award

S. Korea celebrates breakthrough K-pop Grammy win for 'Golden'

  • The Song of the Year nominations for "Golden" and "APT." were "meaningful milestones" even though they did not win, Kyunghyang said. kjk/pbt
  • Critics and fans welcomed South Korea's first major Grammy win for the song "Golden", from the hit animated film "KPop Demon Hunters", describing it on Monday as a breakthrough for the genre.
  • The Song of the Year nominations for "Golden" and "APT." were "meaningful milestones" even though they did not win, Kyunghyang said. kjk/pbt
Critics and fans welcomed South Korea's first major Grammy win for the song "Golden", from the hit animated film "KPop Demon Hunters", describing it on Monday as a breakthrough for the genre.
The track, performed by Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami as the fictional girl group Huntrix in the film, won Best Song Written for Visual Media to claim an accolade that had long eluded the industry despite its global popularity.
K-pop megagroups BTS, for example, has been nominated multiple times in different categories since 2021 but has yet to be recognised at the music industry's biggest night.
One YouTube commentator, who uses the handle striderz1971, noted that neither BTS nor Blackpink had been able to score a Grammy and said that "a path had now been forced open".  
"With that barrier now breached, K-pop artists may finally begin to receive the recognition they deserve," they said.
Music columnist Kim Do-hoon told AFP that the Grammys had long sidelined K-pop because of what he said was its "cookie-cutter format". 
"The Grammys have traditionally placed strong emphasis on musical quality -- an area in which K-pop is not widely recognised," he said.
"They are also known for avoiding heavily produced music, which is often the case with K-pop artists," Kim said.
"Golden" was also nominated for Song of the Year alongside "APT.", sung by K-pop idol Rose and Bruno Mars in a high-octane opening to the ceremony.
Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell won the coveted category for "Wildflower", a result that surprised some observers in a crowded field.
South Korea has won Grammys in the past in the technical and classical categories, but the award for 'Golden' was the first for a K-pop production.
South Korean media were quick to welcome the song's success in a major award category.
"'Kedehun', which has captivated the world, has triumphed at the Grammys," a Yonhap news agency headline read, using a shorthand title for the film that has been widely adopted in South Korea.
The Kyunghyang Shinmun daily noted that the Grammys had until now stopped short of honouring K-pop acts.
"The Grammys have long been seen as a conservative awards show that is not particularly open to diverse music genres, making it difficult for K-pop to break through," it said.
The Song of the Year nominations for "Golden" and "APT." were "meaningful milestones" even though they did not win, Kyunghyang said.
kjk/pbt

award

S. Korea celebrates breakthrough Grammy win for K-pop's 'Golden'

  • The Song of the Year nominations for "Golden" and "APT." were "meaningful milestones" even though they did not win, Kyunghyang said. kjk/pbt
  • Critics and fans welcomed South Korea's first Grammy win for the song "Golden", from the hit animated film "KPop Demon Hunters", describing it on Monday as a breakthrough for the genre.
  • The Song of the Year nominations for "Golden" and "APT." were "meaningful milestones" even though they did not win, Kyunghyang said. kjk/pbt
Critics and fans welcomed South Korea's first Grammy win for the song "Golden", from the hit animated film "KPop Demon Hunters", describing it on Monday as a breakthrough for the genre.
The track, performed by Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami as the fictional girl group Huntrix in the film, won Best Song Written for Visual Media to claim an accolade that had long eluded the industry despite its global popularity.
K-pop megagroups BTS, for example, has been nominated multiple times in different categories since 2021 but has yet to be recognised at the music industry's biggest night.
One YouTube commentator, who uses the handle striderz1971, noted that neither BTS nor Blackpink had been able to score a Grammy and said that "a path had now been forced open".  
"With that barrier now breached, K-pop artists may finally begin to receive the recognition they deserve," they said.
Music columnist Kim Do-hoon told AFP that the Grammys had long sidelined K-pop because of what he said was its "cookie-cutter format". 
"The Grammys have traditionally placed strong emphasis on musical quality -- an area in which K-pop is not widely recognised," he said.
"They are also known for avoiding heavily produced music, which is often the case with K-pop artists," Kim said.
"Golden" was also nominated for Song of the Year alongside "APT.", sung by K-pop idol Rose and Bruno Mars in a high-octane opening to the ceremony.
Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell won the coveted category for "Wildflower", a result that surprised some observers in a crowded field.
South Korean media were quick to welcome the success of "Golden".
"'Kedehun', which has captivated the world, has triumphed at the Grammys," a Yonhap news agency headline read, using a shorthand title for the film that has been widely adopted in South Korea.
The Kyunghyang Shinmun daily noted that the Grammys had until now stopped short of honouring K-pop acts.
"The Grammys have long been seen as a conservative awards show that is not particularly open to diverse music genres, making it difficult for K-pop to break through," it said.
The Song of the Year nominations for "Golden" and "APT." were "meaningful milestones" even though they did not win, Kyunghyang said.
kjk/pbt

music

Dalai Lama's 'gratitude' at first Grammy win

  • Tibetan Buddhists believe he is the 14th reincarnation of a spiritual leader first born in 1391.
  • Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said Monday he was grateful for his first Grammy, after bagging the top music industry award for audio book, narration and storytelling.
  • Tibetan Buddhists believe he is the 14th reincarnation of a spiritual leader first born in 1391.
Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said Monday he was grateful for his first Grammy, after bagging the top music industry award for audio book, narration and storytelling.
The charismatic 90-year-old, who lives in exile in India, is lauded worldwide for his tireless campaign for greater autonomy for his Tibetan homeland, which Beijing says is an integral part of China.
He was announced as the winner at the Grammys ceremony in Los Angeles for his book "Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama".
"I receive this recognition with gratitude and humility," he said on social media.
"I don't see it as something personal, but as a recognition of our shared universal responsibility."
In his maroon robes, simple sandals and wide-rimmed spectacles, the Dalai Lama is an unlikely global celebrity.
"I truly believe that peace, compassion, care for our environment, and an understanding of the oneness of humanity are essential for the collective well-being of all eight billion human beings," he added.
"Meditation: Reflections Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama" features artists such as Rufus Wainwright, who accepted the award on behalf of the spiritual leader, and Maggie Rogers.
The Dalai Lama was just 23 when he fled the Tibetan capital Lhasa in fear for his life after Chinese troops crushed an uprising in 1959. He has never returned.
Beijing, which condemns the Dalai Lama as a rebel and separatist, opposed his Grammy win, calling his work "anti-China political manipulation".
"We firmly oppose relevant parties using art awards as a tool for anti-China political manipulation, and this position is consistent and clear," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular press conference.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate insists he has many more years to live, but Tibetans are preparing for an inevitable future without him.
Tibetan Buddhists believe he is the 14th reincarnation of a spiritual leader first born in 1391.
Self-declared atheist and Communist China said last year that it must approve his eventual successor. The Dalai Lama says only his India-based office has that right.
ash/pjm/fox

