Adele - Adele Adds To Grammys Haul With Another Top Win

The British singer, who dominated last year's (12) ceremony with a record-tying six wins, continued her winning streak by beating Kelly Clarkson, Carly Rae Jepsen, Katy Perry and Rihanna to claim the first gong of the official prizegiving for Set Fire To The Rain.

The new mum hugged Rihanna as she headed to the stage to collect her award and told the audience, "I just want to send big love to all of the other girls and all of us females doing this because we work so hard and we make it look so easy!"

Taylor Swift, already an pre-ceremony Grammy Award winner on Sunday, opened the show as the sexy ringmaster of a circus-themed set for her hit song We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, while her new tour mate, British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran, teamed up with Sir Elton John for a special duet on The A Team.

Other performers scheduled for music's big night include Justin Timberlake, Jack White and Mumford & Sons, while collaborations between blues icon Dr. John and The Black Keys, and Rihanna, Sting and Bruno Mars are also expected to set the show alight.

There are a total of 78 Grammy Award categories and a number of the honourees were announced prior to the main ceremony as the stars walked the red carpet at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Black Keys headed into the show as double winners after claiming Best Rock Album for El Camino and Best Rock Song for Lonely Boy; singer Gotye picked up Best Alternative Music Album for Making Mirrors and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for Somebody That I Used To Know featuring Kimbra, and Jay Z and Kanye West claimed Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for N**gas In Paris.

Fellow pre-show winners included Taylor Swift (Best Song Written for Visual Media for Safe & Sound with The Civil Wars), Rihanna and Calvin Harris (Best Short Form Music Video for We Found Love), Dr. John (Best Blues Album for Locked Down), Skrillex (Best Dance/Electronica Album for Bangarang and Best Dance Recording for Bangarang featuring Sirah), Bonnie Raitt (Best Americana Album for Slipstream) and Jimmy Cliff (Best Reggae Album for Rebirth).