Grammys 2021: Megan Thee Stallion wins big, Beyonce sets record (Ld)

Taylor Swift also entered the record books. With her Grammy for Album of the Year for “Folklore”, she became the first singer-songwriter to win the prize three times, and overall fourth musician to achieve this feat.

Megan won three Grammys — Best New Artist, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance — at the in-person live/virtual ceremony hosted by Trevor Noah on Sunday night (Monday according to India time) that had as a highlight an extended in-tribute section honouring those who died in the last one year.

“There’s going to be stages that are intricately designed to be socially distanced but at the same time engaging with the people, so it’ll feel like you’re there at some sort of music-festival-meets-awards-show-meets-special-concert just for you at home,” Noah said in his opening monologue.

Wearing an open jacket and boa, drawing a joke from host Noah about the same, Harry Styles opened the ceremony with his hit, “Watermelon sugar”, which also saw him win the Best Pop Solo performance category this year.

The opening act also included performances by Billie Eilish, joined by her brother and collaborator, Finneas, who performed “All I ever wanted”. Haim performed “The steps.”

Following the first award, DaBaby and Roddy Ricch’s performance of their song “Rockstar”, joined by a choir of older white people in what looked like judge’s robes, laid the foundation for what was going to be a vocal night for Black musicians.

Perhaps the strongest voice at this year’s Grammy Awards was that of Atlanta-based rapper Lil Baby who once again raised the issue of treatment of the Blacks in the US, with a powerful performance of his song, ‘The bigger picture,’ which was released amid the nationwide Black Lives Matter demonstrations last year.

Three awards presented during the telecast went to protest songs. “Lockdown”, released by Anderson .Paak, which was inspired by the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, won for Best Melodic Rap Performance. “I can’t breathe”, by H.E.R. won Song of the Year. “Black parade,” Beyonce’s own release, from her “Black Is King” film, won Best R&B Performance and saw her become the singer with most number of Grammys.

Beyonce’s record-breaking win came after her wins in the Best Music Vdeo category for “Brown skin girl”, which she shared with daughter Blue Ivy, and Best Rap Performance, which she shared with Megan Thee Stallion for their song “Savage (remix)”. Apart from sharing the award with Beyonce, Megan also won the inaugural award of the night — Best New Artist.

“I don’t want to cry.  It’s been a hell of a year, and we made it,” said Megan while accepting her award.

She also set the stage on fire with her performances of her songs, “Body”, “Savage” and “Up”, and with three wins out of four, she was the star of the night, till Ringo Starr announced that Billie Eilish won the Record of the Year, making it her second consecutive win in the same category. Even Eilish couldn’t believe she had won the award.

“I was going to write a speech about how you deserve this but then I was like, there’s no way they’re going to choose me,” Eilish said. “I was like, it’s hers. You deserve this. You had a year that I think is untoppable. You are a queen. I want to cry thinking about how much I love you,” she added.

The list if winners:

Record of the year: Everything I Wanted by Billie Eilish

Album of the year: Folklore by Taylor Swift

Song of the year: I can’t breathe by Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas

Best pop solo performance: Watermelon sugar by Harry Styles

Best pop duo/group performance: Rain on me by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande

Best R&B album: Bigger love by John Legend

Best R&B performance: Black parade by Beyonce

Best traditional R&B performance: Anything for you by Ledisi

Best progressive R&B album: It is what it is by Thundercat

Best R&B song: Better Than I imagined by Robert Glasper, Meshell Ndeogeocello and Gabriella Wilson

Best new artist: Megan Thee Stallion

Best rap performance: Savage by Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyonce

Best rap song: Savage by Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyonce

Best rap album: King’s disease by Nas

Bets melodic rap performance: Lockdown by Anderson .Paak

Best traditional pop vocal album: American standard by James Taylor

Best music video: Brown skin girl by Beyonce

Best song written for visual media: No Time to Die by Billie Eilish

Best compilation soundtrack for visual media: Jojo Rabbit

Best score soundtrack for visual media: Joker by Hildur Guonadottir

Best global music album: Twice as Tall by Burna Boy

Best dance recording: 10% by Kaytranada featuring Kali Uchis

Best dance/electronic album: Bubba by Kaytranada

Best contemporary instrumental album: Live at the Royal Albert Hall by Snarky Puppy

Best rock performance: Shameika by Fiona Apple

Best metal performance: Bum-Rush by Body Count

Best rock album: The new abnormal by The Strokes

Best rock song: Stay high” by Brittany Howard

Best alternative music album: Fetch the bolt cutters by Fiona Apple

Best country solo performance: When my amy prays by Vince Gill

Best country duo/group performance: 10,000 Hours by Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber

Best country album: Wildcard by Miranda Lambert

Best country song: Crowded table” by Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Lori McKenna

Best new age album: More Guitar Stories by Jim “Kimo” West

Best jazz vocal album: Secrets are the best stories by Kurt Elling Featuring Danilo Perez

Best improvised jazz solo: All blues by Chick Corea

Best jazz instrumental album: Trilogy 2 by Chick Corea, Christian McBride and Brian Blade

Best large jazz ensemble album: Data Lords by Maria Schneider Orchestra

Best Latin jazz album: Four Questions by Arturo O’farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Best gospel performance/song: Movin’ On by Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music