And the award for most eye-catching gown goes too... Fergie, Katy Perry and Kelly Rowland lead the Grammy Awards glamour (2024)

By Marissa Charles and Sarah Bull
Updated: 16:41, 13 February 2012

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It's one of the biggest music events of the year, with the most famous faces in the music industry walking the red carpet.

So when it came to choosing dresses for the Grammy Awards, Katy Perry, Fergie and Kelly Rowland pulled out all the stops to ensure they were wearing the most glamorous gowns possible for the star-studded ceremony.

While Fergie wore a see-through orange lace short-sleeved Jean Paul Gaultier dress, with just a black underwear set to maintain her modesty, Katy teamed her blue hair with a pale blue beaded Elie Saab gown.

Scroll down for list of winners...

Divas: Singers Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and Kelly Rowland arrive at the Grammy Awards 2012 in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday night

And former Destiny's Child singer Kelly looked stunning in a nude corseted Alberta Ferretti dress with silver floral detailing on the bust.

Meanwhile, Rihanna was undoubtedly the frontrunner when it came to displaying the most amount of flesh on the red carpet.

The singer turned heads in a plunging, backless gown she created with Armani.

Rihanna teamed the dress with a gold drop necklace, gold bag and black sandals, leaving her blonde hair curly for the occasion.

Taylor Swift wowed in a glamorous Zuhair Murad gown, which highlighted her statuesque figure as she posed on the red carpet.

She later changed into a more folksy, floaty dress as she took to the stage to perform.

Taking a turn: Rihanna graced the red carpet in a stunning backless gown split to the thigh

One of the most controversial outfit choices came from Nicki Minaj, who arrived in a Little Red Riding Hood outfit, in a Versace red and black cape, on the arm of a man dressed as the Pope.

Meanwhile, despite all eyes being on the world's music celebrities at the awards, the stars were keen to pay tribute to Whitney Houston, who tragically died in her hotel on Saturday.

X Factor UK judge Kelly said: 'We lost our hero. I would not be standing here today if it was not for her'

She added to E! Entertainment: 'My prayers go to her mother and her daughter. If we feel this loss I can only imagine how heavy their loss is.'

Kelly - who spoke outside the Staples Center on the Grammy Awards red carpet - also remembered meeting Houston at a Grammy event years ago, when she was still singing with Destiny's Child.

She said she was 'singing Destiny's Child songs to us.'

She added: 'She was just so happy and encouraging. She was very warm and embracing to us.'

Kelly Osbourne also remembered Houston, telling her E Entertainment co-hosts that the I Will Always Love You star was always kind to her.

She told the American Idol presenter Ryan Seacrest: 'I knew her personally and she really was a lovely woman.'

The 27-year-old Fashion Police correspondent looked elegant in a gold sequinned dress that showed off her slim figure. Osbourne made an appearance at the Grammy Awards just hours after refusing to attend Clive Davis' annual Grammy Awards party.

The daughter of Ozzy Osbourne wrote on her Twitter page last night: 'Not going to any pre grammy parties as i dont feel it is appropriate!'

Shimmer and sparkle: Paris Hilton, Kelly Osbourne and Miranda Lambert all wore eye-catching sparkling gowns for the red carpet event

She also tweeted: 'i truly hope you are in peace #WhitneyHouston i feel so honoured to have known you! i love you RIP!'

Rapper LL Cool J - who will host the show - also revealed a bit of the behind-the-scenes discussions to try to pay tribute to Houston tonight.

The hip-hop star revealed that the organisers were in discussions throughout last night, trying to decide how to get the balance right.

He told Seacrest that they wanted to 'come together and celebrate her life' without marring the night for first time Grammy nominees.

All white on the night: Comedienne Kathy Griffin, left, actress Malin Akerman and, right, singer Robyn, who wore some unusual tan boots

The performer said: 'You don’t want to lay this dark cloud over their Grammy experience.'

LL Cool J didn't go into too much detail but he did say: 'I hope that Whitney Houston's family and friends appreciate what we do.'

Later that evening, at the start of the show, he led the star-studded audience in a prayer of thanks and tribute to the singer.

He said: ‘Heavenly Father, we thank you for sharing our sister Whitney with us.

Lending their support: British singer Jessie J, Diana Ross and Kelly Price

Glamour: Julianne Hough, Giuliana Rancic and country singer Alison Krauss strike elegant poses

'I invited Whitney to come...

'We had a great time Thursday night. She came out. We hung out. We danced...

'I wasn’t expecting her to sing….She just walked up on the stage. We embraced each other and she said: "Give me the mike..."'

Price added: 'Singing with Whitney has always been to me just an honour.'

The artist also talked about the moment she found out her friend was dead.

She said: 'In my heart I was praying it was an internet hoax…and to realise it wasn’t I just don’t know how to explain it.'

Billy Ray Cyrus also spoke to Seacrest about Houston.

He said: 'I think there is a feeling of honour to respect and honour an incredible talent that this world has lost.

'As a human being she's always been very nice to me and my family when we've crossed paths throughout the years.

'She sang the backdrop of our lives.'

Despite the sombre night many celebrities still arrived determined to get into the spirit of the evening.

Singer-rapper Nicki Minaj arrived in a scarlet red outfit that looked like a cross between a nun’s habit and a Red Riding Hood costume.

She courted controversy by posing on the red carpet with a man dressed up as the Pope.

In contrast Katy Perry wore baby blue to match her vibrant hair of the same colour.

The floor-length dress was much more traditional with a scooped neck, sequins and a blue ribbon tied around her waist.

Mournful in black: Teen singer Rebecca Black, British singer Corinne Bailey Rae and Cyndi Lauper

Other stars like Carrie Underwood, Kathy Griffin and Paris Hilton opted for a more angelic look.

They were draped from head-to-toe in white.

Underwood is wore a dress dotted with sequins while Hilton wore an ice-white gown accentuated with gold.

Pulled together with a slim gold belt, it boasts a middle panel with embroidery of golden thread.

Dapper gentlemen: Steve Martin, Mario Lopez and Bruno Mars look smart on the red carpet

Here come the boys: Looking dapper in their suits, from left John Legend, Blake Shelton, Tony Bennett and rapper Common

Meanwhile Griffin wore a creamy-white one-sleeved dress.

Speaking about Houston's well publicised drug battle, Griffin said: 'Everybody’s freaked out. I’m a little freaked out myself. She was trying. You gotta give her credit for that.

'She had some demons that she couldn’t fix.'

‘Though she is gone too soon, we remain truly blessed to have been touched by her beautiful spirit.’

Kelly Price, the R&B artist who was the last person to perform with Houston, broke down as she gave a red carpet interview about seeing the star for the last time on Thursday night.

Price said: 'I was having a pre-Grammy party for the nominations [sic].