The 61st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 10, 2019, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys hosted. During her opening monologue Keys brought out Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Lopez, and former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, each of whom spoke about impact that music had on their lives. The ceremony recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, which ran from October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2018. Nominations were announced on December 7, 2018.