music

Trump threatens legal action against Grammy host over Epstein comment

  • His comments drew the ire of the president, who took to his Truth Social platform first saying that the "Grammy Awards are the WORST and virtually unwatchable," before criticizing Noah.
  • Donald Trump threatened legal action on Monday against the host of the 68th Grammy Awards over the comedian's comment on the US president and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
  • His comments drew the ire of the president, who took to his Truth Social platform first saying that the "Grammy Awards are the WORST and virtually unwatchable," before criticizing Noah.
Donald Trump threatened legal action on Monday against the host of the 68th Grammy Awards over the comedian's comment on the US president and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
After congratulating Billie Eilish for winning the Grammy for Song of the Year for her track "Wildflower," host Trevor Noah brought up Trump and Epstein.
"Wow. That's a Grammy that every artist wants -- almost as much as Trump wants Greenland," he quipped, referring to the president's threats to seize the autonomous Arctic territory. 
Noah then added: "Which makes sense because, since Epstein's gone, he needs a new island to hang out with Bill Clinton."
Noah, who announced that this will be his final year hosting the Grammys after six turns as emcee, has been light on political commentary in previous years.
His comments drew the ire of the president, who took to his Truth Social platform first saying that the "Grammy Awards are the WORST and virtually unwatchable," before criticizing Noah.
"I can't speak for Bill, but I have never been to Epstein Island, nor anywhere close, and until tonight’s false and defamatory, statement, have never been accused of being there, not even by the Fake News Media," Trump asserted.
The Republican then branded South African Noah a "total loser" who needs to "get his facts straight."
"I'll be sending my lawyers to sue this poor, pathetic, talentless, dope of an M.C. ... Get ready Noah, I'm going to have some fun with you!" Trump added.
Trump, who moved in the same social circles as Epstein in Florida and New York, has fought for months to prevent the release of a vast trove of documents about the disgraced financier and has given varying accounts of why he eventually fell out with Epstein.
More than three million documents were released on Friday that included mention of numerous powerful figures, including the 79-year-old president, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Bill Clinton and former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
bur-ane/fox

music

Bad Bunny makes Grammys history with Album of the Year win

BY PAULA RAMON, WITH SUSAN STUMME IN WASHINGTON

  • But he made good on his second attempt with "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" ("I Should Have Taken More Photos").
  • Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny made history Sunday at the Grammys, winning Album of the Year for his "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" -- the first Spanish-language work to take the top honor in music.
  • But he made good on his second attempt with "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" ("I Should Have Taken More Photos").
Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny made history Sunday at the Grammys, winning Album of the Year for his "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" -- the first Spanish-language work to take the top honor in music.
Rapper Kendrick Lamar added five more gramophones to his trophy cabinet, including another Record of the Year award, while Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas took the Song of the Year prize.
Britain's Olivia Dean was named best new artist, on a night that featured electric performances from a constellation of stars including Lady Gaga, who won two prizes including best pop vocal album. 
But the night belonged to Bad Bunny, who earned cheers as he delivered a powerful political message, ripping the nationwide immigration raids that have polarized America.
"Before I say thanks to God, I'm gonna say 'ICE out'," Bad Bunny said as he accepted the award for best musica urbana album. 
"We're not savages, we're not animals, we're not aliens; we are humans and we are Americans," the 31-year-old said, one week before he takes one of the world's biggest stages, headlining the Super Bowl halftime show.
Later, when he won the night's top prize, he appeared overcome with emotion at his seat, before getting up on stage and delivering most of his speech in Spanish, honoring the people of Puerto Rico, a US territory in the Caribbean.
"I want to dedicate this award to all the people that had to leave their homeland, their country, to follow their dreams," he said in English. 
Bad Bunny's third award of the night was for best global music performance.
Lamar's five Grammys equaled his haul from last year, when he swept up prizes for "Not Like Us," his viral diss track targetting rival Drake.
This time, he was honored for a variety of songs, from the Record of the Year-winning melodic "Luther" featuring SZA, which contains a sample from a hit by late crooner Luther Vandross, to the more classic hip-hop song "tv off."
"I'm not good at talking about myself, but I express it through the music. It's an honor to be here," said Lamar, a Pulitzer Prize winner.

History

Bad Bunny is in the middle of a world tour, just months after a hugely successful residency in San Juan.
His "Un verano sin ti" (2022) was the first Spanish-language album nominated for Album of the Year honors. But he made good on his second attempt with "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" ("I Should Have Taken More Photos").
The album is an exploration of what it is to be Puerto Rican in the context of persistent colonialism -- all set to folkloric sounds, infectious salsa and reggaeton rhythms.
Host Trevor Noah repeatedly joked with the Latin megastar, born Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, about not performing due to Super Bowl contractual restrictions -- and even sang a few bars in Spanish himself before Bad Bunny indulged with a short verse.

Big performances

K-pop singer Rose and Bruno Mars kicked off the televised gala with a high-octane performance of "APT."
Lady Gaga offered an energetic version of "Abracadabra" and Justin Bieber stripped to his boxers -- and socks -- for a rendition of "Yukon."
Pop princess Sabrina Carpenter belted out her hit "Manchild."
Reba McEntire and Lauryn Hill sang in honor of those who died over the last year in the world of music. 
Late rocker Ozzy Osbourne's wife Sharon and children Kelly, Jack and Aimee looked on as Post Malone fronted an all-star band including guitarist Slash for Black Sabbath's "War Pigs."
The majority of the 95 awards were handed out at a pre-gala ceremony before the televised broadcast.
"Golden," from the Netflix animated smash hit "KPop Demon Hunters," won the prize for best song written for visual media, and top Oscar nominee "Sinners" won two soundtrack awards.
Country star Jelly Roll and R&B singer Leon Thomas were among the other winners.
Joni Mitchell -- one of several attendees wearing an "ICE OUT" pin in protest of US President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown -- took a prize for best historical album.
pr-sst/jgc

