Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters
Taylor Swift made history at the Grammy awards on Sunday, February 4, 2024.
Taylor is the first artiste to win Album of the Year four times, with her latest Grammy for Midnights.
Jon Batiste, boygenius, Miley Cyrus, Lana Del Rey, Janelle Monae, Olivia Rodrigo and SZA were the other nominees in the category.
In her acceptance speech, Taylor gave a shout-out to Jack Antonoff and Lana Del Rey: ‘I get to work with one of my best friends who is not only one of my best friends but also a once-in-a-generation producer. That’s Jack Antonoff. I’m so lucky.
‘But I think so many female artists would not be where they are and would not have the inspiration they have if it weren’t for the work that (Lana has) done. I think she’s a legacy artist, a legend in her prime right now. I’m so lucky to know you and to be your friend.
‘I would love to tell you that this is the best moment in my life. But I feel this happy when I finished a song or when I cracked the code to a bridge that I love or when I’m short listing a music video, or when I’m rehearsing with my dancers or my band or getting ready to go to Tokyo to play a show,’ hinting at the 2024 start of The Eras Tour next week.
‘For me, the award is the work. All I want to do is keep being able to do this. I love it so much. It makes me so happy. It makes me unbelievably blown away that it makes some people happy who voted for this award too. All I want to do is keep doing this. So thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to do what I love so much.’
Taylor also won the Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights winning over Kelly Clarkson’s Chemistry, Miley Cyrus’ Endless Summer Vacation, Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts, Ed Sheeran’s – (Subtract).
With her 13th Grammy win, Swift announced her new album The Tortured Poet’s Department, which will be out on April 19.
Midnights released in October 2022, and marked Swift’s 10th original studio album and spawned massive hits on the Billboard Hot 100 with Anti-Hero, Lavender Haze and Karma, reported People magazine.
Photograph: Mike Blake/ Reuters
Billie Eilish accepts her award for Song of the Year for What Was I Made For? from the film Barbie, from Lionel Richie.
The song also won the Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media.
Before her win, Eilish also performed What Was I Made For?
The pop star fittingly looked like a vintage Barbie doll during her set, wearing a ’60s-inspired green dress and matching jacket, which was embellished in pink to perfectly match the satin pink scarf wrapped in her hair.
With her brother and collaborator Finneas O’Connell, pictured above, on the piano and the accompaniment of several string players, the singer-songwriter gave a powerful performance.
What Was I Made For? is also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It has won the Golden Globe.
Photograph: Mike Blake/ Reuters
Karol G won her first Grammy for Best Musica Urbana Album award for her album Manana Sera Bonito. ‘This is my first time at [the] Grammys, and this is my first time holding my own Grammy,’ she said while accepting the award.
Photograph: Mike Blake/ Reuters
Miley Cyrus won her first Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance for her track Flowers. She triumphed over Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift.
She received the coveted trophy from Mariah Carey.
Cyrus kicked off her speech with a shout-out to Carey.
‘This is just too iconic,’ she said.
She said she was ‘stuck in the rain and traffic’ and worried she was going to ‘miss’ the first award of the night, ‘and I could’ve missed the award, that’s fine, but not Mariah Carey. I just saw you at the Hollywood Bowl, it was everything.
‘I got stuck in my lucky number three seat and so there’s a story I want to tell that sums up this moment and I wasn’t going to tell it, but now Mariah’s here.
‘So there was a little boy that all he wanted for his birthday was a butterfly. And so his parents gave him a butterfly net and he was so excited. He just went outside, out in the sun, and started swinging and swinging. But with no luck. He sat down on the ground, he finally let go and he surrendered and he was okay that he wasn’t gonna capture this beautiful butterfly. And right when he did is when the butterfly came and landed right on the tip of his nose.’
Carey said ‘aw’ in the background as Cyrus recounted the story before adding, ‘This song Flowers is my butterfly. Thank you.’
Flowers is the first single from Cyrus’ album Endless Summer Vacation. After its release, it spent eight weeks at the top of the US Billboard charts and became the most-streamed song in a single week on Spotify.
Miley also won an award for Record of the Year for Flowers.
Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters
Dua Lipa opened the musical night, as she performed her unreleased song Training Season before launching into the lead single, Houdini.
Dua was nominated for Best Song Written for Visual Media and Song of the Year for Dance the Night from Barbie.
Photograph: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters
Victoria Monet, seen here twinning with her daughter as well as her husband, bagged the Best New Artist award as well as the Best R&B album for JAGUAR II.
Photograph: David Swanson/Reuters
Kylie Minogue shows off her award for Best Pop Dance Recording for Padam Padam.
Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters
The Grammys saw controversy too.
Killer Mike, whose real name is Michael Santiago Render, was taken away in handcuffs at the Crypto.com Arena during the Grammys after winning three awards, The New York Post newspaper reported.
He was arrested due to an alleged physical altercation with a security guard at the event, according to law enforcement officials.
Videos posted on X showed Killer Mike being led away in handcuffs, as some people shouted ‘Free Mike’ in the background.
He won Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for his song Scientists & Engineers and Best Rap Album for Michael.
