Polis Israel guna meriam air leraikan protes antikerajaan
Penunjuk perasaan menggesa Perdana Menteri Benjamin Netanyahu berundur dan mengadakan pilihan raya baharu.
Rejim Zionis mara ke Jabalia, antara kem pelarian terbesar
Lokasi operasi rejim itu tertumpu di Jabalia, salah satu daripada lapan kem pelarian terbesar di Semenanjung Gaza.
[LAPOR LANGSUNG] Suspek serangan Balai Polis Ulu Tiram tiada kaitan kumpulan pengganas - KPN
Berita terkini insiden serangan Balai Polis Ulu Tiram yang mengorbankan dua anggota polis dan mencederakan seorang yang lain, pada Sabtu.
Filem terbaharu ‘The Experts’ tampil pelakon hebat, genre berlainan buat peminat
Filem dengan idea original ini menampilkan kisah fiksyen tentang rompakan yang melibatkan sebentuk cincin permata.
Dua tahun di Ulu Tiram, pulang ke sini jasad terbujur kaku’ - Bapa
Dia tidak menitiskan air mata sepanjang berada di Johor Bahru bagi menyelesaikan urusan jenazah anak keempat daripada lapan itu.
Malaysia, Uzbekistan akan tingkatkan kerjasama ekonomi - Tengku Zafrul
Malaysia dan Uzbekistan akan memperbaharui komitmen mereka untuk mengukuhkan hubungan ekonomi sempena hubungan diplomatik selama empat dekad.
Bimbang hilang suami antara faktor wanita tidak jalani saringan kanser
Bimbang kehilangan suami dan menjadi beban kepada keluarga antara faktor menyebabkan ramai wanita di Kelantan tidak menjalani saringan awal kanser yang disediakan LPPKN di negeri ini.
SUKMA-21: Sarawak mahu cipta rekod untuk naik imej sebagai kuasa sukan
Sarawak selaku tuan rumah temasya Sukan Malaysia (SUKMA) edisi ke-21 yang berlangsung bermula 17 Ogos ini, mahu mencipta rekod kejohanan untuk menaikkan imejnya sebagai kuasa sukan di negara ini.
Kelantan warta garis panduan baharu sukan Muay Thai - Exco
Kerajaan Kelantan sudah mewartakan garis panduan baharu berhubung sukan Muay Thai di negeri itu untuk diperkasakan dan dibangunkan semula bagi melahirkan atlet bertaraf dunia.
Pertumbuhan ekonomi rantau APEC dijangka cecah 3.4 peratus pada 2024 - Laporan
Pertumbuhan ekonomi di negara-negara Kerjasama Ekonomi Asia Pasifik (APEC) dijangka mencecah 3.4 peratus pada 2024 dan perlahan kepada 2.9 peratus pada 2025-2026.
Taylor Swift pecah rekod, menang lagi Album Of The Year menerusi Grammy Awards!
Taylor Swift meraih satu lagi kemenangan menerusi kategori Album Of The Year bagi album Midnights pada Grammy Awards.
BTS cipta sejarah tercalon dalam Grammy 2021
Kumpulan sensasi Korea Selatan itu tercalon dalam kategori Duo Pop Terbaik/Persembahan Berkumpulan menerusi lagu 'Dynamite'.
Grammy 2016 : Mengapa album 25 Adele tidak dicalonkan?
Album "25" yang dilancarkan Adele November lalu laris dijual dan mendapat kritikan positif, namun tidak tercalon untuk Grammy 2016. Mengapa?