music

Bad Bunny: the Puerto Rican phenom on top of the music world

BY MAGGY DONALDSON

  • That set foreshadowed the history lesson in Puerto Rican music Bad Bunny would soon give with "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos," which he promoted with a hometown concert residency.
  • A musical deep dive into colonial legacy, an epic concert residency, an oeuvre of smash albums with remarkable range: no one is doing it quite like Bad Bunny.
  • That set foreshadowed the history lesson in Puerto Rican music Bad Bunny would soon give with "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos," which he promoted with a hometown concert residency.
A musical deep dive into colonial legacy, an epic concert residency, an oeuvre of smash albums with remarkable range: no one is doing it quite like Bad Bunny.
And on Sunday, the Puerto Rican phenom made history, winning the coveted Grammy for Album of the Year -- and becoming the first artist who performs in Spanish to ever claim the prize. 
And he came out swinging at President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown, earning cheers when he told the Grammys audience: "ICE out."
"I want to dedicate this award to all the people who had to leave their homeland, their country to follow their dreams," Bad Bunny said as he accepted his groundbreaking gramophone. 
He won two other prizes on the night -- for best global music performance and best musica urbana album.
The Grammys were an appropriate exclamation point on an extraordinary year that has cemented the 31-year-old's reign over global music.
Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio's career is barely a decade old, but it's marked by historic milestones that have broken barriers for Latin and Spanish-language music.
In just one week, he'll helm the world's most visible stage at the Super Bowl halftime show, the first Spanish-language artist ever to do so.
Bad Bunny was the first -- and remains the only -- Spanish-language artist to ever receive an Album of the Year Grammy nod. 
He's earned it twice, for Sunday's winner "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" and in 2022, for "Un Verano Sin Ti."
He also was the first Spanish-language artist to ever headline Coachella, delivering a two-hour performance in 2023 that included documentary footage and traditional dance.
That set foreshadowed the history lesson in Puerto Rican music Bad Bunny would soon give with "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos," which he promoted with a hometown concert residency.
The first nine shows were only open to residents of the Caribbean island that has been under US rule since 1898.
He then launched a world tour in support of the album -- but with no scheduled stops on the US mainland, out of fear that federal immigration agents would target concertgoers.
Bad Bunny has been Spotify's most-streamed artist four separate times, including in 2025, beating out the likes of titans like Taylor Swift and Drake.
He is wildly popular both stateside and abroad, a commercial golden goose who is critically acclaimed and commands legions of ardent fans.

'Deeply political'

The son of a truck driver and a teacher, Bad Bunny was born on March 10, 1994 and grew up in Vega Baja, a small municipality near Puerto Rico's capital San Juan.
He honed his vocal skills in the children's choir at church, before growing into a pre-teen who loved spending hours developing beats on his computer, as he also began delving into everything from bachata to the Bee Gees.
He was working at a supermarket bagging groceries when he got a call from a label over his viral plays on the DIY platform SoundCloud.
Thus began the reggaeton star's rapid explosion to the top of global music.
With his enormous fame came pressure to meet the varying expectations of loyal fans, including those who wanted him to take stronger political stances.
Earlier in his career, he wavered on taking up a role as a de facto spokesperson. 
But more recently, he has joined Puerto Rican protests and spoken out against US President Donald Trump's policies. His statement on the Grammys stage was perhaps his most direct yet.
"Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" was a full-throated, identity-affirming exploration of Puerto Ricanness in the context of persistent colonialism, set to folkloric sounds, infectious salsa and reggaeton rhythms.
It was a love letter to his home, for his home -- and it brought positive visibility to a place often viewed through a lens of suffering.
The artist's commitment to singing in Spanish in a music industry that has historically marginalized Latino voices makes his mammoth success even more extraordinary.
Historian Jorell Melendez-Badillo told AFP the artist's mere presence at major cultural events like the Grammys or the Super Bowl is "deeply political."
And all those sociopolitical layers come packaged in eminently danceable form: it's hard to attend a Bad Bunny show and resist the urge to twerk.
mdo/sst

music

Kendrick Lamar: rap's poet laureate

BY RAPHAëL HERMANO

  • A week after his Grammys triumph last year, Lamar took one of the biggest stages in the world, headlining the Super Bowl halftime show. 
  • For the second year running, Kendrick Lamar is living his best life at the Grammys. 
  • A week after his Grammys triumph last year, Lamar took one of the biggest stages in the world, headlining the Super Bowl halftime show. 
For the second year running, Kendrick Lamar is living his best life at the Grammys. 
After scooping up five prizes last year, the 38-year-old Lamar on Sunday won five more including Record of the Year, cementing his status as one of contemporary music's most impactful writers.
The Pulitzer Prize winner's music has made him a household name and a rare artist whose work is commercially successful but who is not dependent on a constant content churn.
"I'm not good at talking about myself, but I express it through the music. It's an honor to be here," Lamar said Sunday as he accepted the best rap album award for "GNX."
The Record of the Year honor came for "Luther" featuring R&B singer SZA. He also won prizes for best rap performance, best rap song and best melodic rap performance.
Born in 1987 in Compton, the California native grew up poor, with his parents reliant on welfare and food stamps to survive. He witnessed his first murder at age five, and a second three years later, he told Rolling Stone.
"After that," he said, "you get numb to it."
He began putting out music in high school, drawing inspiration from the West Coast rappers of the day such as Tupac Shakur, Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg, who embraced funk influences and graphic lyrics.
After a number of collaborations, mixtapes and tours with other rappers under the name K.Dot, Lamar eventually worked under his own name, and released his first studio album, "Section.80," in 2011. 
But it was with his second album, "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City," that Lamar came into his own. 
His poignant verses offering personal insights into his life in Compton, while taking on systemic issues such as race relations and structural poverty, struck a chord with listeners and critics.
Each track offers an almost cinematic look at a particular idea.
For Timothy Welbeck, a professor of African American studies at Temple University in Philadelphia, that album helped make Lamar "one of this culture's most important artists."
"It showed that he had the ability to create a level of quality that could stand the test of time" and "the ability to tell his story in a way that was compelling" and understandable for those who did not have similar experiences, Welbeck told AFP.

Pulitzer Prize

The albums that followed, including 2015's "To Pimp a Butterfly," saw Lamar use more and more jazz-heavy instrumentals, along with soul and funk influences. 
He also went deeper with his writing, talking about the depression he experienced after his first major success, his difficult relationship with masculinity and sexual abuse committed within his family. 
In 2018, he became the first rapper to win the Pulitzer Prize for music for his album "Damn." The jury hailed a "virtuosic song collection... that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African American life."
And then came "Not Like Us."

Super Bowl, huge tour

He dropped the track in May 2024, the fifth of a collection of songs skewering Drake that dropped less than a day after his previous single, "Meet the Grahams."
"Not Like Us" led critics and followers to proclaim Lamar the winner of the battle, which saw the rappers trade barbs including allegations of domestic abuse and sexual misconduct involving children.
A record-breaking streaming giant, "Not Like Us" catapulted to the top of the charts and quickly became a West Coast rap anthem, beloved for its pounding bassline, rhythmic strings and exaggerated enunciation.
A week after his Grammys triumph last year, Lamar took one of the biggest stages in the world, headlining the Super Bowl halftime show. 
He performed a string of classics like "Humble" and "DNA" before sending fans into a frenzy with a knife-twisting rendition of "Not Like Us."
He subsequently went on a world tour with SZA, which raked in more than $350 million, according to Forbes magazine, with more than 1.5 million tickets sold.
Lamar, who is somewhat diminutive at roughly 5'6", has been with his fiancee Whitney Alford since high school. The couple has two children.
The rapper rarely sits down for extensive interviews, and makes few public appearances. He does not comment on current events, except through his music.
Kendrick Lamar often will say that he's "not your savior and that it's not necessarily his role to be a politician in that way," Welbeck notes. 
"But he believes the way he makes change is by getting people to think about difficult subjects and challenging the way that they view the world."
rh/sst/bgs

