Beyonce on Sunday scooped her first ever Grammy in the country categories for her collaboration with Miley Cyrus, as music’s premier awards gala began with dozens of prizes handed out before the televised marquee event.Rapper Kendrick Lamar jumped out as an early top winner with three awards, as did club diva Charli XCX, while Sabrina Carpenter won her first golden gramophone.Of her 11 chances to win, Beyonce’s victory was coupled with four losses in genre categories. The other awards will be presented at the gala hosted by comedian Trevor Noah.The Beyonce paradox — she has won the most Grammys of anyone in history but has never won the top album or record prizes — has been on the minds of many people in the industry in the run-up to Sunday’s ceremony.Her early win with Cyrus for best country duo/group performance is one signal that she was on the minds of voters in Nashville, the capital of country that is infamous for promoting a rigid view of the genre that is overwhelmingly white and male.Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” was a critically praised, not-so-subtle indictment of the country music industry’s powers-that-be, a genre-spanning record that elevated the work of Black artists and celebrated the rich history of their work.For Album and Record of the Year, many critics think Beyonce might finally get what broad consensus believes is her due.But she faces stiff competition, including from perennial winners like Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift along with Carpenter, Charli XCX and the buzzy Chappell Roan.It appears the Recording Academy is saving several awards Beyonce is nominated for — like best Americana performance and best country album — for the telecast, which could imply a big night for Queen Bey.On Grammys eve, she already made headlines by announcing an upcoming tour in support of “Cowboy Carter.”- Beatles win -Hip-hop laureate Lamar’s early wins could also signal a big night for him: his viral smash “Not Like Us” derived from his much-publicized rap battle with Drake.Other top artists to watch include Roan and Post Malone.In true Grammy fashion, a few curiosities emerged from the handout of early awards.The Beatles — yes, those Beatles — scored the prize for best rock performance despite breaking up more than 50 years ago.Their track “Now and Then” spotlighted the Recording Academy’s ongoing debate on how to handle artificial intelligence after it used an AI tool to isolate the late John Lennon’s vocals from a poor quality demo tape they could then use as the foundation of the new song.The Fab Four are also up for Record of the Year — the track was eligible because the AI was not generative, and the nomination could be a nod from the Academy to the future of production and recording.Lennon’s son Sean accepted the rock award, saying: “They’re still in the culture, people still listen to the music. As far as I’m concerned, it’s still the greatest band of all time.”And the late US president Jimmy Carter won a posthumous Grammy — his fourth — for best audiobook, narration and storytelling recording for a collection of his final Sunday school lessons in Georgia.The early awards will continue to be doled out as A-listers hit the red carpet ahead of the main ceremony, which begins at 5:00 pm (0100 GMT Monday).- Wildfires on the mind -Despite the high-wattage star power, Grammy week — which is usually loaded up with industry parties and performances — has taken on a more somber tone than usual, as the entertainment capital reels in the aftermath of deadly wildfires that leveled entire neighborhoods just weeks ago.Organizers decided the glitzy awards show should go on, with a newfound mission to raise aid funds and pay homage to impacted industry members along with first responders.That was evident during Sunday’s pre-broadcast show, which included repeated requests for donations and homages to the “resilience” of the music community.On Friday, the annual MusiCares gala — which this year honored psychedelic jam band the Grateful Dead — raised more than $5 million in a single evening, bringing the institution’s total sum raised since the fires broke out to more than $9 million.Music powerbroker Irving Azoff, along with concert promoters Live Nation and AEG Presents, organized a massive benefit concert on Thursday featuring major stars like Lady Gaga, Eilish, Dr. Dre and even Joni Mitchell.Saturday’s annual Clive Davis gala — one of the most coveted tickets in the business — also focused on wildfire relief.

Late US president Jimmy Carter on Sunday won a posthumous Grammy Award — his fourth — for best audiobook, narration and storytelling recording for a collection of his final Sunday school lessons in Georgia.On “Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration,” Carter — who died at the age of 100 on December 29 — speaks about love, kindness, forgiveness and the afterlife at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown Plains. The audiobook — released in August 2024, just months before his death — also features music from Darius Rucker, Jon Batiste and LeAnn Rimes, among others.Jason Carter, one of the former president’s grandsons who delivered a eulogy at his funeral, appeared at the pre-gala ceremony in Los Angeles to accept the award.”Having his words captured in this way for my family and for the world is truly remarkable,” he told members of the audience, many of whom rose to their feet to honor the former president.Other nominees in the category included legendary singer Barbra Streisand, country superstar Dolly Parton and funk master George Clinton.Carter — who served as US president for a single term from 1977 to 1981 — taught Sunday school for 50 years at Maranatha, usually more than once a month.He garnered his previous three Grammy wins in the best spoken word album category: for “Faith – A Journey for All” in 2019; for “A Full Life: Reflections at 90” in 2016; and for “Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis” in 2007.The late politician was nominated for a total of 10 Grammys.Former president Bill Clinton and Barack Obama each have two Grammys.

Mexican agricultural and auto-parts producers called Sunday for “dialogue” to head off the trade war prompted by US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 25 percent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada.Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum meantime said that she was waiting for a response from Trump to her proposal for talks and to form a working group on migration and drug trafficking.She said she would detail her government’s next steps by Monday.The agriculture and auto-parts industries are expected to be among the hardest hit by Trump’s action, which he says is designed to pressure the US’s closest neighbors — and partners in a trade accord — to crack down on migration and drug trafficking. Both Mexico and Canada have announced counter-tariffs. The US is also targeting China with new 10 percent tariffs on top of those already in force.The US tariffs, slated to take effect Tuesday, will undermine North America’s “competitiveness,” and put millions of jobs at risk, Mexico’s National Auto Parts Industry (INA) and National Agricultural Council (CNA) said in separate statements.Emblematic of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) negotiated during Trump’s first term in office, the Mexican automotive industry exported some $36 billion in goods to the United States in 2023, representing 5 percent of Mexico’s GDP, according to Capital Economics.The automotive sector and auto-parts makers support some 11 million jobs in the three countries, according to the INA. “Weakening this trade… will only reduce the region’s competitiveness and affect stability,” according to the union.The INA says tariffs could add $3,000 to the cost of an average automobile, leading to a drop in overall sales of one million units this year.Adding to the impact of tariffs, some parts cross national borders seven or eight times in the course of vehicle assembly, the union said.The CNA farm group, meantime, said that 50 percent of all avocados, tomatoes, chili peppers and berries consumed in the US come from Mexico. The country also exports more than $1.5 billion in beef and pork to the United States.It called for “unity and dialogue” in the face of US pressure, saying it was putting aside past disputes with Sheinbaum.