American singer Billie Eilish wins song of year Grammy

LOS ANGELES: Teen sensation Billie Eilish won the first of the top four prizes at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, taking home the song of the year statuette for her hit single Bad Guy.

Eilish, an 18-year-old newcomer, also won for her pop album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? beating Taylor Swift’s Lover, while her older brother Finneas was named non-classical producer of the year.

“Wow! So many other songs deserve this,” said Eilish. “I genuinely want to say I am so grateful and I am so honored to be here. I grew up watching all of you.”

Eilish and fellow fresh faces Lizzo and Lil Nas X dominated the early awards in a live show that was dedicated to basketball star Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter accident earlier in the day.

The young trio are going head to head for the other top prizes – album of the year, record of the year and best new artist – presented at the end of the 3-1/2-hour live telecast.

“Tonight is for Kobe” said Lizzo, kicking off the show with a medley of the title song from her album Cuz I Love You and hit single Truth Hurts.

The Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the home of Bryant’s team the Los Angeles Lakers.

“We are literally standing here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built,” said Grammy host Alicia Keys. “We never imagined in a million years we’d have to start the show like this.”

Lizzo won three of her leading eight nominations, including best urban contemporary album for Cuz I Love You, and pop solo performance for Truth Hurts, beating established artists like Beyonce, Ariana Grande and an absent Swift.

Rapper Lil Nas X, 20, wearing a cowboy hat and silver lurex suit, and country singer Billy Ray Cyrus brought the house down with a kitschy performance of their viral collaboration Old Town Road, with contributions from stars ranging from K-Pop band BTS to young yodeler Mason Ramsey.

Grande performed a medley of hits from her Grammy-nominated break-up album Thank u, Next, including 7 Rings and Imagine.

Slain rapper Nipsey Hussle, 33, who was gunned down in his Los Angeles neighborhood last year, won best rap performance for Racks in the Middle, and was honored in a tribute by John Legend, DJ Khaled and rapper Meek Mill.