Grace Wachira and agencies @yaa_grace

Some missed, while others triumphed, as the 62^nd Grammy Awards gala went down on Sunday at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, California, in the US. 

The awards, organised by the Recording Academy, recognises achievements in the music industry.

Industry players put their best foot forward, gracing the red-carpet event that happened in a somber night following the demise of the retired NBA star Kobe Bryant, who played his entire career with the LA Lakers. 

Bryant, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among nine people in a helicopter that crashed near Calabasas in California on Sunday. 

The event’s host, singer Alicia Keys, took a moment to dedicate the show to Bryant’s memory, with an acapella version of It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye, accompanied by Boyz II Men.

Notably, guests paid tribute to Bryant whose news about his death had broken earlier in the day.

On her nails, award winning actress Priyanka Chopra dotted the number 24, Bryant’s jersey number, while the Jonas brothers mixed-and-matched with gold spotted purple ribbons, which were reportedly in Bryant’s honour. A host of artistes performed in honour of the fallen basketball star.

Eighteen-year-old British artiste Billie Eilish emerged the biggest winner of the night, after bagging four awards, among them the Album of the Year for her debut When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, Record and Song of the Year for her smash hit Bad Guy. She set the record as the first woman to achieve the fete.

American singer-songwriter and rapper Lizo won Best Traditional R&B Performance for Jerome and it marked her first-ever Grammy win.

She also took home Best Urban Contemporary Album for her 2019 breakout album Cuz I Love You. She was the most-nominated artiste for the edition with eight nods.

Beninese singer-songwriter, actress and activist Angelique Kidjo won Best World Music Album for Celia, making it her fourth win in the category and fourth Grammy win overall. During her acceptance speech, Kidjo celebrated a new generation of African artistes coming up to represent the continent.

“Four years ago on this stage, I was telling you that the new generations of artistes coming from Africa gonna take you by storm and the time has come,” she said.

Fast-rising Jamaican artiste Koffee, who performed in Nairobi last December, bagged the Best Reggae Album award for Rapture EP. Best Rap Album went to Tyler the Creator for Igor, while Beyonce won the Best Music Film for Homecoming. The Best Rap Performance went to Nipsey Hussle ft Roddy Ricch and Hit-Boy for Racks in the Middle.