Women dominate this year’s Grammys, with female artists taking home the biggest four awards of the night.
Taylor Swift made history when she won best album for Midnights, becoming the first artist to win the prize for a fourth time, having previously won for Fearless,1989 and Folklore.
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Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep was late to the Grammys, interrupting host Trevor Noah’s opening speech.
The ceremony was the first big music event Swift has attended since falling victim to a deepfake attack on social media late last month, when fake, sexually explicit images of her were shared online.
Accepting the prize, Swift ushered her team around her saying, “Guys I feel so alone” before going on to thank everyone who made the album a success.
She said: “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.
“For me the reward is the work… All I want to do is keep doing this, so thanks so much for giving me the opportunity. Mind blown!”
The award was presented by Canadian superstar Celine Dion, who in 2022 revealed that she was suffering from the rare neurological disorder known as stiff-person syndrome (SPS), forcing her to cancel numerous tour dates.
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Clearly emotional to be back on the stage, she told the crowd: “When I say that I’m happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart”.
Swift also delighted her legion of fans by revealing during the show that she would be releasing a new album on 19 April – The Tortured Poets Department – and sharing a photo of the album’s front cover on social media.
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Accepting best pop vocal album, the 34-year-old said she’d be keeping the secret for the last two years.
Record of the year was taken by Miley Cyrus, for her viral summer hit Flowers, who broke her no-Grammy spell with two wins on the night. She said that she hoped her life didn’t change as it was already “beautiful.”
Reeling off a list of people to thank, the 31-year-old star who was wearing a sequined black gown with a high side split joked, “I don’t think I forgot anyone… But I may have forgotten underwear”.
Cyrus also won best pop solo performance for Flowers, which she performed during the ceremony.
Accepting her award from Mariah Carey, she told the audience she’d nearly missed the start of the show due to the rain, going on to tell a story of a little boy who could not catch a butterfly until one landed on his nose, concluding, “this song is my butterfly”.
Image: Big hair, don’t care – Miley Cyrus gets her first Grammy. Pic: AP
The award was presented by record producer Mark Ronson, along with his mother-in-law, Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep.
Song of the year went to Billie Eilish, for her Barbie song What Was I Made For? who appeared to be truly shocked by her own win, telling the audience, “This is the dumbest thing… Damn, I’m shocked,” and concluding her speech, “This is stupid, I’m not supposed to be here”.
Image: Billie Eilish poses in the press room with the awards for best song written for visual media and song of the year for “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie the Album” during the 66th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo
The track from the movie which dominated the summer and broke box office records also took home the award for best song written for visual media.
Eilish performed on the night, dressed in black sunglasses and a pink headscarf in homage to the 1965 Barbie Poodle parade doll.
Image: Victoria Monet accepts the award for best new artist during the 66th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Best new artist went to R&B singer-songwriter Victoria Monet, who kicked off her acceptance speech by thanking “the champagne servers of the night,” going on to dedicate her award to anyone “who has a dream”.
Using the analogy of a growing plant in the “soil” of the music industry, Monet said her “roots had been growing underground for so long, and were finally sprouting over ground”.
Image: SZA gets emotional on stage. Pic: AP
SZA – who had the most nominations going into the night – took three awards – including best R&B song for Snooze, giving an emotional and out of breath speech due to the fact she was changing her outfit, during which she gave a shout out to Swift (the star of the night) saying “Hi Taylor… I’m not an attractive crier. Have a good evening.”
Kylie Minogue was honoured with the inaugural best pop dance recording for hit Padam Padam – the Australian star’s second Grammy.
Image: Phoebe Bridgers, from left, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, of boygenius accept the award for best rock performance “Not Strong Enough” during the 66th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Highlighting the success of the night for female talent, indie supergroup Boygenius took three awards, with bandmember Phoebe Bridgers taking a fourth for her collaboration with SZA Ghost in the Machine.
Another notable win went to rapper Jay-Z who won the Dr Dre global impact award took his daughter Blue Ivy up onto the stage, as used the opportunity to take a swipe at the Recording Academy.
Image: Jay-Z and his daughter Blue Ivy. Pic: AP
He drew gasps when he chided the Grammy’s have previously neglected rap stars, before putting the spotlight on his wife, Beyonce, questioning how she’d won the most Grammy’s in history, but never won best album.
He joked, “Sorry, when I get nervous, I tell the truth”.
