India's Ricky Kej bags 3rd Grammy; Beyoncé ties record for most wins

Music composer Ricky Kej, based out of Bengaluru, has won his third Grammy Award for the album Divine Tides and dedicated the honour to India.

The US-born musician shared the award with Stewart Copeland, the drummer of the iconic British rock band The Police, who collaborated with Kej on the album.

At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, the duo earned the gramophone trophy in the best immersive audio album winner category. They had won a Grammy in the best new age album category for the same album last year.

Also read: Women rule Grammys 2021; India’s farmers’ issue gets red carpet mention

“Congrats Best Immersive Audio Album winner – Divine Tides Eric Schilling, immersive mix engineer; @copelandmusic, @rickykej & Herbert Waltl, immersive producers (Stewart Copeland & Ricky Kej) #GRAMMYs,” announced the Recording Academy, the organisation behind Grammy Awards, on its official Twitter page on Sunday night.

Kej said he was “grateful” for the recognition. “Just won my 3rd Grammy Award. Extremely grateful, am speechless! I dedicate this Award to India. @copelandmusic. Herbert Waltl Eric Schilling Vanil Veigas Lonnie Park,” the composer captioned a series of pictures on his Twitter page.

Other nominees in the category were: Christina Aguilera (Aguilera), The Chainsmokers (Memories… Do Not Open), Jane Ira Bloom (Picturing The Invisible- Focus 1), and Nidarosdomens Jentekor & Trondeheimsolistene (Tuvahyun – Beatitudes for a Wounded World).

Divine Tides is a nine-song album that aims to deliver the message that “each individual life plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance that serves all equally”.

Kej took home his first Grammy in the best new age album category for Winds of Samsara back in 2015. As part of his work with The Police, Copeland has won five Grammys. With Kej as collaborator, this is his second award.

Beyonce a step closer to being most decorated artist

Beyoncé on Sunday (February 6) won three Grammys, bringing her a step closer in her pursuit of being the most-decorated artist in the shows history.

During the Grammys pre-telecast ceremony, Beyoncé won for the first time ever in the best dance-electronic music recording category for Break My Soul. She also won for best traditional R and B performance for Plastic Off the Sofa and R&B song for Cuff It.

With her win, Beyoncé has scripted history for the most Grammy wins of all time with 31, sharing the count with late Hungarian-British conductor Georg Solti, who has 31 Grammys. Solti has held on to the record since 1997.

Also read: How Taylor Swift, the pop sensation, has become an unstoppable force

It’s the first time Beyoncé has been nominated in the dance category. Her seventh studio project is up for best dance-electronic music album. Beyoncé entered Sunday’s ceremony as the leading nominee including album, song and record of the year.

Muni Long, a best new artist candidate beat out Beyonce in the best R and B performance category for her song, Hrs. and Hrs. Beyonce’s other nominations include best R and B song for Cuff It and song written for visual media for Be Alive, the Oscar-nominated song from the King Richard soundtrack.

Viola Davis now an EGOT

That was one of the main storylines heading into Sunday’s ceremony with several of music’s biggest names who were in the running for the night’s top honors – Harry Styles, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, ABBA and Lizzo – being among the nominees for album of the year. Adele joined them in the record of the year competition.

Viola Davis is now an EGOT a term for those who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony after she wins for best audio book, narration and storytelling recording. The actor gave an emotional speech and emphatically said I just EGOT after she marched on stage to collect her award. Oh, my God,” she said.

Also read: 18-year-old Billie Eilish scripts history, takes home five Grammys

“I wrote this book to honour the six-year-old Viola, to honour her, her life, her joy, her trauma, everything,” Davis said. “It has just been such a journey.”

Here’s a full list of Grammy winners in top categories:

Best alternative music performance: Chaise Longue by Wet Leg

Best alternative music album: Wet Leg, Wet Leg

Best rock album: Patient Number 9, Ozzy Osbourne

Best rock performance: Broken Horses by Brandi Carlile

Best rock song: Broken Horses by Brandi Carlile

Best rap performance: The Heart Part 5, Kendrick Lamar

Best rap song: The Heart Part 5 by Kendrick Lamar

Best melodic rap performance: WAIT FOR U by Future featuring Drake & Tems

Best R&B album: Black Radio III, Robert Glasper

Best R&B performance: Hrs & Hrs by Muni Long

Best traditional R&B performance: PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA by Beyoncé

Best progressive R&B album: Gemini Rights, Steve Lacy

Best audio book, narration and storytelling recording: Finding Me by Viola Davis

Best traditional pop vocal album: Higher, Michael Bublé

Best solo country solo performance: Live Forever, Willie Nelson

Best country duo/group performance: Never Wanted To Be That Girl, Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde

Best country album: Til You Can’t, Cody Johnson

Best jazz vocal album: Samara Joy

Best dance/electronic recording: Break My Soul, by Beyoncé

Best metal performance: Degradation Rules by Ozzy Osbourne featuring Tony Iommi

Best engineered, non-classical album: Harrys House, Harry Styles

Best compilation soundtrack for visual media: Encanto

Best score soundtrack for visual media: Encanto, Germaine Franco

Best score soundtrack for video games and other interactive media: Assasins Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok, Stephanie Economou