By Lisa Richwine

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – The Grammy awards kicked off on Sunday with main nominee Jon Batiste profitable 4 trophies because the music trade rolled out the purple carpet for a pandemic-delayed celebration in Las Vegas.

The honors for Batiste, a multi-genre artist who went into the ceremony with 11 nominations, included finest music video for “Freedom,” a vibrantly coloured tribute to New Orleans.

“I’m so grateful for the items God has given me and the flexibility to share that for the love of humankind,” Batiste stated on stage as he accepted the award.

Batiste’s “Cry” gained finest American roots efficiency and American roots tune. He additionally shared within the award for finest rating soundtrack for visible media, for composing and arranging a few of the music in Pixar film “Soul.”

The awards had been introduced forward of the primary Grammys telecast, which is able to air stay on CBS tv and the Paramount+ streaming service beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

The best honors in music had been postponed from January throughout a spike in COVID-19 circumstances and moved from Los Angeles to the MGM Grand Backyard Enviornment in Las Vegas. A crowd of 1000’s is predicted, a distinction to final yr’s scaled-down occasion.

Batiste, who leads the band on “The Late Present with Stephen Colbert,” had nominations throughout the board, starting from classical composition and American roots to his music video “Freedom” and album “We Are,” which was impressed by the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020.

It’s robust to foretell who will take the largest prizes, Grammy watchers say, apart from finest new artist, which is extensively anticipated to go to 19-year-old Olivia Rodrigo. Her tune “drivers license” went viral in early 2021.

Rodrigo is also nominated for album, tune and report of the yr. If she wins all of these classes, she would grow to be simply the third individual in Grammys historical past to brush the 4 most important awards.

The final musician to perform that feat was Billie Eilish on the 2020 Grammys, when she was 18. Now 20, Eilish is within the working once more for album of the yr with “Happier Than Ever.”

Rivals for the album accolade embody Rodrigo’s “Bitter,” Kanye West’s “Donda,” Batiste’s “We Are,” and Tony Bennett and Woman Gaga’s “Love for Sale.”

Justin Bieber’s “Justice” is also within the combine, together with Doja Cat’s “Planet Her,” H.E.R.’s “Again of My Thoughts,” Lil Nas X’s “Montero” and Taylor Swift’s “Evermore.”

Winners are chosen by some 11,000 voting members of the Recording Academy.

Ok-pop band BTS is among the many acts scheduled to carry out on the Grammys stage. The group, which has but to win a Grammy, enters the night time with a single nod for top-selling single “Butter.”

Different scheduled performers embody Eilish, Gaga, Brandi Carlile, Bieber and Silk Sonic. Comic Trevor Noah returns as host.