Sam Smith, Pharrell lead early Grammy winners

By Piya Sinha-Roy LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – British soul singer Sam Smith took an early lead at the Grammy awards on Sunday with two wins, including best new artist, at the music industry’s top awards. “Before I made this record, I was doing everything to try and get my music heard,” Smith said. “I tried to lose weight and I was making awful music and it was only until that I started to be myself that the music started to flow and people started to listen.” Pharrell beat out Smith’s “Stay With Me” in the best pop solo performance category with his toe-tapping track “Happy.” “I am not gonna make this awkward and long because I was so prepared for everybody else in the category to walk away with that award. I am honored to be grouped with them,” Pharrell said.