Women took centre stage at the 67th Grammy Awards, with Nigeria’s Afrobeats star Tems securing her second Grammy win in the Best African Music Performance category.
The awards, held in Los Angeles on Sunday night, saw major victories for female artists, including Beyoncé, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Doechii.
Beyoncé finally claimed Album of the Year for “Cowboy Carter”, a record that explores the Black roots of country music.
Despite being the most awarded artist in Grammy history, Beyonce had never won this top prize until now. She also took home trophies for Best Country Album and Best Country Duo Performance for “II Most Wanted”, her collaboration with Miley Cyrus.
In her speech, Beyoncé reflected on the barriers faced by artists when it comes to music genres, calling them “a code word to put us in our place.” She also announced a new tour, which had been delayed due to the recent Los Angeles fires.
Chappell Roan was named Best New Artist and used her speech to call on record labels to provide musicians with fair wages and healthcare.
Meanwhile, Sabrina Carpenter won Best Pop Solo Performance for “Espresso”, and Doechii’s “Alligator Bites Never Heal” took Best Rap Album.
The ceremony took place in the aftermath of the devastating fires, with a segment dedicated to first responders and fundraising efforts. By the end of the night, over $7 million (£5.5 million) had been raised for those affected.
