Music Correspondent
A stunned expression shot across Beyoncé’s face as her latest record, Cowboy Carter, was named best country album at the 67th Grammy Awards.
In a moment laced with symbolism, the award was announced by Taylor Swift – another artist who has successfully switched genres – and who is Beyoncé’s competition for the night’s main prize, album of the year.
“Wow, I really was not expecting this,” said the star, thanking “all of the incredible country artists” who had voted for the prize.
The recognition came five months after Beyoncé 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 is also nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammys, where Beyoncé faces competition from the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar and Chappell Roan.
That category also features The Beatles, nominated for Now And Then – the track they reassembled from an old John Lennon demo in 2023.
The song has already won best rock performance in an early “premiere ceremony”, where the bulk of the Grammys’ 94 awards are handed out.
The main ceremony, at the Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles, is doubling up as a fund-raiser for people affected by the ferocious wildfires that swept the city last month.
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.
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.
Comedian Trevor Noah, who is hosting the show, 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.
Los Angeles native Billie Eilsh was the second artist on stage, playing 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.
Noah later 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.
As for the awards, Beyoncé arrived at the ceremony with the most nominations – 11 in total.
She already has more Grammys than any other artist in history, a haul of 32 trophies, but has never won the biggest prize, album of the year.
Winning best country album signals that she’s in the running for that prize at the fifth time of asking – but the category is stacked with equally-deserving records by Billie Eilish and four-time winner Taylor Swift.
British pop star Charli XCX is also in the running for Brat – which has already won three trophies, including best dance/pop album.
Sabrina Carpenter is another strong contender, having already won best pop vocal album for Short ‘n’ Sweet, and best pop solo performance for her flirtatious summer anthem, Espresso.
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?”
Lady Gaga gets political
Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar won Record of the Year for Not Like Us, the knockout blow in his long-running rap battle with Drake.
It was only the second hip-hop song to take the prize, after Childish Gambino’s This Is America in 2019, but Lamar played that down, focusing instead on his hometown.
“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.”
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.”
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.