LOS ANGELES, Feb 9: Singer Beck bagged the best rock album of the year honour for ‘Morning Phase’ at the 56th Grammy Awards after edging out with Beyonce, Sam Smith, Pharrell and Ed Sheeran for the top prize.
Rapper Kanye West, who famously interrupted Taylor Swift when she beat Beyonce at the MTV Video Music Awards, almost walked onstage when Prince announced Beck’s name.
Though Beck, 44, won album of the year, Beyonce, Pharrell and Rosanne Cash were the top winners with three Grammys each.
Prince, who earned a standing ovation when he walked on stage, made a statement before he introduced the award.
“Albums — you remember those? They still matter. Like books and black lives, they still matter,” he said.
Earlier, Pharrell won best pop solo performance for a live version of ‘Happy,’, released in 2013. He also won best music video for the song as well as best urban contemporary album for “G I R L,” beating Beyonce.
“I am going to moonwalk my way off the stage right now,” said Pharrell, wearing a blazer and shorts.
Pharrell’s performance of ‘Happy’ was dramatic with background dancers in black, musicians in yellow and a choir in white.
When the chorus was supposed to come in, Lang Lang played the piano skillfully. Hans Zimmer also played the guitar.
“Thank you, God,” Pharrell, in a bell-boy hat, said at the end of the performance, adding, “I am at your service lord.”
Rihanna gave an impressive vocal performance of ‘FourFiveSeconds’ with Paul McCartney to her right and Kanye West to her left. Her hair was slicked back and she rocked a black suit like her co-stars
Katy Perry, in all white, sang the ballad ‘By the Grace of God’ after a woman who had been abused talked about getting help and moving on with her life.
A video of President Barack Obama appeared before she spoke, and he encouraged artists to help out.
“It’s on us, all of us, to create a culture where violence isn’t tolerated,” he said. (AGENCIES)
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