On Sunday, Feb. 2, the 67th Grammy Awards took place, with comedian Trevor Noah as the host at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Grammy award is the most coveted accolade in music, and only Hollywood’s most successful musicians are invited to attend this prestigious annual ceremony.
Even though the event is highly anticipated among people in the entertainment industry, it is not without its faults. The Recording Academy — the panel that decides the winners — has a history of employing racial bias and systemic sexism. In 2018, the disparity between male and female nominees was so stark that the hashtag #GrammysSoMale went viral.
Since then, the Grammys seem to have embraced the constructive criticism offered by the public eye and have done some work to improve.
The 67th Grammys award show was an undeniably historic night for people of color and women. Out of the nine televised Grammys categories, women won in six of them, three of whom were women of color. As for the men, Kendrick Lamar accounted for five wins and Bruno Mars won “best pop duo/group performance” for “Die with a Smile” alongside Lady Gaga.
For some winners, it was their first time claiming a golden gramophone. The former Disney star turned ultimate pop girl Sabrina Carpenter won “best pop vocal album” just minutes after performing her hit songs “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” officially granting her superstar status in showbiz.
Rising artist Doechii also secured her first Grammy in the “best rap album” category, becoming the third woman in history to do so. In her powerful speech, she addressed Black women, telling them: “You are exactly who you need to be right where you are.”
Doechii was not the only artist to mention a personal agenda during their acceptance speech. Chappell Roan, another first-time winner, won “best new artist” after she rose to sky-high popularity last year, thanks to her powerhouse vocals and standout drag-inspired fashion style. In her fiery speech, Roan called out record labels for their inhumane treatment of developing artists: “Labels, we got you, but do you got us?”
It was undoubtedly a monumental night for all musicians present, but the ceremony was especially unforgettable for one person: Beyoncé. Despite being the most decorated artist in Grammys history with 99 nominations, Queen B has never had the privilege of winning the coveted “album of the year” award until Sunday night when her hit album “Cowboy Carter” won. She also made history as the first Black woman to win the “country album of the year” award, making the night even more special.
The award show was naturally accompanied by star-studded performances from top billboard artists. The most outstanding performance at the 2025 Grammy Awards was Charli XCX‘s onstage party, which more closely resembled a European underground rave than the stage of the biggest music award show in the world. Nominee for “best new artist,” Raye, delivered an elegant performance that showcased her incredible vocal range. Carpenter and Roan each put on energetic song-and-dance numbers, staying true to their pop, pinup girl personas.
Despite the positive energy surrounding the annual event, there was a somber undertone to this year’s show. A significant portion of the show was dedicated to honoring the lives and homes lost in the recent Los Angeles wildfires, one of the deadliest in California history. As an ode to the City of Angels, the opening act featured Brad Paisley, John Legend, Sheryl Crow, St. Vincent and Brittany Howard, who performed Randy Newman’s 1983 “I Love L.A.” The ceremony also featured numerous ads from local LA businesses, aimed at helping them reestablish themselves following the devastation of the fires.
The mournful tone was also influenced by the recent passing of the legendary Quincy Jones in November of last year. Jones was a major figure in the music industry, working across many genres, but particularly in jazz. Will Smith presented the tribute to his late mentor, bringing on performers Stevie Wonder, Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Monáe and Lainey Wilson to honor him with their talent-packed performances.
The 67th annual Grammys is a night that will not be forgotten anytime soon. After years of criticism over allegations of racial favoritism and male domination, women and people of color finally took home some well-deserved wins. The 2025 award show will, without question, go down in history books as a night filled with diverse talent, female empowerment and historic moments.
