Bruno Mars triumphs at Grammys; Jay-Z is biggest loser

NEW YORK | R&B artist Bruno Mars won the top prize at the Grammy Awards on Sunday in another victory for pop-driven music over rap, now the most popular genre in the United States.

Mars won six Grammys including song of the year for his hit single “That’s What I Like,” and both record and album of the year for “24K Magic.”

His win denied rappers Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z the honor of becoming the first hip-hop artist in 14 years to win the coveted album of the year award.

“These songs were written with nothing but joy, with love, and that’s all I wanted to bring with this album, seeing everybody dancing,” Mars, 32, said.

He also paid tribute to his album of the year rivals — Jay-Z, Lamar, Childish Gambino and Lorde — saying: “Thank you, guys, for blessing the world with your music.”

Lamar, 30, regarded as one of the most innovative rappers of his generation, won five prizes mostly in rap categories for his album “DAMN.” and single “Humble.” Rap became the biggest music genre in the United States in 2017, Nielsen Music reported.

Veteran Jay-Z, whose soul-baring album “4:44” had gone into the show with a leading eight nominations, won nothing and chose not to perform at the three-hour show.

The losses by Lamar and Jay-Z in the top categories marked another year when pop music won over more socially incisive work. Adele beat Beyonce in 2017, and in 2016 Lamar lost album of the year to Taylor Swift.

Lamar opened Sunday’s show at New York’s Madison Square Garden with a medley of his hits, accompanied by dancers in military fatigues and later dressed in red hoodies as they mimicked being shot.

TIME‘S UP AND TRUMP

On the red carpet, dozens of musicians wore or held white roses to support women’s equality and freedom from sexual harassment, a theme echoed on stage in an emotional performance by pop singer Kesha of her single “Praying.”

Actress and singer Janelle Monae said the music business had to address issues of equal pay for women, abuse of power and harassment.

“We come in peace but we mean business. And to those who would dare try to silence us, we offer you two words: Time’s up,” Monae said in a reference to the Time’s Up movement spreading from Hollywood to the music business.

On a night when male artists dominated the winners list, R&B newcomer SZA, the most-nominated woman with five nods, left empty-handed.

Politics surfaced throughout the show.

A pre-taped parody sketch saw Hillary Clinton, John Legend, Cher, Cardi B and Snoop Dogg read excerpts from the critical book “Fire and Fury” about U.S. President Donald Trump’s first year in office, ostensibly as contenders for a future spoken word Grammy prize.

Pop singer Camila Cabello, whose parents are Cuban immigrants, spoke in support of the so-called Dreamers – young immigrants brought to the United States illegally when they were children and whose future in the country is in doubt.

Best new artist winner Alessia Cara, along with Khalid and Logic, sang their song “1-800-273-8255” with a group of suicide survivors in a tribute to rock singers Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell, both of whom took their own lives last year.

Logic ended the performance with a freestyle rap supporting the black community, women and immigrants.

source: interaksyon.com

Fiery Beyonce dominates MTV Video Music Awards

NEW YORK | Beyonce on Sunday dominated the MTV Video Music Awards as she took home top prizes and awed the audience in a fiery dance medley with a subtle political touch.

The pop superstar won Video of the Year for “Formation,” the most outspoken work of her career, as well as Best Female Video for “Hold Up.”

The two tracks appeared on “Lemonade,” Beyonce’s latest album which she released in a surprise tie-in with a film of the same name that paid tribute to African American women.

Beyonce stole the spotlight at the gala party in New York’s Madison Square Garden by performing a “Lemonade” medley of more than 16 minutes, managing even to change outfits in a set that culminated in the stage erupting in fire.

In one of the most striking moments, the sound of a single gun-shot rang out as her circle of angelic-clad dancers each collapsed in a fog of red.

“Formation,” directed by Melina Matsoukas, offered solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality with officers depicted raising their hands as if under arrest.

“I dedicate this award to the people of New Orleans. God bless you guys,” Beyonce said as she accepted the award for “Formation,” which was musically inspired by the southern city’s bouncy hip-hop scene.

Beyonce arrived at the show, broadcast to more than 120 countries from New York’s Madison Square Garden, with the mothers of four young African American men whose deaths have galvanized the United States — Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Oscar Grant and Trayvon Martin.

Martin, 17, was killed in 2012 by a white neighborhood guard, a catalyst moment for Black Lives Matter. Brown, Garner and Grant were all killed by law enforcement.