music

At Grammys, 'ICE out' message loud and clear

BY HUW GRIFFITH

  • "Before I say thanks to God, I'm gonna say 'ICE out'," Bad Bunny said to cheers from the audience in Los Angeles -- only a week before he is due to headline the Super Bowl halftime show.
  • Music's A-listers on Sunday lashed out at the immigration raids rocking the United States at the Grammy Awards, with Puerto Rican megastar Bad Bunny setting the tone.
  • "Before I say thanks to God, I'm gonna say 'ICE out'," Bad Bunny said to cheers from the audience in Los Angeles -- only a week before he is due to headline the Super Bowl halftime show.
Music's A-listers on Sunday lashed out at the immigration raids rocking the United States at the Grammy Awards, with Puerto Rican megastar Bad Bunny setting the tone.
Anger was palpable at President Donald Trump's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, whose heavily armed and masked agents have been deployed in multiple US cities.
The killing of two US citizens by federal agents last month in Minneapolis raised the temperature for many Americans, already anxious over what they think are unfocused operations unjustly sweeping up anyone who speaks Spanish or has brown skin.
"Before I say thanks to God, I'm gonna say 'ICE out'," Bad Bunny said to cheers from the audience in Los Angeles -- only a week before he is due to headline the Super Bowl halftime show.
"We're not savages, we're not animals, we're not aliens; we are humans and we are Americans," the singer said after being given the Grammy for Best Musica Urbana Album.
The reggaeton star was not alone in calling out the actions of ICE, one of the lead agencies involved in the crackdown.
Among the couture frocks by Valentino, Chanel and Saint Laurent on the red carpet, several of those attending added an "ICE out" button to their outfits.
They included power couple Justin and Hailey Bieber, veteran songstress Joni Mitchell, US singer Jordan Tyson and actress and singer Helen J. Shen.
Here are some of the other comments made by musicians at the show in Los Angeles:
- Gloria Estefan - 
"I'm scared, I'm very worried," Gloria Estefan told AFP backstage after winning the Grammy for best tropical Latin album.
"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'. 
"These are people that have families, that have contributed to this country for decades, little children. There are hundreds of children in detention centers. It's inhumane. I don't recognize my country at this moment."

Olivia Dean

"I guess I want to say I'm up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant," British singer Olivia Dean -- who has an English father and a Jamaican-Guyanese mother -- said after scooping the prestigious Best New Artist Grammy.
"I'm a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated."
- Shaboozey - 
"Immigrants built this country," the breakout country star Shaboozey, who was born in Virginia to Nigerian parents, told the audience after winning the Grammy for best country duo/group performance with Jelly Roll.
"So this is for them, for all children of immigrants. This is also for those who came to this country in search of better opportunity to be a part of a nation that promised freedom for all and equal opportunity to everyone willing to work for it," said the artist. 
"Thank you for bringing your culture, your music, your stories and your traditions here. You give America color."

Billie Eilish

US singer Billie Eilish, whose "Wildflower" scored the Grammy for Song of the Year, said she felt grateful for the award.
But, she added: "As grateful as I feel, I honestly don't feel like I need to say anything, but that no one is illegal on stolen land.
"It's just really hard to know what to say and what to do right now. I feel like we just need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting, and our voices really do matter, and the people matter."

SZA

"It's incredibly dystopian that we're dressed up and able to celebrate accolades... and people are getting snatched up and shot in the face on the street," said R&B singer SZA, who shared Record of the Year honors with Kendrick Lamar.
"It just feels bizarre, and I find so many of us don't really know how to feel right now, besides rage and hopelessness," she said.
"I just don't want everyone to fall into despair, because when you lose... morale, change becomes impossible."
bur-sst/

music

Grammy red carpet: black and white, barely there and no ICE

BY ETIENNE LAURENT WITH SUSAN STUMME IN WASHINGTON

  • - Plenty of skin - Barely there sheer frocks have been on the runways since the start of the showbiz awards season, and Sunday night was no different.
  • The best in music strutted their stuff Sunday on the red carpet at the 68th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, celebrating the industry's biggest night in a swirl of black and white, barely-there lace and a dash of political anger.
  • - Plenty of skin - Barely there sheer frocks have been on the runways since the start of the showbiz awards season, and Sunday night was no different.
The best in music strutted their stuff Sunday on the red carpet at the 68th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, celebrating the industry's biggest night in a swirl of black and white, barely-there lace and a dash of political anger.
Here are some key looks from the Crypto.com Arena:

Black and white

Author Truman Capote hosted a legendary Black and White Ball in New York in 1966 -- and the look is still a red carpet winner.
Puerto Rican megastar Bad Bunny -- who made history with his Album of the Year win -- dressed to impress in a Schiaparelli velvet tuxedo with a slightly fitted jacket and a white flower on his lapel. 
Lady Gaga embraced her "Mayhem" era, rocking a high-necked sleeveless black feather gown from Matieres Fecales that trailed behind her in wisps of tulle. Her hair and eyebrows were bleached platinum.
K-pop singer Rose, who performed her viral banger "APT." with Bruno Mars, wore a Saint Laurent gown built from a black mini dress, and then topped with a billowing cream swath of fabric that created a skirt-like effect.
Britain's Olivia Dean, who won the award for Best New Artist, stunned fans in an elegant Chanel gown with a full white skirt and a black bodice with tiny spaghetti straps, adorned with sequins and feathers. Her hair cascaded down her back in curls.

Plenty of skin

Barely there sheer frocks have been on the runways since the start of the showbiz awards season, and Sunday night was no different.
Pop princess Sabrina Carpenter, who earned six nominations, is known for her glitzy showgirl style on stage, and she brought a bit of that sparkle in a wispy Valentino gown with strategically placed floral appliques and rows of ruffles. 
The members of girl group Katseye arrived in floor-length white Ludovic de Saint Sernin gowns, each with cutouts or revealing see-through lace.
Colombian singer Karol G wowed fashionistas with a sea foam green sheer dress that hugged her curves.
Chappell Roan, last year's winner for Best New Artist, perhaps took naked dressing too literally.
She removed a burgundy Mugler cape to reveal a wisp of a trailing skirt that was suspended from a pair of nipple rings, her body decorated with what looked like henna art.

