Grammys 2019: Kacey Musgraves wins Album of the Year on night that celebrated female artists

Music's biggest night took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles

Grammys 2019: Casey Musgrave wins Album of the Year

The 61st annual Grammy Awards have come to a close, on a night that finally seemed to acknowledge women in the music industry.

The ceremony itself was decidely female-focused, with superb performances from Janelle Monae, Cardi B, Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Lopez, Brandie Carlisle and Kacey Musgraves, plus a powerful opening speech from host Alicia Keys, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga and Michelle Obama.

The main prizes were handed out to a female majority, including H.E.R for Best R&B Album, and Cardi B, who became the first female solo artist in Grammys history to win Best Rap Album. British artist Dua Lipa, who had performed a medley of her song "One Love" with St Vincent's "My Seduction" just moments before, was awarded the prize for Best New Artist.

The biggest prize of the night, Album of the Year, went to Kacey Musgraves, who looked overwhelmed as she realised she had beaten competition from the likes of Janelle Monae, Cardi B, Drake, H.E.R and Kendrick Lamar.

The change-up follows an outcry over the lack of female winners last year, after which Recording Academy president Neil Portnow said that women needed to "step up" if they wanted to be recognised.

In response to the backlash, the Recording Academy appointed a task force led by Tina Tchen, a former chief of staff to Michelle Obama, to “identify the various barriers and unconscious biases faced by underrepresented communities” at the academy.

Despite the positive change in acknowledging women at the ceremony, it appeared that the Grammys have done little to soothe their troubled relationship with the hip hop community.

Drake made a surprise appearance to pick up his award for Best Rap Song, unfortunately appearing to get cut off as he spoke about what success meant. He and fellow hip hop artists like Childish Gambino and Kendrick Lamar have a difficult relationship with the Grammys, with Lamar snubbed for Album of the Year three times.

And while Childish Gambino won two out of the four biggest prizes of the night, for Record of the Year and Song of the Year with "This is America", he was noticeable absent from the ceremony. According to the show's longtime producer Ken Erlich, Kendrick, Chilidish Gambino and Drake all turned down offers to perform at the Grammys this year.

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“The fact of the matter is, we continue to have a problem in the hip-hop world,” Ehrlich told the New York Times. “When they don't take home the big prize, the regard of the academy, and what the Grammys represent, continues to be less meaningful to the hip-hop community, which is sad."

Key Points

• Kacey Musgraves takes home top prize for Album of the Year
• Cardi B makes history with Best Rap Album win
• Shallow wins the award for Best Pop Duo / Group Performance
• Childish Gambino wins Song of the Year and Record of the Year for This is America
• Dua Lipa wins the Grammy for Best New Artist
• Cardi B wins Best Rap Album

[10 February 2019 11:06 · roisin.oconnor]

Hello, and welcome to The Independent's liveblog for the 61st annual Grammy Awards! We'll be keeping you up to speed on all the latest news and updates, from the build-up to the ceremony to the event itself, which kicks off at 8pm (1am GMT). This year the Grammys are back at the Staples Center in LA, following a brief (controversial) stint in New York at Madison Square Gardens last year, and are being broadcast live by CBS.

[10 February 2019 11:13 · roisin.oconnor]

Across the day, we'll be reminding you off everything you can expect from tonight's ceremony, including who's nominated and who will be performing on stage at the Staples Centre, plus additional commentary on who we think are the most likely winners for the night's top prizes.

[10 February 2019 11:22 · roisin.oconnor]

To get you started, here's a look at the Grammy nominations in full 

[10 February 2019 12:00 · roisin.oconnor]

Kendrick Lamar has a difficult relationship with the Grammys, having been snubbed for Album of the Year three times. According to the show's longtime producer Ken Erlich, the rapper turned down an offer to perform at this year's ceremony, along with Drake and Childish Gambino. 

“The fact of the matter is, we continue to have a problem in the hip-hop world,” Ehrlich told the New York Times. “When they don't take home the big prize, the regard of the academy, and what the Grammys represent, continues to be less meaningful to the hip-hop community, which is sad.”

