VOA慢速英语:悲伤与争议笼罩着格莱美颁奖典礼

Controversy 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 tragic 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 Recording Academy awards show was broadcast live from the Staples Center, the home court of the Los Angeles Lakers, the team Bryant played for all of 20-year career.

"We're literally standing 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 flute 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 vocal album.

I'm Caty Weaver.

VOA News reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.