Grammys 2023: The ceremony in pictures

The Grammys - aka "music's biggest night".- took place in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday evening.

Here's how the action unfolded, including big award wins, moving musical performances and blossoming celebrity friendships inside the Crypto.com Arena.

The awards kicked off with an explosive performance from Puerto Rican singer and rapper Bad Bunny (pictured above), which - set against a tropical background - featured pyrotechnics and scores of Latino dancers.

It got the star-studded audience, including Taylor Swift, up on their feet.

"Thank you so much. This album, from start to finish, has been the greatest experience of my life," said Bad Bunny onstage.

His album, Un Verano Sin Ti, went on to win the award for best música urbana album; and he also went on to pose with best music video-winner Swift.

Referring to Bad Bunny's opening number, host and comedian Trevor Noah joked: "That album is so fire it makes [Donald] Trump want to learn Spanish."

He also poked fun at Harry Styles' fashion sense, joking: "Women throw their panties at this man, then he puts them on and looks better in them."

The South African went on to formally introduce another pop superstar, Adele, to one of her biggest fans (quite literally in this instance) in the form of wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.

"Adele meet The Rock, The Rock meet Adele," said Noah, drawing laughter from the audience, as the two shared a rather cute if not slightly embarrassing impromptu embrace.

Adele's fellow British star, Styles, scooped the first major gong of night - best pop vocal album for his latest LP Harry's House.

"This album from start to finish has been the greatest experience of my life. Thank you so much," he said, accepting the award from Jennifer Lopez.

He later took to the stage for an energetic performance of his double-Grammy nominated track As It Was.

Wearing a long tasselled silver shirt and matching trousers, he sparkled as he moved around the stage, joined by a troupe of dancers on a rotating platform.

His night was capped by being handed the coveted album of the year award by a septugenarian super-fan.

Beyoncé then tied with conductor Georg Solti as the most decorated artist in Grammys history, after winning best R&B song for Cuff It.

She was not on hand to collect the award in person, after apparently getting stuck in traffic. But she did arrive in time to collect her next award for best best dance/electronic music album.

The win made her the most decorated Grammys artist of all time, with 32, a feat that she celebrated with her husband, Jay-Z, Adele and co.

Another British star, Sam Smith, shifted the spotlight onto their collaborator Kim Petras after she became the first transgender woman to win a Grammy.

The pair took home best pop duo/group performance, for their erotically-charged track Unholy - which they later performed, devilishly on a flame-filled stage.

"Sam, I love you so much and this song has been such an incredible journey for me," said the German singer.

She went on to thank the "transgender legends" who had "kicked open the doors", Madonna who had introduced them onstage on the night, and of course her own mother.

Kendrick Lamar thanked his nearest and dearest too after winning the Grammy for best rap album, for Mr Morale & The Big Steppers.

"First and foremost I want to thank my family for giving me the courage and vulnerability to share my truth with this album," he said, accepting the award.

He went on to thank his fans too for "trusting me with these stories", describing it as "one of the toughest records" he had made.

After Shania Twain accepted the award for best country album on behalf of 89-year-old absentee Willie Nelson, the Grammys remembered some of the famous faces we lost over the past 12 months - including Fleetwood Mac star Christine McVie, guitarist Jeff Beck and Migos rapper Takeoff.

The soundtrack to the emotional on-screen "In Memoriam" was provided by Mick Fleetwood, Sheryl Crow and Kacey Musgraves; as well as Takeoff's uncle and bandmate Quavo.

Fleetwood, Crow and another US singer Bonnie Raitt combined to cover the McVie-penned ballad Songbird, while Quavo held up Takeoff's chain while performing his recent tribute track Without You.

Adele got emotional as she won the award for best pop solo performance, honouring her hit song Easy On Me.

"Well thank you. I really was just looking forward to coming tonight," said the singer, after accepting the award from her new "best friend" Dwayne Johnson.

The biggest live performance of the night came courtesy of Missy Elliot, Busta Rhymes, Grandmaster Flash and dozens of other figures from the rap world, who combined on stage to herald the 50-year history of hip-hop.

The special 12-minute segment, which charted the evolution of the genre from its roots in New York City to the most popular genre in the world, was clearly appreciated by the likes of Adele, Jay-Z and Lizzo, who rapped along from the front rows.

After winning the award for record of the year, for About Damn Time, Lizzo dedicated her win to Prince and then singled out Beyoncé for having "changed my life".

Addressing the star directly, Lizzo said she had once skipped school to go see her perform.

"The way you made me feel," she said, "I wanted to make people feel the same way with my music."

Previously, another US music icon, Stevie Wonder, had performed a musical tribute for Motown living legends Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy.

Country, blues and folk singer Bonnie Raitt pulled off a shock, winning the song of the year award, for her track, Just Like That.

"I'm so surprised," said the 73-year-old. "I don't know what to say. This is just an unreal moment."

Earlier in the evening, at the "premiere" show before the main event, folk rocker Brandi Carlile scored three awards.

"Oh my God, this is amazing. Oh, I'll never be the same," she said on stage. "I cut my hair and I learned how to scream and I just won a Grammy for a rock and roll song!"

She went on to rock out at the main show.

Also during the earlier ceremony, actress Viola Davis became the 18th person to achieve the EGOT - winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award.

Davis completed her collection by winning best audio book for her autobiography Finding Me.

"I wrote this book to honour the six-year-old Viola," said the star. "To honour her life, her joy, her trauma, everything."

Meanwhile, Isle of Wight indie duo Wet Leg continued their rapid rise. Harry Styles' touring buddies swept the board of the alternative music categories, but ultimately lost out to Samara Joy for the best new artist prize.

"This is so funny, thank you so much. What are we doing here? I don't know," shrugged singer and guitarist Rhian Teasdale, while accepting their first award. "But here we are."

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