He finished by urging fellow artists “to keep showing up,” imploring, “Just in life, you’ve got to keep showing up. Just keep showing up.
Held at the Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles, the 66th annual ceremony was hosted by comedian Trevor Noah – his fourth consecutive year fronting the show.
Image: Joni Mitchell performing Both Sides Now. Pic: AP
There were a host of performances from living legends, with cultural icon Joni Mitchell making her Grammy debut aged 80.
With an impressive five-decade music career, and after overcoming a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 2015, she sang her 1966 hit Both Sides Now, sat in a golden armchair and accompanied by singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile on guitar.
Mitchell also took home the prize for best folk album. She previously won the Recording Academy lifetime achievement award in 2002.
Other veteran entertainers to perform included Stevie Wonder who paid tribute to singer Tony Bennet, Billy Joel and Tracy Chapman.
Image: Annie Lennox pays tribute to Sinead O’Connor. Pic: AP
Eurhythmics star Annie Lennox gave an emotional rendition of Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares 2 U during the In Memoriam section of the show, wearing a black suit and with a glittery black tear running from one eye.
Finishing the song, the 69-year-old singer brought politics to the fore, saying: “Artists for ceasefire, peace in the world,” appearing to refer to the ongoing Gaza-Hamas war.
Later in the show, Recording Academy The CEO Harvey Mason Jr spoke about the power of music to unite, calling out attacks at music venues including the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, the Manchester Arena in England, the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas and most recently the Supernova Music Festival for Love.
As he spoke, a string quartet of musicians of Palestinian, Israeli and Arab origin performed live, with Mason concluding: ” Now is the time for us, for humanity, to play together and to come together with empathy and with love.”
The 48-year-old activist and performer took home best rap album for his sixth studio album, Michael, while his track Scientists And Engineers featuring Andre 3000, Future And Eryn Allen Kane won best rap song and best rap performance.
A spokesperson from the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed a man had been arrested but did not give any further details.
Blondie drummer Clem Burke has died at the age of 70
The band said Blurke had been diagnosed with cancer, and described his death as a “profound loss”.
He featured on all the Debbie Harry-fronted group’s studio albums since joining a year after their formation in 1975.
Blurke was with the band from their self-titled debut, through their 1978 classic Parallel Lines, to 2017’s Pollinator.
Image: Drummer Burke.
Pic: Reuters
In a statement on Blondie’s Instagram, Harry and the band’s guitarist, Chris Stein, said: “It is with profound sadness that we relay news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following a private battle with cancer.
“Clem was not just a drummer, he was the heartbeat of Blondie.
“His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable.
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“Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
“Clem’s influence extended far beyond Blondie, a self-proclaimed ‘rock and roll survivalist’, he played and collaborated with numerous iconic artists.”
Image: Burke in his performance at Festival Estereo Picnic 2023.
Pic: AP
Burke featured on Iggy Pop’s 1982 album Zombie Birdhouse and also performed with Bob Dylan, The Ramones, The Who guitarist Pete Townshend and Joan Jett.
The statement went on to say Burke had left an “indelible mark on every project he was part of”.
It added: “We extend our deepest condolences to Clem’s family, friends, and fans around the world. His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched.”
Burke, who performed on classic tracks such as Call Me, Heart Of Glass and One Way Or Another, made his final live appearance with Blondie last year.
Image: Blondie performing during Glastonbury Festival in 2023.
Pic: Invision/AP
Among those paying tribute to him was Kinks guitarist Dave Davies, who said: “I feel saddened that Clem Burke was taken from us so soon.
“May he rest in peace, spectacular drumming, we were friends.”
Nancy Sinatra said: “My heart is shattered. Clem became an icon as a member of Blondie, but he was also an important part of my band, the K.A.B. I was blessed to call him my friend.
“If I ever needed him, he was there. Always. Sending healing prayers and comfort to his widow, Ellen, his family, and all who loved him.”
British star Lesley Manville and American actor John Lithgow have won the acting categories at this year’s Olivier Awards, which recognise excellence in London theatre.
Lithgow, 79, played Roald Dahl in Giant, which is about the children’s author wondering whether to make a public apology.
While accepting his award he appeared to reference the current controversy over Donald Trump’s second term as US president.
The Conclave star quipped: “It’s not always easy to welcome an American into your midst, and at this particular moment, it’s probably a little more complicated than usual.”
He also told the audience at the Royal Albert Hall that the “special relationship is still firmly intact”, despite Mr Trump imposing tariffs on British exports to the US.
