This year, the Recording Academy hosted the 67th annual Grammy Awards. The event was hosted in Los Angeles, and there was a clear reflection of the meaning of the city to the people there. In response to the recent wildfires affecting the L.A. area, the Academy turned the event into a fundraising tool for the city. The host, Trevor Noah, used his comedy skills to implore viewers to do what they could to help those affected by the disasters. Numerous artists, such as Zach Dawes, John Legend, Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga, also took the stage to dedicate their performances to the resilience of the community and encourage donations.
The Recording Academy took a different approach to the performance lineup this year, allowing all the artists nominated for Best New Artist the opportunity to perform. This decision was likely driven by the massive popularity of the nominees. Nonetheless, their performances were refreshing, fun and added an element that had been missing from the event. The new artists took the stage one after another, beginning with Sabrina Carpenter, who delivered a jazzy, musical theater-inspired rendition of her songs “Espresso” and “Please, Please, Please” from her album “Short and Sweet,” which won two awards: Best Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Solo Performance. They incorporated a tap-dancing segment into the mashup, with her and her backup dancers all wearing coattails.
This was followed by the show-stopping Chappell Roan. The “Midwest Princess” took the stage on a Trojan horse-sized pink pony to perform her hit “Pink Pony Club.” Her backup dancers were dressed as rodeo clowns, while she embraced full drag-glam in a cowboy-inspired outfit. Her performance perfectly captured the magnitude and meaning of the song while paying homage to her past. Fittingly, Chappell was awarded Best New Artist, marking her first Grammy win.
Benson Boone followed her performance with his controversial song “Beautiful Things,” wearing an obviously uncomfortable high-waisted baby blue jumpsuit that seemed to mimic Harry Styles’s signature outfit. He executed his notorious spinning flip and ended the performance by grabbing his crotch awkwardly.
Doechii, who won Best Rap Album earlier in the night for her “Alligator Bites Never Heal” and became the third woman ever to receive the award, performed a mashup of her songs “Catfish” and “Denial is a River.” Her set featured elaborate hip-hop choreography and a dramatic costume change from a schoolgirl uniform to a 90s-inspired all-white underwear set. The costume design was cleverly linked to her very 90s-inspired rap style with odd rhythm and cadence. Her passion and personality radiated as she performed, and she stood out.
Teddy Swims, Shaboozey and Raye, who were also nominated for Best New Artist, performed as well. Their acts were not production-heavy and instead highlighted their vocal talent. This approach allowed viewers to recognize the potential of these new artists, who are often overlooked by those who don’t venture beyond the mainstream after simply hearing their names in the nominations.
This wouldn’t be a full-coverage article if it didn’t discuss the Drake and Kendrick Lamar controversy. Lamar’s single “Not Like Us” is a well-known diss track aimed at Drake, who did not attend the event. This roast earned Kendrick Lamar five Grammys: Best Rap Performance, Best Music Video, Best Rap Song, Record of The Year and Song of the Year. Kendrick won the same amount of Grammys that Drake has won in his entire career, in just one night. He also received his awards wearing a casual Canadian tuxedo — an apparent nod to Drake’s Toronto roots. His dominant sweep solidified his place as one of the greatest rappers of this generation.
The Grammys typically ruffle feathers among fans of different artists competing in the same categories. The Swifties are understandably upset that “The Tortured Poets Department” didn’t win a single award but given that “Midnights” was so heavily awarded last year, no one truly expected her to win this time. The Academy also snubbed Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande. It seems unjust that Ariana Grande has not been properly recognized for her contributions to music — she has produced nine #1 hit songs in her career and has the vocal range to back it up, yet she still has no Grammys to show for it. Billie Eilish’s latest album, which included “Birds of a Feather” — the most streamed song of 2024 — also received no recognition.
Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” took home the biggest award of the night, Album of the Year, along with Best Country Album. This win was controversial as some praised the album for its impact and legacy on Black women in country music, while others criticized it for its failure to compare with the popularity of other nominees in the category. As always, the Grammys left some fans thrilled and others questioning the Academy’s choices.
Charli xcx closed out the night by singing her rather electric and vulgar “Von Dutch” and “Guess” from her album “Brat” which was awarded Best Dance Pop Recording and Best Dance/Electronic Album. Many feel that “Brat” was deserving of Album of the Year, as it dominated this past summer on social media, coining the iconic “Brat summer.” Either way, Charli unapologetically performed very explicitly in her typical attire consisting of very little clothing and very messy hair — true to her signature style. She had the entire audience dancing along with her club classics. Her performance was a fitting send-off for the music industry to move into the new year of new artists and sounds for us to explore.