Guilty Pleasures
By NewsPress Now
Taylor Swift wins album of the year at the Grammy Awards for the fourth time
LOS ANGELES | Taylor Swift won album of the year at the Grammy Awards for “Midnights,” breaking the record for most wins in the category with four.
She began her speech by thanking her producer and friend Jack Antonoff and added, “I would love to tell you this is the happiest moment of my life,” she told the crowd, but said she feels this happy when she creates music and plays shows.
Earlier in the night, Taylor Swift used her 13th Grammy win on Sunday to announce her new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” will arrive April 19.
“I know that the way that the Recording Academy voted is a direct reflection of the passion of the fans,” she said while accepting the best pop vocal album award. “So, I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the last two years.”
One of the night’s biggest awards, record of the year, went to Miley Cyrus for “Flowers,” her second-ever Grammy and second of the night.
“This award is amazing. But I really hope that it doesn’t change anything because my life was beautiful yesterday,” she said in her speech.
Victoria Monét won best new artist. “Thank you to the champagne-servers tonight,” Monét began her acceptance speech. “Thanks to my mom, a single mom raising this really bad girl.” Then she started to cry, telling the room that this award was “15 years in the making.”
Billie Eilish won song of the year for writing the “Barbie” hit, “What Was I Made For?” She thanked director Greta Gerwig for “making the best movie of the year.”
It was just one of several standout moments from Sunday’s show, hosted by Trevor Noah and broadcast live from Cypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.
Karol G made Grammy history Sunday by becoming the first female performer to win best música urbana album for her blockbuster “Mañana Será Bonito” record.
“This is my first time at the Grammys,” she told the audience in English. “And this is my first time holding my own Grammy.”
Performances were many. Olivia Rodrigo brought her bloodsucking ballad “vampire” – or in this case, bloodletting, as red liquid dripped from the walls behind her. Joni Mitchell, 80, made Grammy history by performing “Both Sides Now” from her 1969 album “Clouds”; Travis Scott did a medley of “My Eyes,” “I Know?,” and “Fein.” Burna Boy was joined by Brandy and 21 Savage and did “On Form,” “City Boys,” and “Sittin’ on Top of the World.”
A long and touching In Memoriam segment celebrated many of the musical greats lost last year. Stevie Wonder performed “For Once in My Life” and “The Best Is Yet To Come” in honor of Tony Bennett; Annie Lennox delivered “Nothing Compares 2 U” for Sinéad O’Connor. “Artists for ceasefire, peace in the world,” Lennox said at the end of the song, her fist extended in the air.
Jon Batiste did a medley of “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lean On Me,” and finally “Optimistic” with Ann Nesby for the late great music exec Clarence Avant. Oprah introduced a fiery Tina Turner tribute of “Proud Mary” by Fantasia Barrino and Adam Blackstone.
SZA also took the stage – performing a medley of her larger-than-life hits “Snooze” and “Kill Bill,” joined by dancers wielding katanas. Later, she’d take home the trophy for best R&B song — for “Snooze,” handed to her by Lizzo. SZA ran to the stage and gave a charming, out of breath speech because she was “changing, and then I took a shot.”
Luke Combs’ delivered a heartfelt rendition of “Fast Car” with Tracy Chapman – his cover of the Chapman classic has dominated country radio and won him song of the year at the 2023 CMAs. In 1989 the song won Chapman best female pop vocal performance.
Dua Lipa opened the show with a high-octane medley: first, a tease of her forthcoming single, “Training Season,” then, her most recent single, “Houdini,” and finally, her disco-pop “Barbie” hit “Dance the Night.”
Eilish and Finneas also brought “Barbie” to the Grammys stage with live string accompaniment. They were followed by Cyrus, who performed “Flowers” for the first time live on television.
“Why are you acting like you don’t know this song?” she teased the crowd — John Legend and wife Chrissy Teigen were among those in the audience who got up to dance — and later cheered mid-song, “I just won my first Grammy!”
Best country album went to Lainey Wilson for “Bell Bottom Country,” — her very first Grammy — as presented by Kacey Musgraves. “I’m a fifth-generation farmer’s daughter,” she told the crowd, adding that she’s a “songwriting farmer,” and that’s where the musical magic came from.
