Billie Eilish and perennial powerhouse Taylor Swift took home the top Awards at the 2021 Grammys, in a pandemic stunted year where women reigned musically.
Beyoncé also made history after winning four prizes at the socially-distanced ceremony in Los Angeles, largely held outside LA’s Convention Center.
The R&B singer now has won 28 awards, making her the most honored woman in awards history. Alison Krauss is next with 27 wins.
Eilish was stylishly modest winning Record of the Year for “Everything I Wanted.” She would have voted for Megan Thee Stallion’s song “Savage.”
But Megan won accolades of her own. She won Best New Artist, and “Savage” won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song. Beyonce collaborated on the tune.
It wouldn’t be The Grammys without Swift, just like it would be Academy Awards without Meryl Streep.
She became the first woman to win Album of the Year three times after accepting the honor for Folklore. But she was shut out of five other awards for which she was nominated.
The artist H.E.R. was a surprise winner of Song of the Year for “I Can’t Breathe.” Other nominees were Beyoncé, Swift, Eilish and Dua Lipa, who won Best Pop Vocal Album for Future Nostalgia.
“I Can’t Breathe,” was an anthem for Black Lives Matter.
“We wrote this song over FaceTime,” H.E.R. said. “I didn’t imagine that my fear and that my pain would turn into impact, and that it would possibly turn into change.”
Lil Baby performed his song “The Bigger Picture” which portrays a showdown with riot police, Tamika Mallory, gave a speech during the performance.
“President Biden, we demand justice,” she said.
Rapper DaBaby sang “Rockstar,” another protest anthem, while conducting a choir of older white singers who danced along.
Eilsh who accepted the award from rock icon Ringo Starr was all humble pie.
“I’m embarrassed. Megan, girl, I was going to write a speech about how you deserves this, but then I was like, ‘There’s no way they’re going to choose me. You deserve this,” she said.
But she didn’t stop there. “This is really embarrassing for me. I was like, ‘It’s hers’. You deserve this,” she continued.
“You had a year I think was untoppable, you are a queen, I want to cry thinking about how much I love you.”
Beyoncé piled up awards for Best R&B Performance for “Black Parade,” and Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for collaboration on “Savage.”
Beyoncé also won Best Music Video for “Brown Skin Girl.”
Harry Styles, who is segueing into acting and dating actress Olivia Wilde, still showed his musical chops. His song “Watermelon Sugar” won for Best Pop Vocal Performance.
He opened the show with a shirtless rendition of “Fine Line” while other performers included Taylor, Billie, DaBaby and Dua Lipa.
Megan and Cardi B were widely credited for stealing the show with a raunchy performance of their controversial single ‘WAP’, which had many of its lyrics bleeped out, and BTS recreated the entire Grammy Awards set for their performance of ‘Dynamite’, which was filmed in Seoul, South Korea.
Trevor Noah hosted the socially-distanced event.
Check out the winners of the major Grammy Awards 2021.
Record of the Year
“Everything I Wanted” — Billie Eilish
Song of the Year:
“I Can’t Breathe” — Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. & Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)
Album of the Year:
Folklore — Taylor Swift
Best New Artist:
Megan Thee Stallion
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Rain On Me” — Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande
Best Pop Vocal Album:
Future Nostalgia — Dua Lipa
Best Pop Solo Performance:
“Watermelon Sugar”— Harry Styles
Best Rock Album:
The New Abnormal — The Strokes
Best R&B Performance:
Black Parade — Beyoncé
Best R&B Album:
Bigger Love — John Legend
Best Rap Song:
“Savage” — Beyoncé, Shawn Carter, Brittany Hazzard, Derrick Milano, Terius Nash, Megan Pete, Bobby Session Jr., Jordan Kyle Lanier Thorpe & Anthony White, Songwriters (Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé)
Best Rap Album:
“King’s Disease” — Nas
Best Rap Performance:
“Savage” — Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé
Best Country Album:
Wildcard — Miranda Lambert
Best Rock Performance
Fiona Apple— “Shameika
Best Alternative Album
Fetch the Bolt Cutters — Fiona Apple