All eyes at the Grammy Awards were on whether the most-nominated artist in the history of the telecast would finally walk away with the coveted album of the year trophy. She did. 鈥淲e finally saw it happen,鈥� host Trevor Noah said, almost in relief.
capped a night that turned into a tribute to a with city firefighters chosen to reveal the winner of the last award and speeches offering words of encouragement for communities devastated. The Grammys almost veered into a telethon; $7 million was pledged from viewers of the show.
It was also a telecast where the best new artist nominees like and Sabrina Carpenter were given plenty of time to show why there's a deep well of talent coming up. And there was a shock return for The Weeknd, who had been boycotting the Grammys.
Here are some of the night鈥檚 notable moments:
Kicking it off with some local boys
Beyonc茅 and were right there, as were Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish, but the honor of opening the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles was given to two local brothers deeply affected by the wildfires: Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith of the band Dawes.
They lost one brother鈥檚 home along with their childhood home, instruments and much else. They've advocated for victims, raised money and were included in the
鈥淭hey truly epitomize the unique spirit that we are seeing in LA right now,鈥� host Trevor Noah said. 鈥淲hat better way to start the Grammy Awards?鈥�
Dawes then played Randy Newman's 鈥淚 Love L.A.鈥� surrounded by an all-star backing band: John Legend, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, and St. Vincent.
鈥淟ook at these firefighters, ain鈥檛 nothin like 鈥榚m nowhere,鈥� Taylor Goldsmith sang, altering the line: 鈥淟ook at these women/There ain鈥檛 nothing like 鈥檈m nowhere.鈥�
All hail the Swamp Princess
won the Grammy for best rap album, only the third woman to win in that category. And, with her mother by her side, she had a strong message for young Black girls.
鈥淚 know that there's some Black girl out there, so many Black women out there, that are watching me right now, and I want to tell you: You can do it. Anything is possible. Anything is possible,鈥� she said.
"Don鈥檛 allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you, to tell you that you can鈥檛 be here, that you鈥檙e too dark, or that you鈥檙e not smart enough, or that you鈥檙e too dramatic, or you鈥檙e too loud. You are exactly who you need to be to be right where you are, and I am a testimony right now. Good night!鈥�
The win caps an astounding few years for the 26-year-old Floridian who mixes R&B, hip-hop, jazz, boundary-pushing sounds and samples, and adds theatricality. She playfully calls herself the 鈥渟wamp princess.鈥�
Her 2024 mixtape, 鈥滱lligator Bites Never Heal鈥� went to No. 33 on the Billboard 200, No. 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop chart and No. 8 on the Top Rap Album chart.
Her Grammy performance of 鈥淐atfish鈥� and 鈥淒enial Is a River鈥� was electric, with the singer-songwriter backed by over a dozen dancers in matching Thom Browne suits and she eventually stripped down to a white two-piece set.
Chappell Roan advocates from the stage
was crowned best new artist and then used her speech to demand change in the music business.
鈥淚 told myself that if I ever won a Grammy and got to stand up here before the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels in the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a livable wage and health care, especially to developing artists,鈥� she said.
Roan began her music career in 2015 when she signed with Atlantic Records, releasing several singles including 鈥淧ink Pony Club.鈥� In 2020, the label dropped her. She moved back to her hometown to work as a barista before releasing her debut full-length album.
鈥淚t was devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system and dehumanized,鈥� Roan said in her speech. 鈥淩ecord labels need to treat their artists as valuable employees with a livable wage and health insurance and protection.鈥�
Earlier, Roan performed a rocking version of her 鈥淧ink Pony Club,鈥� joined by a posse of dancing clown cowboys as she sang from atop a giant pink horse.
Lady Gaga and Alicia Keys get political
Lady Gaga, accepting the trophy for best pop duo or group alongside Bruno Mars for their chart-topping collab, 鈥淒ie with a Smile,鈥� gave a shout-out to the trans community,
鈥淭rans people are not invisible. Trans people deserve love. The queer community deserves to be lifted up. Music is love," Lady Gaga said.
Not long after, Alicia Keys, being honored with The Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, also backed diversity and inclusion programs,
鈥淭his is not the time to shut down the diversity of voices,鈥� said Keys. 鈥淲e鈥檝e seen on this stage talented, hardworking people from different backgrounds with different points of view, and it changes the game. DEI is not a threat, it鈥檚 a gift.鈥�
The Weeknd returns to the Grammys
The Grammy Awards had a powerful way to prove that they've changed. They got a surprise endorsement by The Weeknd, who was last on the Grammy stage in 2017.
The pop superstar in 2020 after he landed zero nominations despite a megahit album. 鈥淵ou owe me, my fans and the industry transparency," he wrote on social media.
who started in his post in 2020, on Sunday said he understood the criticism and listed all the things the Academy has done to fix it.
鈥淲e have completely re-made our membership, adding more than 3,000 women voting members. The Grammy electorate is now younger, nearly 40% people of color, and 66% of our members are new since we started our transformation,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ver the past few years, we have listened, we鈥檝e acted and we鈥檝e changed.鈥�
Mason then introduced The Weeknd, who performed two tunes from his just-released album 鈥� 鈥淐ry For Me鈥� and 鈥淭imeless鈥� with special guest Playboi Carti. He wore a long druid's robe and the stage was smoky.
Will Smith returns to the award stage
hosting a tribute to marked his first appearance at a major awards show since since he slapped Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars in 2022.
鈥淚n his 91 years, Q touched countless lives, but I have to say, he changed mine forever. You probably wouldn鈥檛 even know who Will Smith was if it wasn鈥檛 for Quincy Jones," Smith said.
Smith has been banned from film but the Grammys are a different beast. He made no mention of the infamous Slap.
Smith has previously nabbed Grammy wins in the short form music video (鈥淲ill 2K鈥�), best rap solo performance (鈥淕etting鈥� Jiggy Wit It,鈥� 鈥淢en in Black鈥�), and best rap performance by a duo or group (鈥淪ummertime鈥� as the Fresh Prince with DJ Jazzy Jeff).
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Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
