The 63rd Grammy Awards, which was held as a socially distanced live show on March 14, saw women ruling the winners list. While Beyoncé made history with her 28th career Grammy and set a record for most Grammy wins by a woman, Taylor Swift became the first woman to win the Album for the Year three times. This year, Swift won it for her newest album Folklore.
Megan Thee Stallion won Best New Artist, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance for Savage, sharing the last award with Beyoncé. Stallion became a part of history as the first female hip-hop artist to win in the best New Artist category in 22 years, since Lauryn Hill received the honor in 1999.
Billie Eilish won Record of the Year for her album Everything I Wanted. H.E.R. won the Song of the Year for I Can’t Breathe and Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia won Best Pop Vocal Album.
Earlier at the pre-show, Eilish had won the Best Song for Visual Media for No Time to Die, the James Bond theme. Beyoncé had also picked up a win at the pre-show for the Best Music Video for Brown Skin Girl, sharing the trophy with her nine-year-old daughter Blue Ivy Carter.
There were many other first at the Grammys this year. Former One Direction band member Harry Styles won for Best Pop Solo Performance, Kaytranada for Best Dance Recording and Best Dance/Electronic Album, and Nas for Best Rap Album.
The Grammys this year, however, left many disappointed.
Upset after BTS lost in the Best Pop Duo/Group category, fans of South Korean boy band began trending ‘Scammys’ on Twitter.
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Canadian singer-songwriter The Weekend issued a statement to The New York Times announcing his decision to boycott the Grammys after failing to secure a single nomination this year. “Because of the secret committees, I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys.”
Zayn Malik, too, had snubbed the Academy earlier and blamed them for not considering artists “unless you shake hands and send gifts”. In a tweet on Monday, he once again raised his voice against the Grammys and wrote, “I’m keeping the pressure on & fighting for transparency & inclusion. We need to make sure we are honoring and celebrating “creative excellence” of ALL. End the secret committees.”
Meanwhile, YouTuber and content creator Lilly Singh took to the Grammys red carpet and expressed solidarity with the ongoing farmer protests in India by wearing a mask that said ‘I stand with farmers’.
I know red carpet/award show pictures always get the most coverage, so here you go media. Feel free to run with it ✊🏽 #IStandWithFarmers #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/hTM0zpXoIT
— Lilly // #LateWithLilly (@Lilly) March 15, 2021
For a complete list of winners, click here.