Sadness, Controversy Surround Grammy Awards

Controversy¹ and sadness were part of this year's Grammy show before the music awards ceremony even began Sunday.

Host Alicia Keys opened.

"Here we are together on music's biggest night celebrating the artists that do it best, but to be honest with you we are all feeling crazy sadness right now," she said. She was talking about the tragic² news that basketball superstar Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and seven other people were killed in a helicopter crash Sunday morning.

The National Recording³ Academy awards show was broadcast live from the Staples⁴ Center, the home court of the Los Angeles Lakers, the team Bryant played for all of 20-year career.

"We're literally⁵ standing⁶ here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built," Keys said.

The controversy clouding the ceremony was the suspension of Deborah Dugan as chief of the Recording Academy.

Dugan took the leadership position in 2019 partly to deal with reports of sexism at the Academy. She is the first woman to head the organization.

Less than two weeks ago, Dugan was suspended. The Academy said another employee had accused Dugan of hostile behavior.

Dugan has since taken legal action herself with the Equal Opportunity Commission.

But the sadness and the controversy did not stop the artists Sunday night from producing a major celebration of music.

Singer and flute⁷ player Lizzo started the night's many songs with Truth Hurts and Cuz I Love You. The artist won the best pop solo performance Grammy for Truth Hurts.

The big winners of the night, however, were 18-year-old Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell. They shared the best album Grammy for When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Billie Eilish also took home the best new artist prize, and her song Bad Guy won best song and best record.

Finneas O'Connell won a producer of the year Grammy and another for best engineered album.

Together the sister and brother won best pop vocal⁸ album.

Here is a list of winners in major fields at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards, which took place Sunday in Los Angeles:

Album of the Year: Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Record of the Year: Billie Eilish, Bad Guy

Song of the Year (recognizing songwriting): Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell, Bad Guy

Best New Artist: Billie Eilish

Best Music Video: Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus, Old Town Road

Best Rap Album: Tyler, The Creator, Igor

Best Rock Album: Cage The Elephant, Social Cues

Best Pop Vocal Album: Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Best Pop Solo Performance: Lizzo, Truth Hurts

Best Pop/Duo Performance: Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, " Old Town Road

Best Urban Contemporary Album: Lizzo, Cuz I Love You (Deluxe)

Best Country Album: Tanya Tucker, While I'm Livin'

Best Alternative Music Album: Vampire⁹ Weekend, Father of the Bride

Best Reggae Album: Koffee, Rapture¹⁰

Best World Music Album: Angelique Kidjo, Celia

Words in This Story

controversy - n. argument that involves many people who strongly disagree about something: strong disagreement about something among a large group of people

host - n. a person who entertains guests socially or as a job

crazy - adv. (US, informal): very or extremely

literally - adv. used to stress that a statement or description is true and accurate even though it may be surprising

harassment¹¹ - n. the act of annoying or bothering (someone) in a constant or repeated way

solo - adj. involving or done by a single performer instead of a group

vocal - adj. of, relating to, or produced by the voice

1 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

2 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

3 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

4 staples   

n.（某国的）主要产品( staple的名词复数 )；钉书钉；U 形钉；主要部份v.用钉书钉钉住( staple的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The anvil onto which the staples are pressed was not assemble correctly. 订书机上的铁砧安装错位。 来自辞典例句
• I'm trying to make an analysis of the staples of his talk. 我在试行分析他的谈话的要旨。 来自辞典例句

5 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 flute   

n.长笛；v.吹笛

参考例句：

• He took out his flute, and blew at it.他拿出笛子吹了起来。
• There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。

8 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

9 vampire   

n.吸血鬼

参考例句：

• It wasn't a wife waiting there for him but a blood sucking vampire!家里的不是个老婆，而是个吸人血的妖精！
• Children were afraid to go to sleep at night because of the many legends of vampire.由于听过许多有关吸血鬼的传说，孩子们晚上不敢去睡觉。

10 rapture   

n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜

参考例句：

• His speech was received with rapture by his supporters.他的演说受到支持者们的热烈欢迎。
• In the midst of his rapture,he was interrupted by his father.他正欢天喜地，被他父亲打断了。

11 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。