Grammy Awards 2019 Winners and Show Stealers
If you didn't tune into the 2019 GRAMMYs, you missed a memorable show led by female performers and presenters.
Kacey Musgraves and Childish Gambino each won four awards. Cardi B. became the first solo woman to win Best Rap Album. Bradley Cooper won a Grammy alongside A Star Is Born costar Lady Gaga. H.E.R. won two awards, including Best R&B album. Ariana Grande won her first Grammy for Sweetener. Did we mention Bradley Cooper won a Grammy?
Here's our recap of music's biggest night -- from the big winners to the best moments.
H.E.R.: Best R&B album for H.E.R.
Best R&B Performance for "Best Part"
The R&B rising star known as H.E.R., a.k.a. Gabriella Wilson, accepted her second award of the night for Best R&B Album for her self-titled H.E.R., but not before clarifying that it was not technically for an album, but an EP.
"I'm speechless right now," she said, holding back tears after accepting her golden gramophone.
H.E.R. called the award, presented to her by BTS, "unbelievable."
Kacey Musgraves: Best Country Album for Golden Hour
Best Country Song for "Space Cowboy"
Best Country Solo Performance for "Butterflies"
Album of the Year for Golden Hour
At what point does an artist become, not only the year's queen of country music, but, the year's queen of music? Winning four Grammys seems like a good start. The takeaway from her speech, in her own words? "Art is thriving."
Childish Gambino: Record of the Year for "This Is America"
Song of the Year for “This is America”
Best Music Video for "This Is America"
Best Rap/Sung Performance for "This Is America"
Although Donald Glover wasn't present to accept the award, host Alicia Keyes' enthusiasm to accept the award in his honor created a moment in itself. Watch below:
Dua Lipa: Best New Artist
This award seems like it was a long time coming for London-born artist Dua Lipa. The two-time Brit Award winner's single, New Rules, off of her self-titled debut album, reached number one in the UK, and charted in the top-10 in the United States, peaking at number 6.
She said in her acceptance speech that she was "honored to be nominated alongside so many incredible female artists," and added that she thinks women in music "really stepped up" this year.
Lady Gaga: Best Pop Solo Performance for “Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?)"
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Shallow" (alongside Bradley Cooper)
Best Song Written for Visual Media for "Shallow"
Lady Gaga has long ago proven her singer/songwriter cred, so it's not surprising that she added three more gramophones to her collection at the 2019 Grammys.
What made the night special is that she shared her Best Pop Duo/Group performance win with A Star Is Born costar Bradley Cooper.
Although Cooper was in the UK at the BAFTAs, Gaga made sure he was there in spirit, delivering this message from across the pond: "Bradley, I loved singing this song with you."
Ariana Grande: Best Pop Vocal Album for Sweetener
Although she skipped the ceremony after a disagreement with producers over which songs would be performed, Ariana Grande still snagged her first Grammy at last night's show.
She tweeted after the awards that, even though she "tries not to put too much weight into these things," she thought her win was "wild and beautiful."
Cardi B: Best Rap Album for Invasion of Privacy
An anxious Cardi B shook off her nerves following her record-breaking win by thinking out loud to the audience, "Maybe I should start smoking weed."
The first solo woman to win Best Rap Album, Cardi B was joined onstage by ex and Migos-member, Offset, and thanked her daughter in her emotional acceptance speech.
Winning a Grammy wasn't the only dream come true for Cardi last night: the superfan also finally met one of her inspirations, Lady Gaga!
As it turns out, meeting Cardi was also one of the highlights of Lady Gaga's night: she posted an Instagram Story of herself dancing to the rapper's song I Like It with the caption, "Mood after winning 3 Grammys, a BAFTA, and finally meeting @iamcardib all on a Sunday evening."
Drake: Best Rap Song for “God’s Plan”
The shock here wasn't that Drake won the award: it was that he showed up to accept it!
Although he was widely reported to not be attending the ceremony, Drake made an appearance to receive his award for Best Rap Song, but not without alluding to past perceived snubs at this and other awards shows.
He ended his speech on a positive note, though, by talking directly to young musicians and peers:
"If there are people who have regular jobs who are coming out in the rain, in the snow, spending their hard-earned money to buy tickets to come to your shows, you don’t need this right here, I promise you. You already won.”
Memorable Moments
Diana Ross’s Grandson Steals The Show
All of the celebrity presenters were given a run for their money when 9-year-old Raif-Henok Emmanuel Kendrick Ross introduced his "grandmommy" Diana Ross before she took the stage to perform a medley of her hits.
Raif-Henok charmed the audience with his quick wit:
"Did [Keys] say 'distinguished little guy? I'm almost 4'9!"
He then pivoted to admiration for Ross.
“She has shown the world that nothing is beyond our reach. So, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my grandmommy, Diana Ross!”
Lady Gaga and Michelle Obama Were Onstage Together
Music's biggest night opened on a high note when host Alicia Keys brought former First Lady Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Jennifer Lopez together on stage to speak to the power of music.
Hugh Jackman is One Step Closer to an EGOT
As of GRAMMYS 2019, Hugh Jackman is one "O" away from joining the EGOT club (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winners).
Jackman earned his Grammy for Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media along with the rest of The Greatest Showman team, including songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
He previously won an Emmy for hosting the Tony Awards (in a category that retired in 2008), and two Tony awards, including one for his work in The Boy from Oz.
Alicia Keys and John Mayer Reunited the Grammy He Broke and Gave to Her in 2004
Way back in 2004, Alicia Keys hoped to win Song of the Year for If I Ain't Got You, but when Stevie Wonder read the name of the winner in braille, it was John Mayer for Daughters. "But this story has a really happy ending," Keys said with half a 2004 Grammy in hand.
As it turned out, Mayer thought the award went to the wrong guy, and broke his Grammy in half and replaced the name of his song with If I Ain't Got You.
It was at this point in Alicia Keys' story that John Mayer brought the other half of the award onstage, saying:
"This has got to be the coolest joint custody agreement in showbiz history."