'ICE OUT'

Much like at the Golden Globes, a number of stars -- including legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell -- wore "ICE OUT" pins to protest US President Donald Trump's sweeping crackdown by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Justin Bieber and his supermodel wife Hailey Bieber sported the pins as did singers Margo Price, Helen Shen and Jordan Tyson.
sst/jgc

music

Key winners at the Grammy Awards

  • Rapper Kendrick Lamar won five Grammys including Record of the Year.
  • Here is a list of winners in the major categories for the 68th annual Grammy Awards, which were handed out on Sunday in Los Angeles.
  • Rapper Kendrick Lamar won five Grammys including Record of the Year.
Here is a list of winners in the major categories for the 68th annual Grammy Awards, which were handed out on Sunday in Los Angeles.
Bad Bunny won Album of the Year, the first time a Spanish-language work has been so honored, and two other prizes.
Rapper Kendrick Lamar won five Grammys including Record of the Year.
Album of the Year: "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" - Bad Bunny
Record of the Year, recognizing overall performance on a song: "luther" - Kendrick Lamar with SZA 
Song of the Year, recognizing songwriting: "Wildflower" – Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish) 
Best New Artist: Olivia Dean 
Best Pop Solo Performance: "Messy" - Lola Young
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: "Defying Gravity" - Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande  
Best Pop Vocal Album: "Mayhem" - Lady Gaga
Best Rap Album: "GNX" - Kendrick Lamar 
Best Rap Performance: "Chains & Whips" - Clipse (Pusha T & Malice), featuring Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams
Best Music Video: "Anxiety" - Doechii
Best Musica Urbana Album: Bad Bunny - "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos"
Best Global Music Performance: Bad Bunny - "Eoo"
Best Global Music Album: "Caetano e Bethania Ao Vivo" - Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethania
Best Song Written for Visual Media: "Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters"
bur-sst/jgc

music

Steven Spielberg earns coveted EGOT status with Grammy win

  • Spielberg has won three Academy Awards, twice for best director and once for best picture for "Schindler's List."
  • Legendary director Steven Spielberg on Sunday completed the grand slam of showbiz awards, earning so-called EGOT status by winning a Grammy in the best music film category for the documentary "Music by John Williams."
  • Spielberg has won three Academy Awards, twice for best director and once for best picture for "Schindler's List."
Legendary director Steven Spielberg on Sunday completed the grand slam of showbiz awards, earning so-called EGOT status by winning a Grammy in the best music film category for the documentary "Music by John Williams."
Spielberg, 79, has now won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards throughout his storied career -- a feat only accomplished by 21 other people.
That list reads like a who's who of showbiz, from composers Richard Rodgers and Alan Menken to actresses Audrey Hepburn and Whoopi Goldberg to singers John Legend and Jennifer Hudson.
"Music by John Williams" celebrates the work of the 93-year-old composer, who collaborated with Spielberg on a host of movies including classics "Jaws" and "Schindler's List."
"This acknowledgment is obviously deeply meaningful to me because it validates what I have known for over 50 years: John Williams' influence on culture and music is immeasurable and his artistry and legacy is unrivaled," Spielberg said in a statement on the Instagram account of his Amblin Entertainment company.
Spielberg has won three Academy Awards, twice for best director and once for best picture for "Schindler's List." He has taken home four Primetime Emmys for various projects including the World War II series "Band of Brothers."
He won a Tony for producing the musical "A Strange Loop."
sst/jgc

music

British singer Olivia Dean wins Best New Artist Grammy

  • Its top single "Man I Need" shot to number one in the UK, Australia and elsewhere.
  • British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean -- who topped charts at home and abroad with her monster hit "Man I Need" -- on Sunday won the Grammy for Best New Artist.
  • Its top single "Man I Need" shot to number one in the UK, Australia and elsewhere.
British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean -- who topped charts at home and abroad with her monster hit "Man I Need" -- on Sunday won the Grammy for Best New Artist.
She bested a crowded field that included "Ordinary" singer Alex Warren, girl group Katseye, TikTok dancer-turned-singer Addison Rae, The Marias, sombr, Lola Young and Leon Thomas.
"I'm up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant," Dean -- who was born in London to an English father and a Jamaican-Guyanese mother -- said to cheers. 
"I'm a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated."
The 26-year-old Dean, who has won over critics with her deep pop-soul sound, turned heads in September with the release of her second studio album "The Art of Loving."
Its top single "Man I Need" shot to number one in the UK, Australia and elsewhere. It reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. 
The album's other singles "Nice to Each Other" and "Lady Lady" struck a nostalgic chord with jazz-inflected melodies.
She was named Billboard's 2025 Rookie of the Year.
Dean's middle name is Lauryn -- for rap icon and Fugees lead singer Lauryn Hill.
She initially went to a performing arts secondary school for musical theater, but ultimately pivoted to songwriting, teaching herself how to play the guitar and piano.
Dean initially gained traction by posting covers on YouTube and gaining fans with her retro vocals via streaming platforms. 
After releasing an EP in 2019, she hit the road in the peak pandemic days of summer 2020 in a yellow van, singing outside for whoever would listen.
Two more EPs followed before her debut full-length album in 2023, "Messy." 
Dean's momentum grew, performing at the legendary Glastonbury Festival in 2024.
On the strength of "The Art of Loving," she opened for Sabrina Carpenter during her tour late last year.
Dean cites a wide range of influences, from Hill and Amy Winehouse to Aretha Franklin and Carole King.
The Best New Artist Grammy honors the person or group who "achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape."
This was Dean's only nomination this year.
bur-sst/jgc

art

Trump says closing Kennedy Center arts complex for two years

BY MICHAEL MATHES

  • According to a detailed review last October by The Washington Post, Kennedy Center ticket sales have plummeted to their lowest levels since the pandemic, equating to tens of thousands of unsold seats last year.
  • US President Donald Trump announced Sunday he is closing the Kennedy Center for two years for a thorough renovation, as the storied Washington arts complex struggles with declining ticket sales and a backlash from performers.
  • According to a detailed review last October by The Washington Post, Kennedy Center ticket sales have plummeted to their lowest levels since the pandemic, equating to tens of thousands of unsold seats last year.
US President Donald Trump announced Sunday he is closing the Kennedy Center for two years for a thorough renovation, as the storied Washington arts complex struggles with declining ticket sales and a backlash from performers.
The closure, he said, would begin on July 4 -- the nation's 250th anniversary.
Since returning to office, Trump has launched a forceful takeover of the once non-partisan center, branding some of its programming too "woke" and adding his own name to the facade.
"I have determined that the fastest way to bring The Trump Kennedy Center to the highest level of Success, Beauty, and Grandeur, is to cease Entertainment Operations for an approximately two year period of time," Trump, who is the center's chairman of the board, posted on his Truth Social platform.
The decision, he said, will be subject to approval of the board, which he handpicked upon taking over as chairman last year.
Trump said the facility's various entertainment events -- concerts, operas, musicals, ballet performances, and interactive arts -- would impede and slow the construction and renovation operations, and that a full temporary closure would be necessary.
"The Trump Kennedy Center, if temporarily closed for Construction, Revitalization, and Complete Rebuilding, can be, without question, the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World," he said.
"America will be very proud of its new and beautiful Landmark for many generations to come."
The extent of the "complete rebuilding" mentioned by Trump is unclear, but he has long declared that the structure -- built as a living memorial to slain US president John F Kennedy and opened in 1971 -- is dilapidated and needs a facelift.

