Beyoncé lastly wins finest album Grammy: ‘It has been a few years’

Correcting what was broadly seen as an historic flawed, Beyoncé gained finest album on the 67th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

The star was recognised for her eighth album, Cowboy Carter, which celebrates and contextualises the black roots of nation music. She had beforehand been handed over for the ceremony’s principal prize on 4 separate events.

As her identify was learn out, Beyoncé hugged her daughter Blue Ivy, then her husband Jay-Z, earlier than strolling to the stage in a gold paisley costume to just accept the trophy.

“I simply really feel very full and really honoured,” she stated. “It has been many, a few years.”

The singer devoted her award to Linda Martell, one of many pioneers for black musicians in nation music and the primary black lady to carry out solo on the Grand Ole Opry (Ms Martell options on a number of of Cowboy Carter’s songs).

“I hope we simply preserve pushing ahead [and] opening doorways,” Beyoncé continued. “God bless y’all. Thanks a lot.”

The star’s victory comes 25 years after her first Grammy nomination, as a part of the R&B group Future’s Youngster.

She went on to turn into the most-awarded artist in Grammys historical past, with a haul of 35 trophies – however the principle prize eluded her till Sunday night time.

In the long run, it took a swap of style to earn the Texas-born musician a win.

Specializing in nation and Americana, Cowboy Carter is the second a part of a trilogy of albums that interrogates American musical traditions and uncovers the usually unheralded contributions made by black artists.

Notably, it makes Beyoncé the primary black lady to win album of the yr since 1999, when Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill took the title.

Earlier within the night, Cowboy Carter additionally gained the Grammy for finest nation album – to Beyoncé’s evident shock.

A surprised expression shot throughout the 43-year-old’s face as her identify was learn out.

In a second laced with symbolism, that announcement got here from Taylor Swift – one other artist who efficiently switched genres, and who beforehand beat Beyoncé to the album of the yr prize in 2010.

“Wow, I actually was not anticipating this,” stated Beyoncé in her acceptance speech, thanking “all the unimaginable nation artists” who had voted for the prize.

The popularity got here 5 months after she was snubbed on the Nation Music Awards – even after she turned the primary black lady to have a primary hit on the Scorching Nation Songs chart, with Texas Maintain ‘Em.

That tune was additionally nominated for file of the yr on the Grammys, however misplaced to Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us.

The rap hit, which was the knock-out blow in Lamar’s long-running rap battle with Drake, scooped all 5 of the awards it was nominated for, together with tune of the yr, finest rap tune and finest music video.

It was solely the second hip-hop tune win file of the yr (following Infantile Gambino’s This Is America in 2019) however Lamar performed the achievement down, focusing as an alternative on his hometown of Los Angeles, which was not too long ago ravaged by wildfires.

“We’re gonna dedicate this one to the town,” he stated.

“Compton, Lengthy Seaside Inglewood, Hollywood, out to the valley… That is my neck of the woods that held me down since a younger pup.”

The influence of the wildfires was the principle theme of the ceremony, which doubled up as a fund-raiser, elevating greater than $7 million (£5.7 million) for these affected.

Comic Trevor Noah, who hosted the ceremony, admitted that “only a few weeks in the past, we weren’t positive that this present would even occur”.

“Fortunately, as a result of heroic efforts of firefighters, the fires have now been contained, and regardless of all of the devastation, the spirit of the town has emerged,” he added, to beneficiant applause.

Squads of firefighters had been invited to the awards to honour their efforts; they usually walked the crimson carpet taking selfies with the most important stars in music.

The present opened with a particular efficiency by the native band Dawes, whose houses had been destroyed within the inferno, enjoying Randy Newman’s traditional tune I Love LA.

Los Angeles native Billie Eilsh was the second artist on stage, and performed her award-nominated tune Birds Of A Feather in opposition to a backdrop impressed by California’s pure magnificence.

“I like you LA,” she stated because the music ended.

Later, Girl Gaga and Bruno Mars delivered a rousing model of California Dreamin’, initially by The Mamas & Papas, devoted to the primary responders who helped sort out the fires.

Noah additionally joked that winners whose speeches ran longer than one-and-a-half minutes could be compelled to donate $1,000 for each further second they spoke.

Elsewhere, British pop star Charli XCX took dwelling three prizes for her intoxicating membership opus Brat – together with finest dance/pop album.

And the Beatles took dwelling the prize for finest rock efficiency, a mere 55 years after they break up up.

Their award recognised Now And Then, a tune assembled from a demo by the late John Lennon, which was made attainable by machine studying, a type of Synthetic Intelligence.

Chappell Roan gained finest new artist, and used her speech to name for equitable pay and situations within the music business.

“I informed myself, if I ever gained a Grammy and I obtained to face up right here in entrance of essentially the most highly effective folks in music, I might demand that labels and the business profiting hundreds of thousands of {dollars} off of artists, would supply a habitable wage and well being care, particularly to growing artists,” she stated.

“Labels, we obtained you, however do you bought us?”

In the meantime, Girl Gaga was considered one of many artists to face up for the LGBTQ+ group, after President Trump issued govt orders that banned range, fairness and inclusion within the authorities, in addition to one which recognised two sexes, female and male.

“I simply wish to say tonight that trans persons are not invisible,” she stated, accepting the award for finest pop duo/group efficiency with Bruno Mars, for his or her duet Die With A Smile.

“Trans folks deserve love, the queer group deserves to be lifted up. Music is love. Thanks.”

The primary prize of the principle ceremony was finest rap album, which went to Florida-born rapper Doechii, for her mixtape Alligator Bites By no means Heal.

She famous it was solely the third time a girl had gained the class because it was launched in 1989, with a shout-out to her predecessors Lauryn Hill and Cardi B.

“There are such a lot of black ladies on the market which can be watching me proper now, and I wish to inform you, you are able to do it,” she added.

“Something is feasible. Do not enable anyone to undertaking any stereotypes on you [or] inform you that you would be able to’t be right here, that you simply’re too darkish, or that you simply’re not good sufficient, or that you simply’re too dramatic otherwise you’re too loud.

“You’re precisely who it’s good to be to be proper the place you might be and I’m an affidavit. Reward God.”

And, in a robust yr for feminine artists, newcomer Sabrina Carpenter gained two awards: Finest pop solo efficiency for her caffeinated summer season anthem, Espresso, and finest pop album for Quick n’ Candy.

Nonetheless, a robust subject for feminine pop artists meant that each Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish went dwelling empty-handed, regardless of having 13 nominations between them.

Additional performances got here from Charli XCX, Teddy Swims, Chappell Roan, Benson Boone and Shakira; whereas Alicia Keys picked up a lifetime achievement award.

The present additionally featured a prolonged tribute to Quincy Jones, who died final yr on the age of 91, after producing a number of the most iconic tunes in pop historical past for artists together with Frank Sinatra, Dizzie Gillespie, Michael Jackson and Chaka Khan.

The section was launched by Will Smith, making his first look at a televised awards ceremony since since he slapped Chris Rock onstage on the Oscars in 2022.

The musician stated he owed his profession to Jones, who solid him within the Nineties sitcom Contemporary Prince of Bel Air, and known as him “one of the crucial groundbreaking and influential figures of our instances”.

He then launched Depraved star Cynthia Erivo and pianist Herbie Hancock, who carried out Jones’s association of Fly Me To The Moon.

The tribute continued with Stevie Marvel performing We Are The World, and Janelle Monaé delivering a pitch-perfect model of Michael Jackson’s Do not Cease ‘Til You Get Sufficient, in a duplicate of the star’s glittery tuxedo and silver crystal ankle socks.