Correcting what was widely seen as an historic wrong, Beyoncé won best album at the 67th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
The star was recognised for her eighth album, Cowboy Carter, which celebrates and contextualises the black roots of country music. She had previously been passed over for the ceremony’s main prize on four separate occasions.
As her name was read out, Beyoncé hugged her daughter Blue Ivy, then her husband Jay-Z, before walking to the stage in a gold paisley dress to accept the trophy.
“I just feel very full and very honoured,” she said. “It’s been many, many years.”
The singer dedicated her award to Linda Martell, one of the pioneers for black musicians in country music and the first black woman to perform solo at the Grand Ole Opry (Ms Martell features on several of Cowboy Carter’s songs).
“I hope we just keep pushing forward [and] opening doors,” Beyoncé continued. “God bless y’all. Thank you so much.”
The star’s victory comes 25 years after her first Grammy nomination, as part of the R&B group Destiny’s Child.
She went on to become the most-awarded artist in Grammys history, with a haul of 35 trophies – but the main prize eluded her until Sunday night.
In the end, it took a switch of genre to earn the Texas-born musician a win.
Focusing on country and Americana, Cowboy Carter is the second part of a trilogy of albums that interrogates American musical traditions and uncovers the often unheralded contributions made by black artists.
Notably, it makes Beyoncé the first black woman to win album of the year since 1999, when Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill took the title.
Country surprise
Earlier in the evening, Cowboy Carter also won the Grammy for best country album – to Beyoncé’s evident surprise.
A stunned expression shot across the 43-year-old’s face as her name was read out.
In a moment laced with symbolism, that announcement came from Taylor Swift – another artist who successfully switched genres, and who previously beat Beyoncé to the album of the year prize in 2010.
“Wow, I really was not expecting this,” said Beyoncé in her acceptance speech, thanking “all of the incredible country artists” who had voted for the prize.
The recognition came five months after she was snubbed at the Country Music Awards – even after she became the first black woman to have a number one hit on the Hot Country Songs chart, with Texas Hold ‘Em.
That song was also nominated for record of the year at the Grammys, but lost to Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us.
The rap hit, which was the knock-out blow in Lamar’s long-running rap battle with Drake, scooped all five of the awards it was nominated for, including song of the year, best rap song and best music video.
It was only the second hip-hop song win record of the year (following Childish Gambino’s This Is America in 2019) but Lamar played the achievement down, focusing instead on his hometown of Los Angeles, which was recently ravaged by wildfires.
“We’re gonna dedicate this one to the city,” he said.
“Compton, Long Beach Inglewood, Hollywood, out to the valley… This is my neck of the woods that held me down since a young pup.”
The impact of the wildfires was the main theme of the ceremony, which doubled up as a fund-raiser, raising more than $7 million (£5.7 million) for those affected.
Comedian Trevor Noah, who hosted the ceremony, admitted that “just a few weeks ago, we weren’t sure that this show would even happen”.
“Thankfully, due to the heroic efforts of firefighters, the fires have now been contained, and despite all the devastation, the spirit of the city has emerged,” he added, to generous applause.
Squads of firefighters were invited to the awards to honour their efforts; and they walked the red carpet taking selfies with the biggest stars in music.
The show opened with a special performance by the local band Dawes, whose homes were destroyed in the inferno, playing Randy Newman’s classic song I Love LA.
Los Angeles native Billie Eilsh was the second artist on stage, and played her award-nominated song Birds Of A Feather against a backdrop inspired by California’s natural beauty.
“I love you LA,” she said as the music ended.
Later, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars delivered a rousing version of California Dreamin’, originally by The Mamas & Papas, dedicated to the first responders who helped tackle the fires.
Noah also joked that winners whose speeches ran longer than one-and-a-half minutes would be forced to donate $1,000 for every extra second they spoke.
Elsewhere, British pop star Charli XCX took home three prizes for her intoxicating club opus Brat – including best dance/pop album.
And the Beatles took home the prize for best rock performance, a mere 55 years after they split up.
Their award recognised Now And Then, a song assembled from a demo by the late John Lennon, which was made possible by machine learning, a form of Artificial Intelligence.
Lady Gaga gets political
Chappell Roan won best new artist, and used her speech to call for equitable pay and conditions in the music industry.
“I told myself, if I ever won a Grammy and I got to stand up here in front of the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels and the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists, would offer a liveable wage and health care, especially to developing artists,” she said.
“Labels, we got you, but do you got us?”
Meanwhile, Lady Gaga was one of many artists to stand up for the LGBTQ+ community, after President Trump issued executive orders that banned diversity, equity and inclusion in the government, as well as one that recognised two sexes, male and female.
“I just want to say tonight that trans people are not invisible,” she said, accepting the award for best pop duo/group performance with Bruno Mars, for their duet Die With A Smile.
“Trans people deserve love, the queer community deserves to be lifted up. Music is love. Thank you.”
The first prize of the main ceremony was best rap album, which went to Florida-born rapper Doechii, for her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal.
She noted it was only the third time a woman had won the category since it was introduced in 1989, with a shout-out to her predecessors Lauryn Hill and Cardi B.
“There are so many black women out there that are watching me right now, and I want to tell you, you can do it,” she added.
“Anything is possible. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you [or] tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark, or that you’re not smart enough, or that you’re too dramatic or you’re too loud.
“You are exactly who you need to be to be right where you are and I am a testimony. Praise God.”
And, in a strong year for female artists, newcomer Sabrina Carpenter won two awards: Best pop solo performance for her caffeinated summer anthem, Espresso, and best pop album for Short n’ Sweet.
However, a strong field for female pop artists meant that both Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish went home empty-handed, despite having 13 nominations between them.
Further performances came from Charli XCX, Teddy Swims, Chappell Roan, Benson Boone and Shakira; while Alicia Keys picked up a lifetime achievement award.
The show also featured a lengthy tribute to Quincy Jones, who died last year at the age of 91, after producing some of the most iconic tunes in pop history for artists including Frank Sinatra, Dizzie Gillespie, Michael Jackson and Chaka Khan.
The segment was introduced by Will Smith, making his first appearance at a televised awards ceremony since since he slapped Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars in 2022.
The musician said he owed his career to Jones, who cast him in the 1990s sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and called him “one of the most groundbreaking and influential figures of our times”.
He then introduced Wicked star Cynthia Erivo and pianist Herbie Hancock, who performed Jones’s arrangement of Fly Me To The Moon.
The tribute continued with Stevie Wonder performing We Are The World, and Janelle Monaé delivering a pitch-perfect version of Michael Jackson’s Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, in a replica of the star’s glittery tuxedo and silver crystal ankle socks.
(BBC)
