Lady Gaga and Dua Lipa lead as women dominate 61st Grammy Awards

Women have dominated this year's Grammy Awards, with Lady Gaga and Dua Lipa among the winners.

Country singer Kacey Musgraves took Sunday evening's top prize, scooping album of the year for Golden Hour.

In what was the 61st Grammy Awards ceremony, Musgraves secured three other wins: best country album, best country song for Space Cowboy and best country solo performance for Butterflies.

Lady Gaga cradles her awards on what was a successful evening. Credit: AP

Cardi B claimed best rap album for Invasion of Privacy - the first female solo artist to win the award - while Lipa won best new artist.

Lady Gaga continued a successful awards season by claiming three gongs: best pop solo performance for Joanne (Where Do You Think You're Goin'?), best song written for visual media for Shallow from A Star Is Born and best pop duo/group performance for the same song.

Dua Lipa accepts the award for best new artist. Credit: AP

Elsewhere, Drake claimed best rap song for God's Plan and Childish Gambino claimed four honours including song of the year and record of the year for This Is America.

During the ceremony, British artist Lipa aimed a dig at Academy president Neil Portnow as she accepted the award for best new artist.

Last year, following complaints the nominations were dominated by men, Portnow suggested women should "step up". This year, the categories contained far more women.

Accepting the prize on stage, Lipa said she was "honoured" to be nominated alongside "incredible" female artists, adding: "I guess this year we really stepped up."

Drake took a swipe at the Recording Academy. Credit: AP

Drake also took aim at the Recording Academy earlier in the evening as he accepted the award for best rap song.

The Canadian rapper - who has had an ambivalent relationship with the Grammys in recent years - appeared to aim a jibe at the Academy in charge of voting for the prizes, saying: "We play in an opinion-based sport, not a fact-based sport."

Drake has now won two Grammys for best rap song after his track Hotline Bling took home the gong in 2017.

Earlier, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper became the first acts to scoop a prize at the awards.

The pair won best pop duo/group performance for Shallow, the hit single from the musical drama film A Star Is Born, which stars Gaga as an emerging pop star and Cooper as an ageing rocker.

Accepting the prize on stage, Gaga paid tribute to Cooper, who could not attend due to being in London for the Bafta film awards ceremony earlier in the evening.

She said: "I wish Bradley was here with me right now. Bradley, I loved singing this song with you. If I don't get another chance to say this, I just want to say I'm so proud to be a part of a movie that addressed mental health issues, they're so important."

Cardi B performs 'Money' at the 61st annual Grammy Awards. Credit: AP

Host Alicia Keys opened the 2019 Grammys with a show of girl power, introducing Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Jada Pinkett Smith and Michelle Obama on stage.

The show had been criticised last year for its lack of female nominees after women were largely ignored in the major categories.

It was markedly different this year, with five of the eight album of the year nominees being female.

List of winners in main categories:

  • Album of the year - Golden Hour, Kacey Musgraves

  • Record of the year - This Is America, Childish Gambino

  • Song of the year (songwriter's award) - This Is America, Childish Gambino and Ludwig Goransson

  • Best new artist - Dua Lipa

  • Best pop solo performance - Joanne (Where Do You Think You're Goin'?), Lady Gaga

  • Best pop duo/group performance - Shallow, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

  • Best pop vocal album - Sweetener, Ariana Grande

  • Best traditional pop vocal album - My Way, Willie Nelson

  • Best dance/electronic album - Woman Worldwide, Justice

  • Best rock album - From The Fires, Greta Van Fleet

  • Best alternative music album - Colors, Beck

  • Best urban contemporary album - Everything Is Love, The Carters (Beyonce and Jay-Z)

  • Best R&B album - H.E.R., H.E.R.

  • Best rap album - Invasion Of Privacy, Cardi B

  • Best country album - Golden Hour, Kacey Musgraves

  • Best compilation soundtrack for visual media - The Greatest Showman

  • Producer of the year, non-classical - Pharrell Williams

  • Best music video - This Is America, Childish Gambino

  • Best music film - Quincy, Quincy Jones