'Everybody's canceling'

Social media was swiftly abuzz with speculation that the institution was hemorrhaging too much money to stay open, or that Trump's words might even suggest he intends to demolish the structure and build a new arts center in its place.
Author and activist Maria Shriver, a member of the Kennedy family, offered a pointed post on X, saying the facility is suffering because "no one wants to perform there any longer" and that "everybody's canceling."
Since the makeover of the board, including the installment of Trump as chairman, several prominent artists and shows have cancelled their appearances at the center, including the musical "Hamilton," operatic soprano Renee Fleming and renowned composer Philip Glass.
The Washington National Opera recently announced it would leave the Kennedy Center, its home since the center's opening more than 50 years ago.
Some have directly cited Trump's name being added to the institution and its facade, while others have noted logistical or financial pressures.
The change of name at the center -- a project established by Congress -- did not receive the required approval from US lawmakers.
A staff shakeup has occurred as well. Kevin Couch was announced on January 16 as the center's new senior vice president of artistic planning. By Wednesday, he had resigned, National Public Radio reported.
According to a detailed review last October by The Washington Post, Kennedy Center ticket sales have plummeted to their lowest levels since the pandemic, equating to tens of thousands of unsold seats last year.
In December, Trump hosted the annual Kennedy Center awards, and television viewership for the gala plummeted to a record low, 25 percent down from 2024, according to Nielsen data.
mlm/sst

art

Trump says closing Kennedy Center arts complex for two years

  • The Washington National Opera recently announced it would leave the Kennedy Center, its home since the center's opening.
  • US President Donald Trump announced Sunday he is closing the Kennedy Center arts complex in Washington for two years, beginning on July 4 -- the nation's 250th anniversary -- for a thorough renovation.
  • The Washington National Opera recently announced it would leave the Kennedy Center, its home since the center's opening.
US President Donald Trump announced Sunday he is closing the Kennedy Center arts complex in Washington for two years, beginning on July 4 -- the nation's 250th anniversary -- for a thorough renovation.
Since returning to office, Trump has launched a forceful takeover of the once non-partisan center, branding some of its programming too "woke" and adding his own name to the facade.
"I have determined that the fastest way to bring The Trump Kennedy Center to the highest level of Success, Beauty, and Grandeur, is to cease Entertainment Operations for an approximately two year period of time," Trump, who is the center's chairman of the board, posted on his Truth Social platform.
The decision, he said, will be subject to approval of the board, which he handpicked upon taking over as chairman.
Trump said the facility's various entertainment events -- concerts, operas, musicals, ballet performances, and interactive arts -- would impede and slow the construction and renovation operations, and that a full temporary closure would be necessary.
"The Trump Kennedy Center, if temporarily closed for Construction, Revitalization, and Complete Rebuilding, can be, without question, the finest Performing Arts Facility of its kind, anywhere in the World," he said.
"America will be very proud of its new and beautiful Landmark for many generations to come."
The extent of the "complete rebuilding" mentioned by Trump is unclear, but he has long declared that the structure -- built as a living memorial to slain US president John F Kennedy and opened in 1971 -- is dilapidated and needs a facelift.
Since the makeover of the board, including the installment of Trump as chairman, several prominent artists and shows have cancelled their appearances at the center, including the musical "Hamilton," operatic soprano Renee Fleming and renowned composer Philip Glass.
The Washington National Opera recently announced it would leave the Kennedy Center, its home since the center's opening.
Some have directly cited Trump's name being added to the institution and its facade, while others have noted logistical or financial pressures. 
mlm/sst

music

Nigeria's president pays tribute to Fela Kuti after Grammys Award

  • "Fela was more than a musician," Tinubu said in a statement day after the award was bestowed at a ceremony in Los Angeles.
  • Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu on Sunday paid tribute to Afrobeat king Fela Kuti after his posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys, the first African artist to be honoured this way.
  • "Fela was more than a musician," Tinubu said in a statement day after the award was bestowed at a ceremony in Los Angeles.
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu on Sunday paid tribute to Afrobeat king Fela Kuti after his posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys, the first African artist to be honoured this way.
After a lifetime of clashes with successive powers in Africa's most populous country, Fela was recognised nearly three decades after his death and long after his influence reshaped global music.
"Fela was more than a musician," Tinubu said in a statement day after the award was bestowed at a ceremony in Los Angeles.
"He was a fearless voice of the people, a philosopher of freedom, and a revolutionary force whose music confronted injustice and reshaped global sound," he added. 
"The award is an affirmation of his enduring global influence and the foundational role he has played in the evolution and impact of Africa on modern music," he said.
In the 1970s, multi-instrumentalist Fela invented Afrobeat: a mixture of jazz, funk and African rhythms. 
That laid the groundwork for Afrobeats -- a later genre that has attracted a global audience by blending traditional African rhythms with contemporary pop sounds, with its roots in Nigeria.
His children, including Femi Kuti received the award in Los Angeles on Saturday night. Davido, one of the Nigeria's leading stars riding the global Afrobeats craze was also seen with the Kuti family in Los Angeles.
Fela's grandson Made Kuti, who was nominated for a Grammy in 2022 said his grandfather "was on the same professional level as the best of the best in the world that have ever existed".
"There are not many people you can trace back as an originator of a style of music that would take that risk and be so creative that it's really, truly developed into a genre that lives on its own," he said from his home in Lagos Sunday.
sn-vid/jj

Canada

'Send Help' debuts atop N.America box office

  • "Melania," Amazon MGM's documentary about the first lady, opened in third place with a better-than-expected $7 million in ticket sales.
  • Horror flick "Send Help" debuted atop the North American box office at $20 million, industry estimates showed Sunday, as Melania Trump's new documentary bested expectations. 20th Century's "Send Help" stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien as a woman and her boss trying to survive on a deserted island after their plane crashes.
  • "Melania," Amazon MGM's documentary about the first lady, opened in third place with a better-than-expected $7 million in ticket sales.
Horror flick "Send Help" debuted atop the North American box office at $20 million, industry estimates showed Sunday, as Melania Trump's new documentary bested expectations.
20th Century's "Send Help" stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien as a woman and her boss trying to survive on a deserted island after their plane crashes.
It marks a return to the genre for director Sam Raimi, who first made his name in the 1980s with the "Evil Dead" films.
"This is an excellent opening for an original horror film," said analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. "This is terrific, broad-appeal entertainment."
Debuting in second place was sci-fi thriller "Iron Lung" at $18 million, Exhibitor Relations reported.
The video game adaptation written, directed and financed by YouTube star Mark Fischbach, known by his pseudonym Markiplier, is a post-apocalyptic adventure.
"Melania," Amazon MGM's documentary about the first lady, opened in third place with a better-than-expected $7 million in ticket sales.
"As good as this opening is for a documentary, for any other film, with $75 million in costs and limited foreign potential, it would be a problem," Gross said.
"But this is a political investment, not a for-profit movie venture," he added. "$75 million is insignificant to Amazon."
Disney's Oscar-nominated animated film "Zootopia 2" kept chugging, finishing in fourth place at $5.8 million in the United States and Canada.
Opening in fifth place was action thriller "Shelter" starring Jason Statham with a disappointing $5.5 million.
Rounding out the top 10 are:
"Mercy" ($4.7 million)
"Avatar: Fire and Ash" ($3.5 million)
"The Housemaid" ($3.5 million)
"Marty Supreme" ($2.9 million)
"28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" ($1.6 million)
bur-sst/md

