The 63rd Grammys proved to be a great event for artists, especially female artists who took centre stage. Here are 11 moments from the Grammys that proved that it was a celebration of women, through and through.
1. For the first time ever, the Best Rock Performance Grammy nominees were all women.
Fiona Apple, who won the award, was nominated for Shameika, Phoebe Bridgers for Kyoto, HAIM for The Steps, Brittany Howard for Stay High, Grace Potter for Daylight, and Big Thief (led by Adrienne Lenker) for Not.
2. Rapper Megan Thee Stallion received her first award presented during the live telecast for the Best New Artist.
She became the fifth rapper to win the trophy and the first female rapper to win in the category since Lauryn Hill in 1999, making this win historic. She also won an award for the Best Rap Performance.
3. Billie Eilish’s stunning performance of Everything I Wanted left us spellbound.
The singer performed alongside her brother, Finneas atop a car that payed ode to their original music video.
4. Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B performed their hit WAP on a set designed to look like an enormous bed and it was a sight to behold.
5. Megan Thee Stallion also won the award for the Best Rap Song for Savage Remix, which she accepted beside Beyoncé and was in awe of her, just as we always are.
“If you know me, you have to know ever since I was little, you know that when I grow up I’m going to be like the rap-Beyoncé. That was my goal. I love her work ethic, I love how she is, I love the way she carried herself,” Megan said in her speech. Adding that growing up she would always ask herself, “‘What would Beyoncé do?’ — but let me make it a little ratchet.” This sisterhood moment really lit up the Grammys.
6. Taylor Swift’s performed a medley from her album Folklore, which was straight out of a fairytale.
The singer performed Cardigan, August and Willow in a beautiful medley and we couldn’t take our eyes off her.
7. She also made history when she won Album of the Year for an album she wrote in the pandemic.
She became the the first female artist to win the Album of the Year (Folklore) award three times, having previously taken home trophies for Fearless and 1989. She didn’t forget to thank her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn and her closest friend, Blake Lively in the speech.
8. H.E.R. won Song Of The Year, for I Can’t Breathe, which was inspired by the movement for Black lives.
“I’ve never been so proud to be an artist,” H.E.R. said in her speech. “We wrote this song over FaceTime, and I didn’t imagine that my fear and my pain would turn into impact and it would possibly turn into change.” She shared the trophy with co-writers Dernst Emile II and Tiare Thomas.
9. Beyoncé broke records by winning her 28th Grammy, becoming the most honoured woman in the history of the awards.
Beyoncé officially broke the record for most Grammy wins by a female artist, or by any singer, passing the bluegrass musician Alison Krauss. Taking home her 28th Grammy for best R&B performance for her song Black Parade.
10. Blue Ivy won her first Grammy award at the age of 9
Beyoncé and Jay Z’s daughter, Blue Ivy Carter won her first Grammy Award, making her the second youngest artist to win a Grammy. She shared credit with Beyoncé, Wizkid, SAINt JHN, and others for Brown Skin Girl, which won the Best Music Video award.
11. Billie Eilish won Record Of The Year for Everything I Wanted and dedicated the award to Megan Thee Stallion, leaving us basking in their love for each other.
“This is really embarrassing for me,” she said. “Megan, girl… I was gonna write a speech about how you deserve this but then I was like, ‘There’s no way they’re going to choose me. You deserved this,” Billie told Megan who was seated in the crowd. “You had a year that I think is unstoppable. You are a queen. I want to cry thinking about how much I love you.”
12. Dua Lipa, a winner for her album Future Nostalgia, gave a performance that we can’t get out of our head.
Those outfit changes live rent free in our mind now.
13. The Country Music Album category was all women this year.
Miranda Lambert, Mickey Guyton and Maren Morris gave us brilliant performances and the Country category composed entirely of women, a welcome changed. And while Miranda won the Best Country Album award, the other nominees included Ingrid Andress, Brandy Clark, Little Big Town and Ashley McBryde.
14. The Haim sisters performed The Steps in their first-ever Grammy performance and rocked out.
HAIM KILLING IT AS ALWAYS
— esme folklorian (@wonnderIand) March 15, 2021
pic.twitter.com/bMZyZdDMFk
15 Lilly Singh made a statement with her ‘I Stand With Farmers’ mask.
The Indo-Candian artist wore a mask which read ‘I Stand With Farmers’, showing her support towards the Farmers’ Protests in India.
16. Mickey Guyton became the first Black female country artist to perform at the awards when she sang Black Like Me.
She was nominated with Black Like Me for the Grammys’ Country Solo Performance award, becoming the first Black female solo artist to be nominated.
What an eventful evening.
