Beyonce, Swift make history as woman power dominates pandemic–hit awards
Los Angeles, US, Mar 14 (efe-epa).- Favorites Taylor Swift and Beyonce made history at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night when women won it big at the pandemic-battered show.
While Swift picked up a record third Grammy album of the year for the acclaimed “Folklore,” Beyoncé became the most-awarded woman in Grammy’s history with her 28th win.
In one of the most difficult years for the music industry, the Recording Academy organized a simple and elegant gala with no audience.
“I know that you haven’t been able to go to a concert in a long time, neither have I. So tonight, we’re bringing the concert to you,” said comedian Noah Trevor, who hosted the awards.
Artists, including Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift, Cardi B, Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, Post Malone, John Mayer, BTS, Megan Thee Stallion, Bruno Mars, and HAIM, performed at the nearly four-hour-long ceremony on a circular stage set up at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
The awards confirmed Taylor Swift as one of the most influential artists in history with an album of the year trophy for “Folklore.”
It was Swift’s third album of the year honor after wins for “Fearless” (2010) and “1989” (2016), putting the singer in the company of Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, and Paul Simon, who each won album of the year three times.
Minutes before Taylor Swift broke her record, Beyonce made history as the most winning singer in the history of the Grammy Awards with 28 wins throughout her career.
“I’ve been working my whole life, since 9 years old, and I can’t believe this happened. This is such a magical night,” she said in her acceptance speech.
Beyonce picked up four awards on Sunday night including best rap song, best rap performance, best R&B performance, and best music video.
All even as she did not release any album since 2016 and after a year when she released a song, “Black Parade” against police brutality and racism in the United States and collaborated on a remix of rapper Megan Thee Stallion’s viral hit “Savage.”
Thee Stallion won best new artist, the same award Billie Eilish won last year.
There were two big surprises among the other winners of the night.
After sweeping last year’s Grammy Awards, Billie Eilish won the record of the year for “Everything I Wanted” though she said in her acceptance speech that she wasn’t expecting to win it.
The song of the year trophy went to H.E.R’s song “I Can’t Breathe,” inspired by racial protests in the US after the death of George Floyd in the summer of 2020.
Meanwhile, Fiona Apple picked up two Grammys for best rock performance and best alternative music album for “Fetch The Bolt Cutters”
Bad Bunny also bagged his first Grammy Award for best Latin pop or urban album for “YHLQMDLG.” EFE-EPA
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