Beyoncé won the top honor at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, taking home the album of the year award for the first time in her career with her country record “Cowboy Carter.” This ceremony served as a tribute to wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles.
The superstar singer triumphed over Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and others to claim the trophy that had previously eluded her. Despite receiving more lifetime Grammys than any other artist, this was her first win in the album category.
“I just feel very full and very honored. It’s been many, many years,” Beyoncé said on stage, standing next to her daughter Blue Ivy Carter.
Beyoncé’s win came after five nominations in the album category. She also earned three trophies on Sunday, bringing her total career Grammy count to 35.
Rapper Kendrick Lamar won both record and song of the year for his diss track “Not Like Us,” aimed at Canadian rapper Drake. Lamar swept all five categories he was nominated for. He dedicated his wins to Los Angeles, the location of the ceremony.
“This is my neck of the woods that’s held me down since I was a young pup,” he said, adding, “we are going to restore the city.”
Chappell Roan, known for her hit “Pink Pony Club,” was named best new artist. She used her time on stage to urge record labels to pay musicians a living wage with healthcare benefits. She recalled a time when she felt “dehumanized” due to a lack of health insurance. “Labels – we got you, but do you got us?” she asked.
Taylor Swift, who has won album of the year a record four times, was nominated for “The Tortured Poets Department” but did not win. She presented the Grammy for best country album, which went to Beyoncé.
HONORING LA
The Grammy festivities combined an awards show with a fundraiser for those affected by the wildfires, which had been contained on Friday after killing 29 people and displacing thousands, including many musicians.
The show, broadcast live on CBS, opened with an all-star rendition of “I Love LA,” featuring the Altadena-based band Dawes, along with John Legend, Brad Paisley, St. Vincent, and Brittany Howard.
“Tonight, we decided we are not just celebrating our favorite music. We are also celebrating the city that brought us so much of that music,” said host Trevor Noah, who directed viewers to donation options. At least $7 million was raised during the broadcast, Noah announced.
The show included tributes to Los Angeles, with Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars performing “California Dreamin’.” Firefighters presented the album prize and received a standing ovation. In between awards, the show featured vignettes about a florist, a skate shop, and other small businesses working to recover from the fires.
The Grammys also paid tribute to influential music producer Quincy Jones, who passed away in November. Stevie Wonder led the audience in singing the famine relief anthem “We Are the World,” accompanied by a choir of students from schools destroyed in the wildfires. Additionally, Janelle Monáe performed Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough.”
Canadian singer The Weeknd surprised everyone by ending his boycott of the Grammys. He showed up midway through the ceremony for a performance. He had previously criticized Grammy voters for a lack of transparency and for failing to adequately recognize hip-hop and R&B artists.
“We have listened, we have acted and we have changed,” said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. on stage. He noted that the Grammys voting body is now younger, with 40% of its members being people of color.
The 13,000 singers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and others who make up the Recording Academy choose the Grammy winners.
Click here for more Lifestyle and Entertainment news.