Ariana Grande wins first Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album

Los Angeles: Reigning pop princess Ariana Grande took home the first Grammy of her career for Best Pop Vocal Album on Sunday for her fourth studio album “Sweetener,” topping a tough field including perennial favorite Taylor Swift.

Grande’s Grammy comes after six career nominations but the star was notably absent from this year’s gala. Just days before the event, she slammed the ceremony’s producer for “lying” about her decision not to perform on music’s biggest night.

Grande had great success in the last 12 months, with Billboard naming her its 2018 Woman of the Year. But she was passed over in the top Grammy



categories of Album, Record and Song of the Year — though her smash hit “Thank U, Next,” the title song off her new album, dropped after this year’s nomination deadline.

“Sweetener” includes her signature blend of pop and R&B with inflections of hip-hop, all set to the star’s wide-ranging, silky-yet-breathy vocals. It features appearances from Pharrell Williams, Nicki Minaj and Missy Elliott, and debuted atop the US Billboard 200 chart while boasting three top singles.

Grande makes headlines as much for her chart-topping music as her love life, having dated the late rapper Mac Miller and shortly thereafter getting engaged to “Saturday Night Live” comedian Pete Davidson. Grande and Davidson split in October 2018, just before she released “Thank U, Next” — in which she reflects on lessons learned from past loves.