Grammys 2019: Kacey Musgraves wins Album of the Year on night that celebrated female artists

Music's biggest night took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles

Grammys 2019: Casey Musgrave wins Album of the Year

The 61st annual Grammy Awards have come to a close, on a night that finally seemed to acknowledge women in the music industry.

The ceremony itself was decidely female-focused, with superb performances from Janelle Monae, Cardi B, Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Lopez, Brandie Carlisle and Kacey Musgraves, plus a powerful opening speech from host Alicia Keys, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga and Michelle Obama.

The main prizes were handed out to a female majority, including H.E.R for Best R&B Album, and Cardi B, who became the first female solo artist in Grammys history to win Best Rap Album. British artist Dua Lipa, who had performed a medley of her song "One Love" with St Vincent's "My Seduction" just moments before, was awarded the prize for Best New Artist.

The biggest prize of the night, Album of the Year, went to Kacey Musgraves, who looked overwhelmed as she realised she had beaten competition from the likes of Janelle Monae, Cardi B, Drake, H.E.R and Kendrick Lamar.

The change-up follows an outcry over the lack of female winners last year, after which Recording Academy president Neil Portnow said that women needed to "step up" if they wanted to be recognised.

In response to the backlash, the Recording Academy appointed a task force led by Tina Tchen, a former chief of staff to Michelle Obama, to “identify the various barriers and unconscious biases faced by underrepresented communities” at the academy.

Despite the positive change in acknowledging women at the ceremony, it appeared that the Grammys have done little to soothe their troubled relationship with the hip hop community.

Drake made a surprise appearance to pick up his award for Best Rap Song, unfortunately appearing to get cut off as he spoke about what success meant. He and fellow hip hop artists like Childish Gambino and Kendrick Lamar have a difficult relationship with the Grammys, with Lamar snubbed for Album of the Year three times.

And while Childish Gambino won two out of the four biggest prizes of the night, for Record of the Year and Song of the Year with "This is America", he was noticeable absent from the ceremony. According to the show's longtime producer Ken Erlich, Kendrick, Chilidish Gambino and Drake all turned down offers to perform at the Grammys this year.

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“The fact of the matter is, we continue to have a problem in the hip-hop world,” Ehrlich told the New York Times. “When they don't take home the big prize, the regard of the academy, and what the Grammys represent, continues to be less meaningful to the hip-hop community, which is sad."

Key Points

• Kacey Musgraves takes home top prize for Album of the Year
• Cardi B makes history with Best Rap Album win
• Shallow wins the award for Best Pop Duo / Group Performance
• Childish Gambino wins Song of the Year and Record of the Year for This is America
• Dua Lipa wins the Grammy for Best New Artist
• Cardi B wins Best Rap Album

[11 February 2019 04:04 · James Crump]

And the Grammy goes to... Cardi B for Invasion of Privacy!

[11 February 2019 04:05 · James Crump]

The rapper is visibly moved and says she "can't breathe" as she tries to give her acceptance speech. "The nerves are so bad," she adds. "Maybe I need to start smoking weed!"

[11 February 2019 04:07 · James Crump]

Cardi B just thanked her daughter Kulture and reminding the crowd that when she found out she was pregnant, her album wasn't complete and she had to make sure she shot her accompanying videos while she was "not showing", making for long days of work.

[11 February 2019 04:07 · roisin.oconnor]

Cardi B is the only female solo artist to win Best Rap Album at the Grammys. Pretty astonishing, but utterly well-deserved.

[11 February 2019 04:11 · James Crump]

The rapper also thanked Offset, who was with her onstage.

[11 February 2019 04:13 · James Crump]

Here is Cardi B during her acceptance speech, with Offset at her side:

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy) 

[11 February 2019 04:18 · James Crump]

Dua Lipa wins the Grammy for Best New Artist!

[11 February 2019 04:19 · James Crump]

The 23-year-old London native says she is "honoured" to have been nominated along with "incredible female artists" this year and thanks her fans.

[11 February 2019 04:22 · James Crump]

Here are St Vincent and Dua Lipa performing earlier during the ceremony:

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy) 

[11 February 2019 04:37 · James Crump]

Childish Gambino takes Record of the Year for This is America!