The edgy, avant-pop album that siblings Billie Eilish and Finneas created in a small bedroom made a big splash at the Grammy Awards, winning 11 honors for the musical family.
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? — created in the musicians’ Los Angeles home — helped Eilish win the top four honors, including album, song and record of the year, along with best new artist.
The 18-year-old is the youngest artist to achieve the feat and the first to do so since Christopher Cross did in 1981.
Photo: AFP
Finneas O’Connell — who cowrote, produced and engineered the album, walked away as Sunday’s top winner with six. Eilish won five honors.
“We didn’t write a speech for this because we didn’t make this album to win a Grammy. We didn’t think it would win anything ever. We wrote an album about depression and suicidal thoughts and climate change and being the bad guy — whatever that means — and we stand up here confused and grateful,” Finneas said onstage.
Together, they also won best pop vocal album, while Finneas’ individual honors included producer of the year (non-classical) and best engineered album (non-classical).
Photo: Reuters
“This is my first Grammys. I never thought this would happen in my whole life,” Eilish said. “I genuinely wanna say I am so grateful and I only wanna say that I am so grateful.”
“This is to all the kids who are making music in the bedroom today — you’re going to get one of these,” Finneas added.
The bedroom where they created magic was brought to life when they hit the stage and performed When the Party’s Over, which featured Finneas on keys and Eilish singing in a soft, pitch perfect tone.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Los Angeles, where the show was held, had a central theme at the show: Hometown heroes Nipsey Hussle and Kobe Bryant, a global icon, were honored and celebrated at the show.
The show opened with a performance in honor of Bryant, who died hours before the awards along with his daughter and seven others.
Later in the show Hussle’s collaborators and friends, including DJ Khaled, John Legend, Meek Mill, Kirk Franklin, Roddy Ricch and YG, gave an all-star tribute to the man who died last year.
Hussle also posthumously won his first pair of Grammys.
The show — which took place at the Staples Center, Bryant’s old stomping ground — began with a touching, emotional and a cappella performance of It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday by host Alicia Keys and Boyz II Men.
Lizzo won three honors, including best pop solo performance for Truth Hurts and two R&B awards.
Lizzo was among the mix of newcomers and well-known acts who reached their goals of winning their first-ever Grammy Awards on Sunday, which also included Tanya Tucker (Best Country Album: While I’m Livin’), Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus (Best Music Video and Best Pop/Duo Performance for Old Town Road), Michelle Obama (Best Spoken World Album: Becoming), Jermaine Cole and 21 Savage (Best Rap Song: A Lot) and Tyler, the Creator (Best Rap Album: Igor).
Cage won Best Rock Album for Social Cues, Vampire Weekend won Best Alternative Music Album for Father of the Bride and Angelique Kidjo won Best World Music Album for Celia.
Elvis Costello & the Imposters won Best Tradition Pop Vocal Album for Look Now.
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