Singer Alicia Keys offered another of the night’s powerful moments as she recited a poem she said was inspired by civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr. who delivered his landmark “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington 53 years ago Sunday.

In a year marred by global conflict and a bitter U.S. presidential race, Keys, moving seamlessly from spoken word to a cappella, voiced hope that “maybe we can love somebody instead of polishing a bomb.”

“If war is holy and sex is obscene, then we got it twisted in this lucid dream / Baptized in boundaries, schooled in skin, divided by difference, sexuality and skin,” she recited.

KANYE TALKS KANYE

The Video Music Awards, broadcast to more than 120 countries, have long been known more for their on-stage antics than the winners, and this year MTV decided to let the artists loose.

In one of the night’s most anticipated moments, rap superstar Kanye West — who last year used the occasion to declare his intention to run for president in 2020 — delivered a nearly stream-of-consciousness speech about empowerment.

As the audience chanted his stage-name Yeezy, West said that unnamed wealthy white people warned him against comparing himself to Apple founder Steve Jobs and entertainment pioneer Walt Disney.

But West said that the pair were among fewer than 10 true artistic heroes — and that the slim list also includes himself.

“Three keys to keeping people impoverished are taking away their esteem, taking away their resources and taking away their role models,” said West, who started his speech by deploring street killings in his native Chicago.

He then presented a racy new video for his song “Fade” featuring actress and singer Teyana Taylor, who moved her body sensually in a gym before a steamy shower scene.

The video marked a theme in the evening, if accidental, of sexualized exercise.

Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj received roars of crowd approval for a sensual take on a workout, with the pop star and rapper dancing together in a stage transformed into a gym full of highly physical young men.

RIHANNA HONORED

Drake won in the rap category for “Hotline Bling,” one of the most popular songs of the year.

But Drake did not appear in time to accept the award. According to the presenter, rap icon Puff Daddy, the Toronto star got stuck in New York traffic.

MTV presented its Video Vanguard Award — named after late King of Pop Michael Jackson — to Rihanna, in recognition to her contributions to pop culture.

Rihanna opened the ceremony with, aptly, “Don’t Stop the Music,” as she glided across the stage in a snug white T-shirt with a team of performers in matching laced outfits.

In her acceptance speech, Rihanna pledged never to forget her native Barbados.

source: interaksyon.com

One Direction to fly in worldwide fans to Madison Square Garden concert

Yes, One Direction has been announced as the newest international endorsers of fashion retail brand Penshoppe. And no, there’s no word yet as to whether the phenomenal boy band will soon come to Manila and hold their own fan conference just like Zac Efron before them.

But at least some lucky local fans won’t have to wait for an official announcement to that effect.

That’s because Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson have already taken it upon themselves to fly in fans from all over the world to watch them in concert at the Madison Square Garden in New York City in December.

The boys said that this can only be possible through the “Bring Me To 1D,” a global “Go1Den’ Ticket” competition that they recently launched.

Go1Den tickets to the concert have been distributed worldwide and can be won in several ways. Tickets can be won in a variety of different ways in each country. They vary from completing challenges, creating content, answering questions to just plain pot luck.

In order to get their hands on a go1Den ticket should start paying close attention to One Direction’s official Facebook, Twitter and You Tube accounts, as there will be frequent special challenges in the next two months, some that will be region-specific.

Go1Den ticket winners will be announced on the band’s official website as they win, so that fans can follow the story wherever it’s happening in the world.

In the Philippines, the contest is officially dubbed as “Bring Me To 1D: Race To Win The Golden Ticket” and will be supervised by Ivory Music & Video. The record label announced that they will be posting the final mechanics on Monday, October 22 on their website and official Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Formed by Simon Cowell on the 2010 series of “The X Factor”, One Direction made pop music history when they became the first British group to enter the Billboard 200 chart at number one with their sensational debut release, “Up All Night” only last March. The record-breaking album went on to sell over 2.3 million copies worldwide and is a certified number one release in 16 countries.

Following the release of their debut single “What Makes You Beautiful” late last year, One Direction have since become a ubiquitous presence on the music charts. With over 12 million records sold worldwide in a little over a year, One Direction have reached No.1 in 27 different countries.

Their new album “Take Me Home” will be released November 12th in the UK, while their single “Live While We’re Young” became the fastest selling pre-order in history when it was announced in September.

source: interaksyon.com