Taylor Swift presented the award for Best Country Album on Sunday night at the Grammys to Beyoncé for her groundbreaking “Cowboy Carter”.
"I really wasn't expecting this. Wow," Beyoncé began her speech. "Genre is a cold word that keeps us in our place as artists... I'm still in shock. Thank you very much for this honor."
The ceremony had a little bit of the Wild West and a little bit of Hollywood. Chappell Roan brought a rock version of her "Pink Pony Club" to the Grammy stage. Accompanied by a group of clown cowboy dancers, she sang from the top of a giant pink horse.
The first televised Grammy Award in 2025 went to Doechii for the best rap album for "Alligator Bites Never Heal".
The tears were immediate. "This category was introduced in 1989. Two women won, Lauryn Hill... - he said, correcting himself. - Three women won. Lauryn Hill, Cardi B, and Doechii."
It was Doechii's first Grammy. Her heartfelt speech came after the program opened with several references to the wildfires in the Los Angeles area that devastated the city but focused on the resilience of its inhabitants. The Grammys began on Sunday at the Crypto Arena with a lot of humor, highlighting the first responders and the strength of the music community.
Host Trevor Noah's opening speech was dedicated to those affected by the fires, promising a show that not only celebrates them but also celebrates "the city that brought us so much of that music." The Grammys have also allocated ad time to be used by local businesses affected by the fires.
In a stage designed to resemble the mountains of Los Angeles, Billie Eilish, a proud Angeleno, and her brother and collaborator Finneas performed their hit "Birds of a Feather". It was one of the several ways the gala sought to pay tribute to the city. "We love you LA," she told the crowd at the end of the set.
The ceremony began with a powerful opening performance of Randy Newman's "I Love L.A." by Dawes, whose members were directly affected by the Eaton fire, backed by John Legend, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, Brittany Howard, and St. Vincent.
First-time winners
During the Premiere Ceremony on Sunday, a pre-show event hosted by composer Justin Tranter, some of the biggest names in pop music like Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX won their first Grammy awards, as well as Mexican music star Carín León, French metal band Gojira, and folk country artist Sierra Ferrell.
They were not the only ones: veterans also took home trophies, as did former President Jimmy Carter, who won a posthumous Grammy for narrating "Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration," recordings of his last Sunday school lessons taught at Maranatha Baptist Church in Georgia. It was his fourth Grammy win.
The first prize of the day, for Best Pop Solo Performance, was awarded to Carpenter for "Espresso." It is his first triumph at the Grammys.
Shortly after, Charli xcx also won her first two Grammy Awards, in the category of Best Dance Recording for "Von Dutch" and Best Dance/Electronic Album for "BRAT".
Amy Allen won the award for non-classical songwriter of the year, a category at the Grammys that has only existed for three years. She is the first woman to win. Tobias Jesso Jr. won in 2023 and Theron Thomas won in 2024.
"The little girl inside me... is screaming, crying, and laughing at the absurdity of this moment," Allen began his speech. "We are the engine driving the entire music industry," he said about composers past and present."
Ferrell won his first Grammys for American music performance, American roots song, American music album, and American roots performance. He delivered an acceptance speech with a scepter. "Honestly, this is kind of funny," he joked after returning to the stage for the third time. "Phew!" he began his fourth acceptance speech.
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, and other recognized music giants
The main nominee Beyoncé won her first award of the night for her song with Miley Cyrus, "II Most Wanted". She took home the award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance during the Grammy Premiere, where a total of 85 awards were given out. This marks Beyoncé's first victory in a country category.
Kenrick Lamar's ubiquitous "Not Like Us" was an early winner, receiving trophies for music video, rap song, and rap performance. This marks his seventh time winning in the last category.
“Now and Then” by The Beatles, which used AI technology, won the award for best rock performance. Sean Lennon accepted the award on behalf of his father John Lennon. “As far as I’m concerned, they are the greatest band of all time,” he said about The Beatles. “Play Beatles music for your children. I feel the world cannot afford to forget it.”