[10 February 2019 12:30 · roisin.oconnor]

In a year where British artists were mostly ignored, two nominees stand out: Ella Mai, and Jorja Smith. Here's a great piece by our features writer Alexandra Pollard on the sudden surge in R&B's popularity, and how female British artists are leading the charge

[10 February 2019 13:00 · roisin.oconnor]

Want a reminder of who'll be performing on the night? Here you go! 

[10 February 2019 13:30 · roisin.oconnor]

The Grammy organisers were undoubtedly hoping to avoid controversy this year after criticism of its 2018 show, so they can't have been thrilled when Ariana Grande pulled out of a performance over "creative differences". 

Grande disputed Grammys producer Ken Erlich’s explanation for why she turned down a performance at the event. 

Erlich previously said the pop singer, who just released her new album thank u, next, felt it was “too late for her to pull something together”. 

While she confirmed she would not be performing or attending the ceremony, Grande had a different reason for why. 

“I’ve kept my mouth shut but now you’re lying about me,” she wrote on Twitter, with a picture of the Grammys statement from Erlich. 

“I can pull together a performance over night and you know that, Ken. It was when my creativity & self-expression was stifled by you that I decided not to attend. I hope the show is exactly what you want it to be and more.”

It was previously reported that the singer had dropped out after producers had refused to let her sing ‘7 Rings’ during the show. A compromise was allegedly offered of a two-part medley beginning with the single, but that it would be up to producers what the second song was.

Grande has since said she “offered three different songs”. 

“It’s about collaboration,” she added. “It’s about feeling supported. It’s about art and honesty. not politics. not doing favours or playing games. It’s just a game y’all.. and I’m sorry but that’s not what music is to me.”

“Hope that helps everyone understand my decision,” she concluded. “I am still grateful for the acknowledgement this year.

[10 February 2019 13:40 · roisin.oconnor]

However... Erlich has since responded to Ariana Grande's claim.

“I saw those tweets and what she said. I guess it was a surprise,” he told Rolling Stone. “I will say this, and they don’t want me to say it but I’m going to say it: The thing that probably bothered me more than whatever else she said about me is when she said I’m not collaborative.”

“The fact of the matter is — and I actually wrote a little thing in the middle of the night that I’m not going to do anything about, but, I mean. You can ask Christina Aguilera, who I asked to do ‘It’s a Man’s World’ for James Brown,” Ehrlich added.

“You can ask Melissa Etheridge, who finished her cancer treatment and I put her out on stage, bald, doing Janis Joplin. You can ask Ricky Martin who overnight became the creator of the Latin music revolution. Ask Mary J. Blige, who was scared shitless to go out there and do ‘No More Drama.’ I basically worked with her to mold it. Ask H.E.R. who’s in this show.”

Ehrlich explained that he didn't speak to Grande directly, but instead went through her management team. “I don’t know if I’m good at anything else, but I understand artists and I can hear other artists in an artist,” he says. “I don’t say to people, ‘This is what you should do.’ I approach it casually and say, hey, this might be a good idea, let’s find something in the middle.”

[10 February 2019 14:00 · roisin.oconnor]

This year's presenters include current Grammy nominees Kelsea Ballerini, Leon Bridges, Luke Combs and Charlie Wilson; Grammy winners Alessia Cara, Julian Edelman, Eve, John Mayer, Bob Newhart, Smokey Robinson, Swizz Beatz and Meghan Trainor; recording artist Kane Brown, K pop sensations BTS, past Grammy nominee Cedric The Entertainer, and actors Nina Dobrev, Anna Kendrick, Jada Pinkett Smith and Wilmer Valderrama.

[10 February 2019 14:30 · roisin.oconnor]

This year's Grammy Awards are being hosted by Alicia Keys. 

The singer broke the news by releasing a video in which she's told she has been picked as the next host. In the clip, Keys can be seen looking incredulous, then rejoicing, before sharing the news with her loved ones, including her husband Swizz Beatz.

“We can make it a moment,” Keys – who has earned 15 Grammy Awards throughout her career – tells him of her forthcoming hosting performance. 

The video then shows her taking part in a promotional shoot for the ceremony – carrying out one of her first duties as host.

Last year, the Grammys were hosted by James Corden, as was the 2017 ceremony.

Keys's gig marks the first time in 14 years a woman will host the event.