Alicia Keys to host Grammy Awards next month

Alicia Keys usually attends the Grammys, but this year she'll be there as a host.

United States singer Alicia Keys performs during the taping of 'Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul' at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, USA, 13 January 2019. The CBS special will air on 10 March 2019. [Photo: IC]

The Recording Academy announced Tuesday (15 JANUARY 2019) that the R&B star will host the Feb. 10 show for the first time. The Grammys will air live on CBS from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Keys has won 15 Grammys.

Today, the singer released a 10-minute long video on her YouTube channel, in which she is shown being told she has been selected to host the show.

The video then follows Keys as she tells her friends and family about the job and engages in promotional photoshoots ahead of the announcement.

The singer says in the video that she feels like it's the perfect opportunity to give the light back and lift people up, especially all the young women that are nominated.

Kendrick Lamar and Drake are the top Grammy contenders, earning eight and seven nominations apiece, respectively. Brandi Carlile is up for six awards, while several others including Lady Gaga earned five nods each.

(Story includes material sourced from AP)