LOS ANGELES — Pop superstar Beyoncé broke the record for most career wins at music’s Grammy awards on Sunday but lost again in the prestigious album of the year category, this time to British singer Harry Styles.
Beyoncé added four Grammys to her collection, bringing her lifetime total to 32 and surpassing the tally of late classical conductor Georg Solti.
Despite her success through the years, the 41-year-old “Break My Soul” singer has never claimed the best album trophy. Styles took home that honor on Sunday for Harry’s House.
“I’ve been so inspired by every artist in this category,” a surprised Mr. Styles said as he accepted the award. “On nights like tonight, it’s obviously so important for us to remember that there is no such thing as best in music.”
Grammy voters spread the top awards among several artists.
Lizzo’s upbeat “About Damn Time” won record of the year.
She dedicated the award to Prince, saying the late artist had inspired her to make positive music. Lizzo also saluted Beyoncé and recalled how she skipped out of school in fifth grade to see the “Halo” singer in concert.
“You clearly are the artist of our lives,” Lizzo said.
Blues singer Bonnie Raitt’s “Just Like That,” about an organ donor, earned song of the year.
Mr. Styles triumphed over a formidable, wide-ranging field that included Beyoncé, Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny, Lizzo, British vocalist Adele and disco-era Swedish hitmaker ABBA.
Beyoncé took the stage as she secured the all-time Grammy record with her award for best dance/electronic album for Renaissance.
“I am trying not to be too emotional. I am trying just to receive this night,” Beyoncé said. “I want to thank God for protecting me. Thank you, God.”
She also thanked her family and “the queer community for your love and for inventing the genre.”
Earlier, Beyoncé was absent when she was named the winner of best R&B song for “Cuff It.” Host Trevor Noah said the singer was stuck in traffic. He later handed her the trophy at her seat in the audience.
Bad Bunny took home the award for best música urbana album for Un Verano Sin Ti. For best rap album, Kendrick Lamar triumphed with Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.
Honorees were chosen by roughly 11,000 members of the Recording Academy.
American jazz singer Samara Joy was named best new artist.
“Oh my gosh. I’ve been watching you all on TV for so long,” she said. “All of you are so inspiring to me.”
NEW EGOT WINNERMeanwhile, actress Viola Davis on Sunday won a Grammy for her audio recording of her memoir Finding Me, granting her entry into the elite ranks of EGOT winners with an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award.
Ms. Davis is the third Black woman to earn this title, and the 18th person in history, and was thrilled to celebrate the moment on stage. The 57-year-old actor proudly said, “I got EGOT!” as she won a Grammy for best audio book, narration and storytelling recording.
Davis has a 2015 Emmy for TV series How To Get Away with Murder, won an Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2017 for her role in 2016’s Fences and has two Tony awards for Fences and King Hedley II.
“Oh my God,” she said on Sunday as she accepted her Grammy. “I wrote this book to honor the six-year-old Viola, to honor her, to honor her life, her joy, her trauma, her everything.”
Ms. Davis was the only female nominee in her category this year alongside big names Lin-Manuel Miranda, Questlove, Mel Brooks and Jamie Foxx.
Other EGOT winners include Jennifer Hudson, Rita Moreno, Audrey Hepburn and Whoopi Goldberg. — Reuters