His co-star, English actor Elliot Levey, took best actor in a supporting role.
Giant was also named best new play.
Image: Lesley Manville was best actress. Pic: PA
Manville, 69, was honoured for her performance in the Greek tragedy Oedipus at the Wyndham’s Theatre.
She said she felt “emotional” while accepting her statuette because it was a production she had “felt very strongly about being” in.
Manville, who played Princess Margaret in The Crown, added that she was taking an early flight to Dublin on Monday to do some filming, and would not be getting “much sleep tonight”.
Image: Romola Garai was best actress in a supporting role. Pic: PA
Best actress in a supporting role went to Romola Garai for her performance in The Years, based on a memoir by French writer Annie Ernaux.
Garai, whose film credits include Scoop and Atonement, was nominated in the same category for Giant.
Image: Elliot Levey was best actor in a supporting role. Pic: PA
Dame Imelda Staunton won a fifth Olivier, for best actress in a musical for the London revival of classic musical Hello, Dolly!
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button won best new musical, a best actor musical award for Lark Rise To Candleford actor John Dagleish, and the outstanding musical contribution award.
The annual event was co-hosted by British singer Beverley Knight and Pose star Billy Porter.
Despite The Who’s Quadrophenia being set over 60 years ago, Pete Townshend’s themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.
The album is having a renaissance as Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia A Mod ballet is being brought to life via dance at Sadler’s Wells East, and Sky News has an exclusive first look.
As Townshend puts it, the album he wrote is “perfect” for the stage.
Image: Pete Townshend
“My wife Rachel did the orchestration for me, and as soon as I heard it I said to her it would make a fabulous ballet and we never really let that go,” he tells Sky News.
“Heavy percussion, concussive sequences. They’re explosive moments. They’re also romantic movement moments.”
If you identify with the demographics of Millennial, Gen Y or Gen Z, you might not be familiar with The Who and Mod culture.
But in post-war Britain the Mods were a cultural phenomenon characterised by fashion, music, and of course, scooters. The young rebels were seen as a counter-culture to the establishment and The Who, with Roger Daltry’s lead vocals and Pete Townshend’s writing, were the soundtrack.
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Quadrophenia the album is widely regarded as an essay on the British adolescent experience at the time, focusing on the life of fictional protagonist Jimmy – a young Mod struggling with his sanity, self-doubt, and alienation.
Townshend sets the rock opera in 1965 but thinks its themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.
He says: “The phobias and the restrictions and the unwritten laws about how young men should behave. The ground that they broke, that we broke because I was a part of it.
“Men were letting go of [the] wartime-related, uniform-related stance that if I wear this kind of outfit it makes me look like a man.”
Image: Paris Fitzpatrick and Pete Townshend. Pic: Johan Persson
This struggle of modern masculinity and identity appears to be echoing today as manosphere influencers like Andrew Tate, incel culture, and Netflix’s Adolescence make headlines.
For dancer Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy, the story resonates.
Image: Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy in the ballet
“I think there’s a connection massively and I think there may even be a little more revival in some way,” he tells Sky News.
“I love that myself. I love non-conforming to gender norms and typical masculinity; I think it’s great to challenge things.”
Despite the album being written before he was born, the dancer says he was familiar with the genre already.
“I actually did an art GCSE project about Mods and rockers and Quadrophenia,” he says.
“I think we’ll be able to bring it to new audiences and hopefully, maybe people will be inspired to to learn more about their music and the whole cultural movement of the early 60s.”
In 1979, the album was adapted into a film directed by Franc Roddam starring Ray Winstone and Sting but Townshend admits because the film missed key points he is “not a big fan”.
“What it turned out to be in the movie was a story about culture, about social scenario and less about really the specifics of mental illness and how that affects young people,” he adds, also complimenting Roddam’s writing for the film.
Perhaps a testament to Pete Townshend’s creativity, Quadrophenia started as an album, was successfully adapted to film and now it will hit the stage as a contemporary ballet.
It appears that over six decades later Mod culture is still cool and their issues still relatable.
Quadrophenia, a Mod Ballet will tour to Plymouth Theatre Royal from 28 May to 1 June 2025, Edinburgh Festival Theatre from 10 to 14 June 2025 and the Mayflower, Southampton from 18 to 21 June 2025 before having its official opening at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London on 24 June running to 13 July 2025 and then visiting The Lowry, Salford from 15 to 19 July 2025.