US music stars turn out for Grammy Awards
By DPA, IANSSunday, February 13, 2011
LOS ANGELES - The hottest stars of the US music scene turned out for the Grammy Awards Sunday night as rapper Jay-Z and crooner John Legend both picked up three trophies in the early prizes.
Eminem is the leading nominee with 10, but he lost out in five early categories, picking up one prize for best rap solo performance for “You’re Not Alone”.
Other early winners included Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Usher, Lady Antebellum, Jeff Beck and Black Keys and Neil Young, who picked up the first musical Grammy of his career for the best rock song for “Angry World”.
Unsurprisingly the most talked about early moment was provided by Lady Gaga, who arrived at the awards ensconced in a giant egg.
Lady Gaga goes up in the album-of-the year category against the bubblegum pop tart Katy Perry, country-rockers Lady Antebellum, Eminem and Arcade Fire.
Eminem is also competing in the record of the year race, where “Love the Way You Lie” is up against Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now”, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind”, “Forget You” by Cee Lo Green and “Nothin’ On You” by B.O.B and Bruno Mars.
But in a ceremony that is dedicated to recognizing artists in many dozens of categories, there’s plenty of prizes left for other artists.
Best female pop vocal performance will see Lady Gaga compete with the likes of Katy Perry, Norah Jones, Beyonce and Sara Barreilles, while in the male pop vocal category Michael Jackson’s posthumous hit “This Is It” gives him a chance against Michael Buble, Adam Lambert, Bruno Mars and John Mayer.
Bieber may be the most popular teenager on the planet, but he is far from a shoo-in for the best new artist award, where he will have to contend with fresh stars like Drake, Florence & The Machine, Mumford & Sons and Esperanza Spalding.
