Hollywood
Sam Smith wins the ‘Record of the Year’ at Grammy Awards 2015
MUMBAI: Sam Smith dominated the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, which was held on 8 February, 2015, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Smith swept the top honours for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album for his smash hit song Stay With Me.
Pharrell Williams beat Smith in the Best Pop Solo Performance category while Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament scored the Best Recording Package.
Beyoncé took back home the honour for the Best Surround Sound album and closed the night with a powerful performance of Take My Hand Precious Lord.
Kristen Wiigg gave an electrifying dance performance with Sia, while Smith performed to his hit song – Stay With Me with Mary J. Blige.
The complete list of Grammy Awards 2015 winners are as follows:
Record of the Year: Stay with Me (Darkchild Version), Sam Smith
Album of the Year: Morning Phase, Beck
Best New Artist: Sam Smith
Song of the Year: Stay with Me, Sam Smith, songwriters Sam Smith, James Napier & William Phillips
Best Pop Solo Performance: Happy, Pharrell Williams
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Say Something, A Great Big World feat. Christina Aguilera
Best Pop Vocal Album: In the Lonely Hour, Sam Smith
Best Dance Recording: Rather Be, Clean Bandit Featuring Jess Glynne
Best Dance/ Electronic Album: Syro, Aphex Twin
Best Country Album: Platinum, Miranda Lambert
Best R&B Performance: Drunk in Love, Beyonce and Jay Z
Best Rock Album: Morning Phase, Beck
Best Rock Song: Ain’t It Fun, Paramore, songwriters Hayley Williams and Taylor York
Best Rock Performance: Lazaretto, Jack White, songwriter Jack White
Best Music Video: Happy, Pharrell Williams
Best Alternative Music Album: St. Vincent, St. Vincent
Best Urban Contemporary Album: G I R L, Pharrell Williams
Best Country Song: I’m Not Gonna Miss You, Glen Campbell, songwriters Glen Campbell, Julian Raymond
Best Country Solo Performance: Something in the Water, Carrie Underwood
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: The Band Perry – Gentle On My Mind
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Cheek to Cheek, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
Best Spoken Word Album: Diary of a Mad Diva, Joan Rivers
Best Metal Performance: The Last in Line, Tenacious D
Best Rap Album: Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP2
Best Surround Sound Album: Beyoncé – Beyoncé
Best Musical Theatre Album: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Hollywood
Disney chair confident CEO Josh D’Amaro will ‘rise to the occasion’ in Trump–Kimmel row
Board backs new chief as ABC controversy tests leadership early on
NEW YORK: The Walt Disney Company has placed the responsibility of handling the escalating dispute between Donald Trump and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel squarely on its new chief executive, Josh D’Amaro.
Speaking at a business conference in Oslo, Disney chair James Gorman said it would be up to the CEO and his team to determine the company’s response to the controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel Live!. He noted that such challenges are not uncommon for large corporations and require careful handling at the leadership level.
The row intensified after both Donald Trump and Melania Trump publicly called for Kimmel’s dismissal following remarks made on his show. The comments, which referenced the First Lady, sparked backlash in the days leading up to a security incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Kimmel addressed the issue on-air, clarifying that his joke was intended as a reference to the couple’s age difference and not an incitement to violence. He also expressed sympathy for those affected by the incident and reiterated his stance against violent rhetoric.
Despite mounting pressure, Gorman refrained from offering specific guidance on the future of the show or the host. Instead, he voiced confidence in D’Amaro’s leadership, describing him as “world class” and capable of navigating the situation effectively.
The episode presents an early and high-profile test for D’Amaro, who stepped into the top role just last month. How Disney balances editorial independence, public sentiment and political pressure will likely shape not just the outcome of this controversy, but also the tone of its leadership in the months ahead.