cartoon

'Immortal' Indian comics keep up with changing times

BY AISHWARYA KUMAR

  • "The largest number of readers for Amar Chitra Katha are between 25 and 45," executive editor Reena I. Puri told AFP.  "They are the ones who've been brought up with Amar Chitra Katha... and give it to their children to read."
  • When India's comic book series Amar Chitra Katha was launched in 1967, its mission was simple: introduce children to the country's vast universe of Hindu gods, legends and history.
  • "The largest number of readers for Amar Chitra Katha are between 25 and 45," executive editor Reena I. Puri told AFP.  "They are the ones who've been brought up with Amar Chitra Katha... and give it to their children to read."
When India's comic book series Amar Chitra Katha was launched in 1967, its mission was simple: introduce children to the country's vast universe of Hindu gods, legends and history.
Nearly six decades later, the comic, known simply as ACK and meaning "immortal illustrated stories", is still holding its ground in an era ruled by smartphones and streaming television.
Founded by storyteller Anant Pai after he noticed children on a quiz show knew more about Greek gods than their own mythological heroes, ACK quickly became a cultural touchstone.
Its titles, from tales of Hindu deities to biographies of freedom fighters, sold in the millions and were translated into multiple regional languages.
The journey has faced turbulence.
The arrival of the Cartoon Network in India and a blockbuster television adaptation of the Hindu epic "Mahabharata" dented sales.
Last year, a fire at their Mumbai warehouse destroyed part of the company's precious archive.
Still, the publisher marches on -- powered not just by nostalgic adults, but by their children too.
"The largest number of readers for Amar Chitra Katha are between 25 and 45," executive editor Reena I. Puri told AFP. 
"They are the ones who've been brought up with Amar Chitra Katha... and give it to their children to read."
ACK fan Aarav Vedhanayagam said his favourite was about an air force pilot who won India's highest military medal.
"I love how they narrate the stories, and also the drawings," the 13-year-old said.
"From the smallest child to the oldest grandfather -- it is suitable for all ages."

'Really develop'

Production depends on the same painstaking research, writing and colouring, although some images of deities have evolved.
"We used to have a very slender Ram, a very slender Shiva, drawn lovingly by artists who drew by hand," said Puri, 68, who has been with ACK for 34 years.
"Today the artists... give them six-pack abs and muscles."
Not all fans love the makeover, but Puri said times change.
"Children today are not used to that old kind of art," Puri said. "We have to adapt to what the children want." 
Storytelling has also shifted.
"If, earlier, we used to show the man sitting with a newspaper, and the woman sweeping the floor or cooking food, that's changed," she added.
"It could be the woman sitting and reading a book, and the man gets her a cup of tea."
The Covid-19 pandemic forced ACK to confront the digital age head-on, making its app free for a month, sparking a surge in readers.
More than a quarter stayed on, and today, digital earns nearly as much as print.
"We realised that here was something that we could really develop," said Puri.

'Art is to be respected'

But one frontier is firmly off‑limits: artificial intelligence.
"Art is to be respected, a writer's work is to be respected", Puri said.
Comic designer Srinath Malolan, 24, who grew up reading ACK in his school library, said the human-made process ensures content remains safe for children.
"The internet can create whatever it wants... we have meticulously looked at what we are giving the kids," Malolan said.
Puri is confident in ACK's future.
"The focus for us is our founder's vision... to tell the stories of India to the children of India," she said. "It's always going to be relevant."
ash/abh/pjm/fox

music

Key nominees for the Grammy Awards

  • Rapper Kendrick Lamar leads all nominees with nine, followed by Lady Gaga with seven, and a trio of artists tied at six -- Bad Bunny, pop princess Sabrina Carpenter and R&B singer-songwriter Leon Thomas.
  • Here is a list of nominees in the major categories for the 68th annual Grammy Awards, which will be handed out on Sunday in Los Angeles.
  • Rapper Kendrick Lamar leads all nominees with nine, followed by Lady Gaga with seven, and a trio of artists tied at six -- Bad Bunny, pop princess Sabrina Carpenter and R&B singer-songwriter Leon Thomas.
Here is a list of nominees in the major categories for the 68th annual Grammy Awards, which will be handed out on Sunday in Los Angeles.
Rapper Kendrick Lamar leads all nominees with nine, followed by Lady Gaga with seven, and a trio of artists tied at six -- Bad Bunny, pop princess Sabrina Carpenter and R&B singer-songwriter Leon Thomas.

Album of the Year

"Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" - Bad Bunny
"Swag" - Justin Bieber
"Man's Best Friend" - Sabrina Carpenter 
"Let God Sort Em Out" - Clipse (Pusha T & Malice)
"Mayhem" - Lady Gaga
"GNX" - Kendrick Lamar 
"Mutt" - Leon Thomas 
"Chromakopia" - Tyler, The Creator

Record of the Year, recognizing overall performance on a song

"DtMF" - Bad Bunny 
"Manchild" - Sabrina Carpenter
"Anxiety" - Doechii
"Wildflower" - Billie Eilish 
"Abracadabra" - Lady Gaga  
"luther" - Kendrick Lamar with SZA 
"The Subway" - Chappell Roan 
"APT." - Rose and Bruno Mars

Song of the Year, recognizing songwriting

"Abracadabra" - Lady Gaga, Henry Walter & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
"Anxiety" - Jaylah Hickmon, songwriter (Doechii) 
"APT." - Amy Allen, Christopher Brody Brown, Roget Chahayed, Omer Fedi, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Chae Young Park, Theron Thomas & Henry Walter, songwriters (Rose, Bruno Mars) 
"DtMF" - Marco Daniel Borrero, Scott Dittrich, Benjamin Falik, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, Hugo Rene Sencion Sanabria, Tyler Thomas Spry & Roberto Jose Rosado Torres, songwriters (Bad Bunny) 
"Golden [From 'KPop Demon Hunters']" - EJAE & Mark Sonnenblick, songwriters (HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI) 
"luther" - Jack Antonoff, Roshwita Larisha Bacha, Matthew Bernard, Scott Bridgeway, Sam Dew, Ink, Kendrick Lamar, Solana Rowe, Mark Anthony Spears & Kamasi Washington, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar with SZA)
"Manchild" - Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff & Sabrina Carpenter, songwriters (Sabrina Carpenter) 
"Wildflower" – Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish) 

Best New Artist

Olivia Dean 
KATSEYE 
The Marias 
Addison Rae 
sombr 
Leon Thomas 
Alex Warren 
Lola Young

Best Pop Solo Performance

"Daisies" - Justin Bieber
"Manchild" - Sabrina Carpenter
"Disease" - Lady Gaga
"The Subway" - Chappell Roan
"Messy" - Lola Young

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

"Defying Gravity" - Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande  
"Golden [From 'KPop Demon Hunters']” - HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI
"Gabriela" - KATSEYE 
"APT." - Rose, Bruno Mars 
"30 For 30" - SZA with Kendrick Lamar

