Adele’s big win, an otherworldly Beyonce and other Grammy highlights

In last year’s Grammys, Adele had famously messed up during her live performance. Later in The Ellen Degeneres Show, she said that it had upset her so much that she cried the entire day. She’d vowed that next time she has similar “sound issues" during a live performance, she will start all over again. She’d cry again anyway, she added as an afterthought, even if the performance “went really well".

In the 59th Grammy music awards, that took place today at Los Angeles, the 28 year old singer-songwriter kept her promise. Her George Michael tribute, a rendition of Fast Love began on shaky notes. It could have gone worse, when going little over a minute she decided to stop. And start over again. Sporting a single cross earring, a iconic symbol of Michael’s identity, she delivered a perfect, heartfelt performance. As the applause receded, she could be seen crying.

Recording artist Adele, winner of Album of the Year for ‘25,’ speaks onstage during the 59th Grammy Awards. Photo: AFP

Later in the night, Adele would go on to win in 5 categories: Album of the year, Record of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Pop Solo Performance for her album “25" and the single “Hello". She won against the bets that were placed in favour of Beyonce’s concept album Formation and Lemonade. Beyonce won Best Music Video and Best Contemporary Album for the latter two respectively. Later, her hypnotic performance blended recorded video projection into a live act — her first public performance since she announced her pregnancy. Adele couldn’t hide her admiration for Beyonce. “What the f*** does she have to do to win Album of the Year?," she said later. When one of her trophies broke accidentally, she offered half of it to Beyonce.

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Grammys this year were also about tributes. Bruno Mars, clad in a Prince attire, brilliantly channelled the spirit of the late artiste with a knockout rendition of Lets Go Crazy. Morris Day and Time played along Mars in their cover tributes of Jungle Love and The Bird. The Grammy’s memoriam section recalls figures in the music community that passed away the previous year. As clips of Leonard Cohen, The Beatles producer George Martin to Debby Reynolds played in the background, John Legend, on the piano, was joined by Cynthia Erevo.

Chance the Rapper was the other big winner. He took home Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap album, the latter for his Gospel infused mixtape Colouring Book. In the visual medium category John Williams took one for his nostalgic score for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Music’s biggest night couldn’t have done without its share of political commentary. The most direct gesture of rebellion came from A Tribe Called Quest was joined by Anderson Paak, Consequence, and Busta Rhymes. In a charged performance, names were named: a taunt to “President Agent Orange" for “an unsuccessful attempt at Muslim ban".