The envelope was unfolded, the name was announced and the cheers rang.

The 67th annual Grammys took place on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. The room was filled with the industry’s beloved stars joining to celebrate music’s biggest night.

The first award ceremony was held on May 4, 1959, with the intention of honoring the musical and artistic excellence of the year’s competitors. The nominations and awards are presented by the Recording Academy, which consists of over 13,000 voting members who dictate the winner that will be taking home the prized trophy, a gold gramophone.

In addition to the awards, many artists are invited to perform at the ceremony each year. This year, more than 20 artists performed spanning numerous genres. Most notable performances include Charlie XCX, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Deochii and Billie Eilish. These performances were filled with energy and uplifted the crowd even with the wildfires Los Angeles and the rest of California faced.

This year’s ceremony included several performances honoring the spirit of LA through the hardships and lost lives that the wildfires caused. One of which was Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ wistful rendition of ‘California Dreaming.’ Not only were tributes to LA implemented, but awareness was raised on the situation, expanding to CBS offering free ad space to small businesses that were affected by the wildfires during the event’s broadcasting. Donations were also constantly asked for and made throughout the night with the opportunity for both in-person and online viewers to contribute. It was later revealed that the donations had raised a total of 7 million dollars to support the city of LA.

The devastation did not stop the Grammys from occurring. Winners were selected from various genres including pop, rap and “Best New Artist.” Many of this year’s winners broke and set records with their wins. Beyoncé, who already holds the record for most Grammy awards won with 35 total through her career, took home quite a few of the golden gramophones. This year, Beyoncé won Best Country Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance, which she shared with singer Miley Cyrus, and—for the first time in her career— Beyoncé accepted the renowned award: Album of the Year for “Cowboy Carter.”

In the words of ceremony host Trevor Noah, “We finally saw it happen, everyone, Beyoncé has finally won album of the year.” Beyoncé released her first album in 2003 and has continued to write and release albums for the past 12 years. Beyoncé is a name that is recognized globally. The fact that after 12 years of devoting her life to the music industry the most prestigious award in her profession was presented to her.

This long-awaited accomplishment was received with wide smiles and a heartwarming speech from the singer.

“I just feel very full and very honored,” Beyoncé said. “It has been many years, and I just want to thank the Grammys, every songwriter, every collaborator, every producer, all of the hard work.”

Another notable win was Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which took the title of “Song of the Year”, “Record of the Year”, “Best Rap Song” and “Best Rap Performance.” Released as a diss track, “Not Like Us” reached a new pinnacle for Lamar after his attack on Drake. The rapper is now set to headline the Super Bowl halftime show in just a week.

Pop star Chappell Roan took home her first Grammy this Sunday for Best New Artist. The vocalist stepped onto the stage in front of thousands of people in the audience. The room was filled with shades of pink and purple. Accompanied by a giant pink pony and her background dancers dressed as clowns, Roan gave a joyful performance with a hint of theatrical flair of the hit song “Pink Pony Club.” Even more memorable was the speech she gave when receiving her award.

“I told myself that if I ever won a Grammy and I got to stand here in front of the most powerful people in music,” Roan said. “I would demand that labels and the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer livable wage and healthcare, especially to developing artists.”

The star was first signed to a label in 2015 at the age of 17 years old. In her acceptance speech, Roan discusses the reality of being dropped from a label with no work experience; she explains how devastating being committed to this industry can be when you receive no support from a company that you are giving your all to. She mentions how dehumanizing having no healthcare provided feels and emphasizes the importance of treating artists as important members of the community.

She closes the speech with the pointed question, “Labels, we got you, but do you got us?”

The Midwest princess received a standing ovation not only for her incredible artistry but also for the powerful stance she took, causing celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and more to passionately applaud with agreement.

The Grammys are a staple in the music industry and a time filled with either joy or sadness depending on the results. The thrill of your favorite album winning a gramophone is one that so many wish for. This year’s celebration showcased a variety of talent, passion and love for the greater public under the universal umbrella of music.

FEATURED ARTIST WINS
Sabrina Carpenter – Short ‘N Sweet – Best Pop Vocal Album
Chappell Roan – Best New Artist
Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter – Best Country Album
Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter – Album of the Year
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us – Record of the Year
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us – Song of the Year
Deochii – Alligator Bites Never Heal – Best Rap Album
Shakira – Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran – Best Latin Pop Album
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile – Best Pop Duo/Group Performance