LOS ANGELES (AP) - The bleacher fans went gaga over Lady Gaga at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, but then how often do you see someone arrive on the red carpet encased in an iridescent egg-shaped container carried by a gaggle of scantily clad men in gold.
“Gaga! Gaga!” the fans shouted as she passed by on her way inside Staples Center, even though it was impossible to tell what she was wearing and her face couldn’t be clearly seen.
That wasn’t the case with Nicki Minaj. She wore a short leopard print dress by Givenchy with the back of her hair dyed in a matching leopard pattern. The rest of her hair was done up in a towering blond beehive with a dark streak on the front.
“I love when people say, `What was she wearing?’ Wouldn’t you rather be exciting than boring?” she said.
Cyndi Lauper found herself next to Minaj on the carpet and they compared notes.
“I love the outfit,” Lauper said. “I don’t have dos and don’ts. This is rock ’n roll, baby, you can do what you like.”
Esperanza Spalding did just that. The 26-year-old jazz singer, composer and arranger wore a long green gown that she said reflected her personality.
“Bright, green and many layers,” she said.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Justin Bieber cannot be stopped.
The pop singer, who just released a 3D movie and has a highly anticipated Grammy Awards performance Sunday night, breezed by scores of reporters hoping to get a few moments with the 16-year-old phenom.
His parents did stop briefly, with his mother, Patricia Lynn Mallette, saying her son’s rise to stardom “has been so unexpected and so quick.”
Bieber was scheduled to share the stage during a performance Sunday night with his mentor, Usher.
He was also nominated in the Best New Artist category and is not only a fan favorite, but the artist many of his peers hoped to see.
Nicki Minaj called him “adorable and cute” and said she wished him well for his performance.
Disney teen star Selena Gomez, who is reportedly dating Bieber (but they won’t confirm it), told The Associated Press she was excited for the show.
“I think everybody should be proud of him,” she said.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) _ A year ago, Lady Antebellum was celebrating its first Grammy win. A lot has changed since then for the country trio, which picked up two early awards on Sunday.
“We’re a lot busier,” singer Hillary Scott said. “We’re just stronger than ever as a band and are trying to enjoy this ride. It’s been amazing. We’ve been able to take our music all over the world.”
As the group was walking the red carpet, they had already won two Grammys in the pre-show awards presentation: best country song for “Need You Now” and country performance by a duo or group with vocals.
“We get to go into the night already feeling like winners and it takes the pressure off a little bit,” singer Charles Kelley said.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) _ B.o.B., whose “Nothin’ on You” with Bruno Mars scored big on the charts, called it a “straitjacket year. Definitely crazy.”
The rapper endorsed one of the year’s other big hitmakers _ teen sensation Justin Bieber.
“Justin Bieber is my homie. He’s cool,” B.o.B. said. “He’s got all the tools he needs to remain in the industry.”
Bieber wasn’t talking to reporters on the Grammy red carpet, but he was on everyone else’s minds.
“I enjoyed the Bieb’s movie. It’s very sweet,” comedian Kathy Griffin said. “It talks about his weeks of struggle. This is an artist who has really been at this for days. Weeks and weeks of struggle, so gosh, I am pulling for him. If only he could have a modicum of success.”
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AP Entertainment Writers Alicia Quarles and Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.
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