Kanye West among top nods for Grammys


(AFP) US rapper Kanye West won the most nominations for next year’s Grammys announced Wednesday, followed closely by British singer Adele, continuing her awards success despite recent health woes.

West was nominated in seven categories for the music industry’s top awards, to be given out February 12, while Adele got six nods — including three of the key categories, as did Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars.

Lady Gaga was arguably the star of the nominations show at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, opening and closing the hour-long concert although she is only nominated in three categories this year.

Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” was tipped for Record of the Year along with folksters Bon Iver for “Holocene,” Hawaiian crooner Bruno Mars’ “Grenade,” “The Cave” by British folk rockers Mumford and Sons and Katy Perry’s “Firework.”

The London songstress’s album “21” also led the nods for Album of the Year, and will fight it out with the Foo Fighters’ “Wasting Light,” Lady Gaga’s “Born this Way,” Bruno Mars’ “Doo Wops and Hooligans” and Rihanna’s “Loud.”

Kanye West’s seven nods include “All of the Lights” for Song of the Year, up against Mumford and Sons’ “The Cave,” Mars’ “Grenade,” Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and Bon Iver’s “Holocene.”
In the running for Best New Artist — the category which Adele won in 2009 — are The Band Perry, Bon Iver, J. Cole, rapper Nicki Minaj and Skrillex — the latter was shortlisted for five awards, as was Lil Wayne.

Adele has continued to attract awards nods and gongs despite being dogged by throat problems which forced her to cancel all engagements for the rest of the year in October, and to undergo surgery.

“She’s just completely rooted in the music. She definitely pours her heart out in everything she does,” said Grammy-nominated Canadian R and B singer Melanie Fiona, after the star-studded LA show.

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