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US pop star Billie Eilish cleaned up on the Grammys on Sunday, profitable 5 awards, because the music world mourned the lack of Los Angeles’ hometown basketball hero Kobe Bryant with a collection of emotional tributes.
Eilish, 18, swept the “huge 4” prizes – Album of the Yr for her debut studio album When We All Fall Asleep, The place Do We Go?, Track of the Yr and File of the Yr for her hit single Dangerous Man, and Greatest New Artist – in an business acknowledgement of her wave-making function as the brand new reference level for pop’s future.
She is barely the second individual, and the youngest, to win all 4 high Grammys on the identical evening. The primary artist to do that was Christopher Cross 39 years in the past.
Eilish recorded the album together with her brother Finneas O’Connell, who additionally gained a Grammy for non-classical producer of the 12 months, within the bed room of their Los Angeles house, and each appeared bowled over by their Grammy haul.
O’Connell mentioned because the pair accepted their awards: “We did not make this album to win a Grammy. We wrote about melancholy and suicidal ideas and environmental change. We get up right here confused and grateful.”
Requested backstage what she would do subsequent, Eilish mentioned: “Being on this second is all I am interested by… I am gonna do no matter I really feel.”
One in every of her major rivals, Lizzo, kicked off the glitzy gala on the Staples Centre by dedicating it to Bryant, within the very area the place the NBA icon made historical past with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Tonight is for Kobe,” shouted the 31-year-old twerking flautist, hours after his loss of life in a helicopter crash was confirmed. His 13-year-old daughter and 7 others additionally died within the incident.
Lizzo then launched into an eye-popping medley efficiency of her high hits that set the tone for the evening.
She handed over to host Alicia Keys, who supplied one other love letter to Bryant’s reminiscence: “We’re all feeling loopy disappointment proper now. Earlier in the present day, Los Angeles, America and the entire vast world misplaced a hero.”
“And we’re actually standing right here heartbroken in the home that Kobe Bryant constructed,” mentioned Keys, earlier than launching right into a soulful rendition of It is So Laborious To Say Goodbye (To Yesterday) with the group Boyz II Males.
“He would need us to maintain the vibrations excessive,” Keys later mentioned, earlier than singing a humorous but soothing opening monologue on the piano.
A mushrooming crowd of individuals, a lot of them in tears, gathered close to the sector to mourn the 41-year-old Bryant. Flags had been flying at half-mast.
UNDERSTATED PERFORMANCE
However the present went on, with an understated efficiency from Eilish who thanked her followers – and fellow nominee Ariana Grande – in accepting her haul of trophies.
“Primarily I believe the followers deserve every little thing,” she mentioned. “I really feel like they haven’t been talked about sufficient tonight as a result of they’re the one purpose any of us are right here in any respect. So because of the followers.”
And he or she gave a shout-out to Grande, who regardless of 5 nominations went house empty-handed.
“Can I simply say that, I believe Ariana deserves this,” Eilish mentioned in accepting the Album of the Yr award, including that Grande’s Thank U, Subsequent, had been a lifesaver for her.
Lil Nas X took house two Grammys for his popular culture phenomenon Outdated City Street, whereas Lizzo – the evening’s favorite – left with three trophies.
“That is actually… sick,” the 31-year-old star mentioned via tears, earlier than alluding to Bryant’s loss of life.
“This entire week I might be misplaced in my issues, stressed – after which right away all of that may go away and your priorities actually shift,” she mentioned.
“Let’s proceed to succeed in out, maintain one another down and elevate one another up.”
The veterans weren’t shut out – Girl Gaga gained two Grammys for her soundtrack for the hit movie A Star Is Born, and one went to Beyonce, who nabbed the prize for greatest music movie for Homecoming.
A message of affection pervaded the evening, notably in gentle of Bryant’s loss of life and a shifting all-star tribute to late slain rapper Nipsey Hussle.
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