Jay-Z was awarded the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award and used his speech to talk about the hip-hop greats that came before him – and heavily suggesting at the Grammys history of placing rap on the backburner – or at the very least, not in the televised version of the show. (This year, there were no rap categories on the telecast, but two pop, one Latin, one country and one R&B.)
“We want you all to get it right,” he said. “At least get it close to right,” before switching focus to Beyoncé. “Most Grammys, never won album of the year. How does that work?”
Bridgers took an early lead at the Grammys, quickly winning four trophies ahead of the main telecast, with her and her boygenius bandmates bringing an infectious energy to the pre-telecast Premiere Ceremony.
Jack Antonoff took home producer of the year, non-classical for a third year in a row, tying Babyface as the only other producer to do so consecutively. “You need the door kicked open for you,” he said in his acceptance speech. “Taylor Swift kicked that (expletive) door open for me,” he said.
The first of three new categories in 2024, best pop dance recording, went to Kylie Minogue for “Padam Padam” — her first win in 18 years.
About 80 Grammys were handed out pre-broadcast. Regional Mexican star Peso Pluma won his first Grammy for his first and only nomination, for best música Mexicana album for his “Genesis.”
Best African music performance, a new category which aims to highlight regional musical traditions and recognizing “recordings that utilize unique local expressions from across the African continent,” went to South African singer Tyla for her ubiquitous hit, “Water.”
“I never thought I’d say I won a Grammy at 21 years old,” she said in her acceptance speech. “Last year God decided to change my whole life.”
Killer Mike won three awards in quick succession Sunday night, but ended up in police custody before the main Grammys ceremony began because of an altercation, police spokesperson Officer Mike Lopez said.
The rapper won his first first Grammy in 21 years, for best rap performance for “Scientists & Engineers,” which featured André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane. Soon afterward, they won for “best rap song.” Killer Mike also took home best rap album for “Michael,” cheering, “It is a sweep! It is a sweep!”
Billy Joel was both the penultimate and final performance of the night. First, he brought his new track “Turn the Lights Back on” — his first new music in decades — live to the Grammy stage. Then, after album of the year was announced, he returned to the stage for his 1980 classic, “You May Be Right.”
A welcome surprised was the inclusion of Celine Dion, who handed Swift her record-breaking trophy. “When I say I’m happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart,” she told the audience. In 2022, Dion revealed she was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder called stiff person syndrome, which causes spasms that affect her ability to walk and sing.
Taylor Swift announces new album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’
LOS ANGELES | Forget her “Reputation.” Taylor Swift has a whole new album coming out.
Accepting the Grammy for best pop vocal album, Taylor said she’d been keeping a secret for two years.
“My brand-new album comes out April 19. It’s called ‘The Tortured Poets Department.’ I’m going to go and post the cover right now backstage,” she announced.
And so she did.
On her Instagram, Swift posted a black-and-white image of her reclining across pillows. The top half of her face and lower half of her legs are cut off in the low-contrast image.
“All’s fair in love and poetry…” her caption read. In a little over an hour, the Instagram post alone had amassed nearly 7 million likes — a figure that swelled to an apt 13 million in under a day.
“And so I enter into evidence / My tarnished coat of arms / My muses, acquired like bruises / My talismans and charms / The tick, tick, tick of love bombs / My veins of pitch black ink,” read what appeared to be handwritten lyrics posted after the album cover.
Inside Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, Swift’s album announcement elicited screams from the upper levels.
Swift had provoked mass speculation earlier in the night when her site seemed to go down. Some theorized she was gearing up to release “Reputation (Taylor’s Version),” but cryptic clues on the “crashed” site indicated that might be a misdirect.
And so it was.
The site’s back up now, focused around the upcoming album, with preordering and merchandise options. The album will feature 16 tracks, with some editions offering a bonus track, “The Manuscript,” according to product descriptions.
This will be Swift’s 11th studio album, not counting her re-recordings. Her last original album was “Midnights,” released in October 2022. Since then, she’s launched the billion-dollar Eras Tour and released “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” and “1989 (Taylor’s Version).”
Swift was accepting the Grammy for “Midnights” when she made the surprise announcement. She later picked up album of the year, the show’s final award, for the album.
“I would love to tell you this is the best moment of my life, but I feel this happy when I finish a song, or when I crack the code to a bridge that I love, or when I’m shortlisting a music video, or when I’m working with my dancers,” she said after accepting her album of the year award from Celine Dion. With it, she broke the record for the most wins in that category (her other albums of the year: “Fearless,” “1989” and “Folklore”).
