The 62nd Grammy Awards were dominated by 18-year-old Billie Eilish.
The first-time Grammy nominee secured five awards including record of the year, album of the year, song of the year, best new artist and best pop vocal album.
Eilish worked on her album “When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” with her producing partner and brother Finneas O’Connell. O’Connell also won for producer of the year and best engineered album (non-classical).
“We didn’t make this album to win a Grammy,” O’Connell said during his acceptance speech for album of the year alongside his sister. “We didn’t think it would win anything ever. We wrote an album about depression, suicidal thoughts, and climate change, and being the bad guy, whatever that means.”
“We stand up here confused and grateful,” he said.
Not only was she the youngest artist to be nominated for the top four prizes at the award show, she is also the youngest to win the top four prizes.
Lizzo, the pop and R&B star of hits like “Truth Hurts,” “Juice” and “Good as Hell,” was nominated for eight awards, the most of any other nominee. She is a first-time Grammy nominee and took home three prizes.
Ahead of the televised show, Lizzo garnered a Grammy win for best traditional R&B performance for “Jerome” and best urban contemporary album for “Cuz I Love You (Deluxe).”
She won the first award of the evening, taking home best pop solo performance for “Truth Hurts.”
Lil Nas X, the rapper behind “Old Town Road” also received six nods and took the stage with Billy Ray Cyrus, Korean Pop sensation BTS, DJ phenomenon Diplo and Mason Ramsey, the kid who went viral for yodeling at a Walmart.
Lil Nas X and Cryus won best music video and best pop duo/group performance ahead of the televised portion of the Grammy Awards.
Demi Lovato also took the stage on Sunday, marking her first performance since her 2018 overdose. She was clearly emotional while singing a new song called “Anyone,” a piece she said she wrote just a few days before her hospitalization.
Sharon and Ozzy Osborne presented the award for best rap/sung collaboration to DJ Khaled and John Legend, who had worked alongside the late Nipsey Hussle. The pair dedicated the award to Hussle and to Bryant.
Ozzy Osborne, the lead singer of Black Sabbath, recently revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Performers paid tribute to Kobe Bryant and his daughter, who passed away in a helicopter crash earlier in the day. The awards ceremony took place at Los Angeles’s Staples Center where Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Lizzo, Alicia Keys, DJ Khalid, Lil Nas X, Aerosmith and RUN-D.M.C. each paid tribute to the iconic basketball player either through words or by flashing his jersey to the crowd.
Also on the minds of performers and presenters was the contention between the Recording Academy and its CEO Deborah Dugan, which it placed on leave in the weeks leading up to the award ceremony.
The Academy claimed Dugan had created a hostile work environment in her short time at the helm. Dugan claimed her removal was retribution for raising complaints about sexual harassment and her attempts to add more diversity to the Academy.
Dugan even alleged that some of the nominations for the Grammy Awards were rigged.
“There are so many stellar female producers, artists, songwriters, engineers,” Dua Lipa, last year’s winner of best new artist said before announcing this year’s winner. “And if you’re in the business and you’re hiring, raise your sights to the amazing, talented women out there because we deserve a seat at every table.”
And the winners of the televised awards are…
Record of the Year
“Bad Guy” – Billie Eilish
Album of the Year
“When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” – Billie Eilish
Best New Artist
Billie Eilish
Best Rap/Sung Performance
“Higher” – DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle and John Legend
Song of the Year (goes to writer)
“Bad Guy” – Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
Best Rap Album
“Igor” – Tyler, The Creator
Best Comedy Album
“Sticks & Stones” – Dave Chappelle
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“Speechless” – Dan + Shay
Best Pop Solo Performance
“Truth Hurts” – Lizzo
Best Pop Vocal Album
“When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” – Billie Eilish
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
“Look Now” – Elvis Costello and The Imposters
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Old Town Road” – Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
Best Americana Album
“Oklahoma” – Keb’ Mo’
Best American Roots Song (goes to songwriter)
“Call My Name” – Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan and Sara Watkins, songwriters (I’m with Her)
Best American Roots Performance
“Saint Honesty” – Sara Bareilles
Best R&B Album
“Ventura” – Anderson .Paak
Best Urban Contemporary Album
“Cuz I Love You (Deluxe)” – Lizzo
Best R&B Song
“Say So” – PJ Morton, songwriter (PJ Morton featuring JoJo)
Best Traditional R&B Performance
“Jerome” – Lizzo
Best R&B Performance
“Come Home” – Anderson .Paak featuring André 3000
Best Alternative Music Album
“Father of the Bride” – Vampire Weekend
Best Rock Album
“Social Cues” – Cage the Elephant
Best Metal Performance
“7empest” – Tool
Best Rock Song
“This Land” – Gary Clark Jr., songwriter (Gary Clark Jr.)
Best Rock Performance
“This Land” – Gary Clark Jr.
Best Rap Performance
“Racks in the Middle” – Nipsey Hussle featuring Roddy Ricch and Hit-Boy
Best Rap Song (goes to songwriter)
“A Lot” – Jermaine Cole, Dacoury Natche, 21 Savage and Anthony White, songwriters (21 Savage featuring J. Cole)
Best Latin Pop Album
“El Disco” – Alejandro Sanz
Best Country Album
“While I’m Livin’” – Tanya Tucker
Best Country Song (goes to songwriters)
“Bring My Flowers Now” – Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth and Tanya Tucker, songwriters (Tanya Tucker)
Best Country Solo Performance
Ride Me Back Home” – Willie Nelson
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
“Finding Gabriel” – Brad Mehldau
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
“Finding Gabriel” – Brad Mehldau
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
“Mettavolution” – Rodrigo y Gabriela
Best Folk Album
“Patty Griffin” – Patty Griffin
Best New Age Album
“Wings” – Peter Kater
Best Music Film
“Homecoming” – Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Ed Burke, video directors; Dora Melissa Vargas, video producer
Best Music Video
“Old Town Road” (Official Movie) – Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus
Calmatic, video director; Candice Dragonas, Melissa Larsen and Saul Levitz, video producers
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books and Storytelling)
“Becoming” – Michelle Obama