Best Pop Vocal Album

"Swag" - Justin Bieber
"Man's Best Friend" - Sabrina Carpenter
"Something Beautiful" - Miley Cyrus
"Mayhem" - Lady Gaga
"I've Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 2)" - Teddy Swims

Best Rap Album

"Let God Sort Em Out" - Clipse (Pusha T & Malice)
"Glorious" - GloRilla 
"God Does Like Ugly" - JID 
"GNX" - Kendrick Lamar 
"Chromakopia" - Tyler, The Creator

Best Rap Performance

"Outside" - Cardi B
"Chains & Whips" - Clipse (Pusha T & Malice), featuring Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams
"Anxiety" - Doechii
"tv off" - Kendrick Lamar featuring Lefty Gunplay
"Darling, I" - Tyler, The Creator Featuring Teezo Touchdown

Best Music Video

"Manchild" - Sabrina Carpenter
"So Be It" - Clipse
"Anxiety" - Doechii
"Love" - OK Go
"Young Lion" - Sade

Best Global Music Album

"Sounds Of Kumbha" - Siddhant Bhatia
"No Sign of Weakness" - Burna Boy
"Eclairer le monde - Light the World" - Youssou N'Dour
"Mind Explosion (50th Anniversary Tour Live)" - Shakti
"Chapter III: We Return to Light" - Anoushka Shankar featuring Alam Khan & Sarathy Korwar
"Caetano e Bethania Ao Vivo" - Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethania

Artists with Most Nominations

Kendrick Lamar - 9
Lady Gaga - 7 
Bad Bunny - 6
Leon Thomas - 6
Sabrina Carpenter - 6
bur-sst/ksb

church

I'm no angel, Italy's PM says amid church fresco row

  • But, after several opposition politicians complained, Italy's culture minister, Alessandro Giuli, said he had ordered an inspection of the fresco on Saturday.
  • Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, joked on Saturday she does not look like an angel, after a row blew up in the media over a restored fresco in a Rome church.
  • But, after several opposition politicians complained, Italy's culture minister, Alessandro Giuli, said he had ordered an inspection of the fresco on Saturday.
Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, joked on Saturday she does not look like an angel, after a row blew up in the media over a restored fresco in a Rome church.
Some of Italy's press have been asking whether the premier served as inspiration for a cherub painted in a chapel in the San Lorenzo in Lucina basilica, located a few metres (yards) from the main building of the Italian government.
The newspaper La Repubblica noted that, following recent renovations, one of the painted angels bears a resemblance to the blonde, diminutive leader.
The winged figure is seen holding a parchment and standing next to a bust of Italy's last king, Umberto II, who reigned for just a month before being deposed in 1946.
The Italian restorer who worked on the cherubim, Bruno Ventinetti, denied to the press that he sought to immortalise Meloni, insisting that he only brought back the image of the original fresco.
Meloni herself appeared amused by the controversy, posting an image of the restored fresco on Instagram with the comment: "No, decidedly I do not resemble an angel."
But, after several opposition politicians complained, Italy's culture minister, Alessandro Giuli, said he had ordered an inspection of the fresco on Saturday.
The expert look-over will "determine the nature of the works carried out on the updated painting inside one of the chapels of San Lorenzo in Lucina and decide what further steps might be taken", he said in a statement.
jra/bfi/rmb/gv

fashion

Women in ties return as feminism faces pushback

BY ESTHER SÁNCHEZ

  • Models Bella Hadid and Loli Bahia have also sported them with boyish style, adopting a long-standing tradition of wearing the necktie as a subversive projection of women's equal rights.
  • Nicole Kidman, Demi Moore, Bella Hadid, Oprah Winfrey: women entertainers and models are reviving the necktie, a symbol of male power, at a time when feminism is under attack.
  • Models Bella Hadid and Loli Bahia have also sported them with boyish style, adopting a long-standing tradition of wearing the necktie as a subversive projection of women's equal rights.
Nicole Kidman, Demi Moore, Bella Hadid, Oprah Winfrey: women entertainers and models are reviving the necktie, a symbol of male power, at a time when feminism is under attack.
Whether paired with a trouser suit, like Nicole Kidman in February 2025 at the Critics Choice Awards ceremony, or with a black dress and a sheer shirt, like Demi Moore last November in Berlin, the tie has been making a comeback for several seasons.
Models Bella Hadid and Loli Bahia have also sported them with boyish style, adopting a long-standing tradition of wearing the necktie as a subversive projection of women's equal rights.
"We are seeing it not only on red carpets, but also at the heart of political and economic power spheres, where leading women are wearing an accessory that, until recently, remained almost exclusively masculine," fashion specialist Patrycia Centeno told AFP.
"It is a way of asserting women's place in a world and a system that remains deeply patriarchal," stressed Centeno, an expert in non-verbal communication.
Feminism in many Western countries, particularly the United States under Donald Trump, has been criticised as "woke", a pejorative term for activism in favour of greater sexual and racial equality. 
Other feminist gains, such as abortion or reproductive rights, are also being questioned or are in reverse in some countries.

Female emancipation

The tie as an accessory is thought to date back to the 17th century when the French copied a neckscarf from Croatian mercenaries fighting on behalf of Louis XIV's army. 
The French word "cravate" was derived from "Hrvat", the Croatian word for a Croat.
It has been repeatedly worn since then by women as an act of defiance, including by French feminist writers George Sand and Colette from the 19th century, and women campaigners for the vote in early 20th-century Britain, known as the suffragettes.
German actress Marlene Dietrich and fashion designer Coco Chanel also embraced it. 
The accessory is brandished by some feminists as "a sign of the advancement of women's rights and then their visibility in the public space", said fashion historian Marine Chaleroux.
In the 1980s and 1990s, as women began to take on more professional responsibilities, the tie became a "visual symbol of this growing access to important leadership roles in major companies or to senior positions", Chaleroux added.
These cyclical returns of the tie to women's wardrobes often coincide "with periods of fragility when rights are being called into question", the historian observed.
Centeno agreed, saying that ties for women were back at a time of "testosterone-driven politics", adding that the slim accessory could also be interpreted as a "phallic symbol".
"Feminism often seeks to appropriate signs that, socially and culturally, were long reserved for men, in order to assert -- or even visually normalise -- the fact that a woman can wield power and lead," she explained.
The tie has also recently made a comeback on men's catwalks.
At men's Fashion Week in Paris last week, it was almost ubiquitous, from Louis Vuitton to Dries Van Noten to Issey Miyake.
But under the influence of a feminine use deemed "more creative", menswear is seeing the emergence of "ties that are almost streetwear, worn with very wide trousers, over T-shirts, hoodies, or even deliberately worn badly", noted Marc Beauge, editor of the biannual men's fashion magazine L'Etiquette in France.
That is also transforming the image of an accessory that is "completely useless, very traditional, very masculine, and which requires great precision in terms of collar, knot and length", he said.
es/adp/rlp