As she walked the red carpet in custom Schiaparelli Couture, she paid homage to her album title, donning a Lorraine Schwartz choker with a small clock embedded. And yes, the time was set to the midnight — even if the viewer had to tilt their head to see the hands pointing to “12.”
While a nod to the album — and reminiscent of the “tick, tick, tick” in “The Tortured Poets Department” post — the watch seemed particularly apt, given the superstar’s seemingly packed schedule over the next week. Swift is set to head back out on her Eras Tour this week, performing for four nights in Tokyo. She still will be able to make it back to the U.S. later in the week to catch her boyfriend Travis Kelce playing in the Super Bowl.
Killer Mike arrested by police following altercation at the Grammy Awards
LOS ANGELES | Killer Mike was arrested at the Grammy Awards on Sunday after the rapper and activist won three Grammy awards including his first in more than two decades.
In a video posted by the trade website The Hollywood Reporter, Mike was escorted in handcuffs by Los Angeles police at Crypto.com Arena after some joyous moments for him at the Grammys’ Premiere Ceremony on Sunday, where he won his awards in quick succession.
Police spokesperson Officer Mike Lopez said Mike being detained stemmed from an altercation inside the arena around 4 p.m. He was booked on a misdemeanor.
The rapper, whose real name is Michael Render, was released on his own recognizance at 8:37 p.m. and is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 29 in Los Angeles.
A representative for Mike did not immediately respond to emails or text messages requesting a comment.
“The only thing that limits your age is not being truthful about your age or what you’re doing,” the 48-year-old Mike said backstage. He won for best rap performance, rap song and rap album.
“At 20 years old, I thought it was cool to be a drug dealer,” he said. “At 40, I started to live with the regrets and the things I’ve done. At 45, I started to rap about it. At 48, I stand here as a man full of empathy and sympathy for the things I’ve done.”
Mike’s first win came after he won for best rap performance for “Scientists & Engineers,” which also took home best rap song. The single features Andre 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane.
He won best rap album for “Michael.”
Before Sunday, Mike’s last Grammy came in 2003 when he won for “The Whole World” won for best rap performance by a duo or group.
When he collected his third award, the Atlanta-based rapper shouted out, “Sweep! Atlanta, it’s a sweep!”
As a member of Run the Jewels, Mike, along with producer El-P, pumped out four critically acclaimed albums. He made noise outside of music as a social-political activist who has spoken out against inequality for Black people, race relations and became a vocal supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.
The Grammy-winner hosted Netflix’s “Trigger Warning with Killer Mike,” a 2019 documentary series about issues that affect the Black community. He also made an emotional plea to calm a protest against police brutality that turned violent in Atlanta.
Grammy Awards hit a sweet note as almost 17M tune in, up 34% from 2023
NEW YORK | An average of 16.9 million viewers tuned in to see performances by Miley Cyrus and Billie Eilish and watch Taylor Swift make history at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, the largest audience for the telecast in four years and another consecutive annual increase for a show that is recovering from its pandemic declines.
Ratings were up 34% on Sunday across CBS, Paramount+ and other digital platforms from last year, and with delayed watching included was expected to amass over 17 million viewers. The telecast peaked with 18.25 million viewers during the In-Memoriam segment, with performances by Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Jon Batiste and Fantasia Barrino.
The numbers Sunday easily beat the 12.4 million people who tuned in to watch Harry Styles, Lizzo and Bad Bunny perform during the show in 2023, along with a tribute to 50 years of rap history.
That’s another year of growth seen under host Trevor Noah, who has hosted since 2021. Live viewership was 8.8 million in 2021 and 8.9 million in 2022. The numbers this year are closer to pre-pandemic levels: Music’s showcase night was seen by 18.7 million people in 2020.
The upward trajectory is in stark contrast to the fate of the Emmy Awards earlier this year: That telecast on Fox reached a record low audience of 4.3 million viewers.
This year, Grammy viewers watched Miley Cyrus powerfully belt out her megahit “Flowers, which won record of the year, and Billie Eilish’s gentle piano ballad from “Barbie,” “What Was I Made For?,” which was crowned song of the year. The album “Midnights” earned Swift her fourth career Grammy for album of the year, a record.
Live television viewership has declined across-the-board over the past few years, with pro football one of the few events to buck the trend.
—From AP reports
