The Japan Times - Early wins for Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Charli XCX as Grammys begin

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.

K.Okada--JT