SEEING SPOTS: Wild woman Nicki Minaj goest for a demented Q-tip look, Muse’s Matthew Bellamy rocks out on stage and shapely Rihanna (above) treads the red in ruffles at last night’s Grammys. (WireImage)
Lady Gaga was a big winner at last night’s Grammys — after she broke out of her shell — but the night belonged to underdogs who took home the show’s biggest awards.
Instead of walking the red carpet, Gaga passed the paparazzi inside a giant plastic egg — carried on the shoulders of four scantily dressed men into the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
It was the latest bizarre stunt dreamed up by the pop star, who showed up in a dress made out of meat at the MTV Video Music Awards last year.
Gaga hatched some 15 minutes into the show, dressed in a skimpy outfit the color of yolk, to debut her new song, “Born This Way.”
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Gaga, who won three awards — for best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Pop Vocal Album and Short Form Music Video — said Whitney Houston inspired her to write the new tune.
“I imagined she was singing it because I wasn’t secure enough in myself to imagine I was a superstar,” she said.
The night’s surprises started with the Best New Artist category when Justin Bieber and Drake were shut out by little-known jazz musician and singer Esperanza Spalding. “I take this honor to heart so sincerely,” the 26-year-old winner said.
Montreal-based rockers Arcade Fire took home the night’s biggest award for Album of the Year, “The Suburbs” — besting Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Eminem and Lady Antebellum.
“Thank you everyone, we’re so happy,” frontman Win Butler said.
After performing moments earlier, the indie rockers hopped back onstage for an unscheduled encore of “Ready to Start,” as the night’s closing number.
Country-rock band Lady Antebellum — which took home five awards, including both Record and Song of the Year for “Need You Now” — were the biggest winners of the night.
Eminem was nominated for 10 awards but snagged only two, Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Album. The show kicked off with a touching musical tribute to soul legend Aretha Franklin, who is reportedly battling pancreatic cancer.
Five female singers — including Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson — performed a medley of Franklin’s biggest hits.
Then Franklin, in her first television appearance since surgery in December, delivered a videotaped message from her home in Detroit thanking her fans.
“I wish that I could have been with you all tonight,” she said, “but since I couldn’t, next year, OK?”
Most of the statuettes were handed out before the telecast.
They included Best Rap Song won by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys for their tribute to New York City, “Empire State of Mind.”