Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Jay-Z Win Early Grammy Awards

Black Keys, Bruno Mars also among preshow winners.
By Eric Ditzian

Lady Gaga
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony has not even officially begun, but with over 100 categories being recognized this year — from Best New Artist to Best Improvised Jazz Solo — there's simply not enough time to squeeze everything into the three-hour telecast.

That's why a slew of awards have already been handed out. Preshow winners include Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Bruno Mars, the Black Keys and more.

Gaga, who is nominated in six categories, now has a Best Female Pop Vocal Performance win for "Bad Romance," after besting Beyoncé ("Halo") and Katy Perry ("Teenage Dream"). But the pop star, who became the talk of the red carpet when she showed up encased in a huge, translucent egg, also fell short in two early categories: Her duet with Beyoncé, "Telephone," lost out for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals to Herbie Hancock, Pink and friends' "Imagine," while Rihanna's "Only Girl (In the World)" nabbed Best Dance Recording over Gaga's "Dance in the Dark."

The win for Rihanna marks an auspicious return to the Grammys ahead of her upcoming performance with Drake and Eminem. Yet she, too, has already fallen short in a few categories: Jay-Z and Alicia Keys took home both Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Empire State of Mind," twice beating out RiRi and Em's "Love the Way You Lie." Jay also picked up a win for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, along with Swizz Beatz, for "On to the Next One."

In the Rock categories, the Black Keys garnered a win for Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals ("Tighten Up"), prevailing over the likes of Arcade Fire ("Ready to Start") and Kings of Leon ("Radioactive").

In the world of pop, Bruno Mars came out on top for Male Pop Vocal Performance ("Just the Way You Are"), defeating Michael Jackson ("This Is It"), John Mayer ("Half of My Heart") and others.

For the Grammy Awards winners list, analysis, interviews, fashion and more, stick with MTV News during the big show and beyond.

Related Photos

• 2011 Grammy Awards Red Carpet

Related Artists

• Lady Gaga
• Jay-Z
• Rihanna

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1657842/lady-gaga-rihanna-early-grammy-awards.jhtml

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Rihanna, Avril Lavigne Amp Up Their Style At Brit Awards

Color and fun ruled the red carpet at London awards show on Tuesday.
By Jocelyn Vena

Rihanna at the 2011 Brit Awards
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Just days after the Grammy Awards, some of music's biggest names crossed the pond and hit the red carpet for the 2011 Brit Awards in London. The fashions on display were definitely all about embracing your personal style and kicking it up 10 or so notches.

Check out all the hot Brit Awards red-carpet fashions here.

Rihanna looked like the living embodiment of her colorful "S&M" video in her Dior Haute Couture gown. A rainbow of colors including purple, turquoise and lime green, the dress was shocking and yet incredibly feminine thanks to tulle and bow detailing.

Avril Lavigne proved she's still all punk rock in her little vintage Julien Macdonald black dress. The dress' frilly bottom was complemented by a sequined top. Lavigne accessorized the look with her signature colored streaks and heavy, smoky eyes.

Adele went for ladylike chic on the carpet in her cocktail-length black dress. Cheryl Cole donned a sophisticated floor-length, backless gown by Stella McCartney that was amped up with sequins.

Eliza Doolittle went to the Rihanna school of fashion for her look. The pop singer graced the red carpet in a short, white, sleeved dress that seemed pretty dull until she turned around and exposed the plumage of multicolored fringe on her derriere. Newcomer Jessie J looked goth in her open-toe ankle boots and super-short green satin dress. She wore it with super-heavy smoky eyes and deep red lips.

The guys also showed off their personal styles. Justin Bieber donned his signature black leather jacket, black pants and skinny black tie. Mark Ronson looked chic in a tailored sharkskin suit complete with skinny tie and white shoes. And leave it to Cee Lo Green to say "f--- you" to all the rules of red-carpet style. He wore a bedazzled tracksuit to the show.

Related Photos

• 2011 Brit Awards Red Carpet

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• Rihanna
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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1658085/brit-awards-fashion-rihanna.jhtml

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Linkin Park - Given Up

Given Up

• Artist: Linkin Park
• Label: Warner Bros. Records
• Director: Mark Fiore/Linkin Park
• Album: Minutes to Midnight

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=960856&vid=214111

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Christina Aguilera - Ain't No Other Man

Ain't No Other Man

• Artist: Christina Aguilera
• Label: RCA
• Director: Joel Gallen
• Album: Back to Basics

Source: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=509026&vid=313394

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Photos | The Evolution Of: Christina Aguilera

The Evolution Of: Christina Aguilera

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1638147

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Photos | What Beyonce Might Be Like At Home

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Shakira Goes 'Loca' In New Guerrilla-Style Video

The Colombian star roller-skates, hip-shakes and fountain-dives for crazy clip.
By James Montgomery

Shakira in the "Loca" music video
Photo: Epic

For nearly two decades now, either due to her multinational leanings (the Colombian's music is as indebted to Latin American rhythms as it is to Arabic dance, Euro disco and red-white-and-blue rock) or because she is sort of insane (see last year's She Wolf album), Shakira has managed to carve out her own, rather indefinable niche in pop music.

On Wednesday (September 29), she premiered the video for "Loca," the first single off her upcoming Sale el Sol album (due October 19). And while it's not exactly a unique artistic endeavor — it echoes sentiments already expressed by the likes of Matt & Kim (in their "Lessons Learned" clip) and Erykah Badu (in her firestormy "Window Seat" vid) — it's still undoubtedly her ... mostly because none of her high-gloss pop contemporaries would ever dare attempt something like it.

Shot run-and-gun style in Barcelona, "Loca" follows Shakira and her crew — which includes a few cameramen and, somewhat improbably, British rapper Dizzee Rascal — on a madcap adventure that includes roller-skating, public wardrobe changes, motorcycle cruising, an illicit hop in a public fountain (a move that landed her in hot, uh, water with local authorities) and, of course, plenty of hip shaking. It's a decidedly guerrilla endeavor that appears to have been done on a budget hovering around zero (aside from a performance scene, the entire thing appears to have been shot on handheld cameras). The Britneys, Beyoncés and Gagas would probably never make something like this ... and yet, here it works, mostly because, well, it just sort of seems like the kind of thing Shakira would do.

For that alone, she deserves to be praised. Because unlike Matt & Kim (or Erykah Badu, really), Shakira has plenty to lose. Her albums are big events, things that resonate across continents, and it would be rather easy (or, at least, expected) for her to come out of the gate with a big-budget, glossy pop video. Instead, we get "Loca," which is none of those things, and is probably better because of that.

And though it features some near-nudity and some illegal activity, the thing that resonates most about the "Loca" video is that none of that bad behavior is played up for shock value. Instead, it all helps match the kinetic, herky-jerky energy of the song itself. "Loca" is the rare video that doesn't attempt to outshine the song it's based on. Instead, it complements it. This is a very lively song, after all, so what better way to capture that than with a very lively video?

There's a calculated madness to the "Loca" video, a vibrant, unchained energy, the kind very few artists can conjure up, no matter how big the budget. And, come to think of it, that's a pretty accurate way of summing up Shakira's entire career. It's called synergy, people.

What do you think of Shakira's "Loca" video? Share your reviews in the comments.

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• Shakira's 'Loca' Music Video Premiere

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1648978/shakira-goes-loca-new-guerrillastyle-video.jhtml

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