Recap of the 67th Annual Grammy Awards
by Savannah Bowie | February 3rd, 2025
The 67th Annual Grammys was a memorable night of history-making wins, iconic performances, and powerful speeches. The evening showcased just how impactful music and the voices behind it can be when they come together in one room for a night. The ceremony opened with one of many heartfelt tributes to Los Angeles with Altadena natives Dawes (Taylor & Griffin Goldsmith) joined by Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, John Legend, Brittany Howard, and St. Vincent performed a cover of Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.” setting the tone for the evening.
Billie Eilish followed with a stunning performance of her hit song “Birds of a Feather,” which received numerous nominations but fell short of a win. Immediately following, Sabrina Carpenter performed her popular songs “Espresso,” which took home the award for Best Pop Solo Performance, and “Please Please Please.” Then, Doechii, who was the only woman nominated in the category, took home Best Rap Album for Alligator Bites Never Heal. This win marked a major milestone for Black women in the genre, as only two other women, Cardi B and Lauryn Hill, have taken home this award. In Doechii’s speech, she encouraged Black women and girls everywhere and reminded them that “anything is possible” and “you are exactly who you need to be.”
Following this win, the award for Best Pop Vocal Album–a category with all female nominees–was awarded to Sabrina Carpenter for her album Short n’ Sweet making it her second Grammy. Beyoncé then made history as the first Black artist to win Best Country Album for Cowboy Carter, a moment that has signified a shift in how we define country music. The fifth award of the night went to Latin music icon Shakira, who won Best Latin Pop Album for Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. In her acceptance speech she dedicated the award to her “immigrant brothers and sisters” and reminded them that they are loved, worth it, and that she will always fight with them.
To reignite the energy in the room, Chappell Roan performed “Pink Pony Club,” a song about drag bars, in show of support for her community during a time of heightened fear for trans and queer people in America. Her performance was followed by a medley of each Best New Artist nominee, with Benson Boone, Doechii, Teddy Swims, Shaboozey, and Raye each taking the stage. Chappell was ultimately crowned as our Best New Artist, using her speech to call out the industry and record labels for not providing livable wages and health benefits to their artists, especially minors, concluding with, “Labels, we got you, but do you got us?'“
Continuing the tributes and performances, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars–winners of the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance award for Die With A Smile–took the stage to deliver a cover of The Mamas & The Papas’ “California Dreamin”, a tribute to those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires and all who have helped the city. The Grammys then surprised viewers with The Weeknd’s return to the Grammy stage performing new songs “Cry For Me” and "Timeless” alongside rap artist Playboi Carti. This comes four years after boycotting the event, citing a lack of transparency in the nomination and awards process. Following his boycott, the Recording Academy stated they had ‘listened and learned,” launching a number of initiatives to support women and Black artists.
The next performance was a tribute to the late Quincy Jones, featuring numerous artists like Cynthia Erivo, Lainey Wilson, Stevie Wonder, and Janelle Monáe performing songs like “Fly Me To The Moon,” “Let The Good Times Roll,” and “We Are The World.” Stevie Wonder was joined by students from Palisades Charter High School and Pasadena Waldorf School–schools that were lost due to the fires–for his “We Are The World” performance. Throughout the night the Recording Academy raised roughly $7 million for MusiCares’ LA fire relief efforts. The “In Memoriam” tribute, a Grammy tradition, followed this with Coldplay’s Chris Martin performing “All My Love.” The tribute started with a special video dedication to One Direction member Liam Payne, followed by honoring legends like Toby Keith, Rich Homie Quan, and Tito Jackson.
While the main Grammy broadcast only presented nine awards, 85 of the 94 total Grammy’s were handed out during a pre-show event. Kendrick Lamar, the most awarded artist of the night with five wins, each for his song “Not Like Us”, won both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Then, Beyonce made history once again, adding to her record as the most awarded artist with 35 wins. She secured Album of the Year, presented by members of the LA fire department, for the first time with Cowboy Carter, becoming the first black women since Lauryn Hill in 1996 to win. These wins marked yet another historic moment for Black artists, as for the first time in 30 years, the big three categories–Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the year–were each awarded to Black artists.
As the night came to a close, Alicia Keys was awarded the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, where she highlighted female producers, songwriters and artists, who are often overlooked, calling for more diversity. “DEI is not a threat”, she said, “it’s a gift.” The night ended with performances from Shakira and Charli XCX, who took home awards for Best Dance/Electronic Album, Best Recording Package, and Best Dance Pop Recording. During her performance it was announced that all unused clothing would be donated to survivors of domestic violence through an organization called Support The Girls.
In the end, the 67th Annual Grammys was one for the history books. With historic wins for women and Black artists, memorable performances, and numerous acts of activism, the Grammys once again proved that music is a powerful force, extending beyond entertainment and awards to bring communities together within and outside of the industry.
