K-Pop idol Rosé and pop star Bruno Mars kicked off the 2026 Grammy Awards in explosive style.
The duo performed a rock version of their megahit APT, which is nominated for three prizes at the ceremony, including song of the year.
Host Trevor Noah noted that the song was based on a South Korean drinking game, whose rules were more complicated than the US equivalent. “In America, every time you turn on the news, you drink,” he joked.
British star Olivia Dean was one of the first winners, picking up best new artist about an hour into the ceremony. She used her speech to speak in support of immigrants.
“I’m up here as the grand-daugher of an immigrant,” said the singer, whose grandmother Carmen was part of the Windrush generation.
“I’m a product of bravery and I think those people deserve to be celebrated. We’re nothing without each other.”
Earlier, Kendrick Lamar won best rap album for GNX, at which point he overtook Jay-Z as the rapper with the most Grammy Awards – 26 in total.
“I’m not good at talking about myself, but I express it through the music,” he said.
“Hip-hop is always going to be right here.”
It was the star’s fourth victory in the rap album category, starting with 2016’s To Pimp A Butterfly.
Lamar is also up for the night’s main prize, album of the year, where he faces competition from Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber and Sabrina Carpenter.
Carpenter gave the second performance of the night, with an elaborate version of her number one hit Manchild.
She took to the stage dressed as a stewardess, dancing across luggage carousels and navigating male dancers dressed as baggage handlers. She ended the performance with a dove in her hands before taking to the skies.
All eight of the nominees for best new artist then got their chance to shine in an extended segment celebrating “emerging talents who are defining music’s zeitgeist”.
Among them were British star Lola Young, playing a solo piano version of her breakout hit Messy.
It was the singer’s first televised performance since taking an extended break to protect her mental and physical health last year.
Joining her were six-piece girl group Katseye, playing their love-it-or-hate-it viral hit Gnarly; and New York indie artist Sombr, sporting a spangled jumpsuit for his rendition of 12 to 12.
And Olivia Dean forecast her Grammy victory with a joyous, full-band performance of Man I Need.
In recent years, the main Grammy ceremony has focused more on performances than awards and speeches. This year, only nine prizes will be handed out during the three-hour televised event.
The other 86 were distributed in a longer “premiere ceremony” earlier in the day.
Winners there included British stars Yungblud, FKA Twigs and The Cure.
Several recipients mentioned the current political situation in the US.
Among them was Latin music legend Gloria Estefan, who said she was “very worried” about the state of her country.
“I don’t think anyone would say we want a free-for-all at the border. But what is happening is not at all criminals being arrested,” she said backstage, after winning best tropical Latin album for Raíces.
“These are people that have families that have contributed to this country for decades. Little children, there’s hundreds of children in detention centres. It’s inhumane.”
Several stars on the red carpet, including Kehlani, wore badges reading “Ice out”, suggesting that politics will not be far from the main ceremony, either.
By BBC News
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