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The critically acclaimed Grammy Awards have come and gone, and it was definitely a night for the history books.
The Grammy Awards always make for some of pop culture's most defining moments that set the tone of trends and even fashion.
At this point, we’ve already seen actor Jennifer Lopez try to trend over and over again with her see-through Versace green dress she wore to the 2000 Grammys, Lady Gaga arriving as an egg at the 2011 edition of the award show, Black Coffee and Zakes Bantwini, respectively brought home their own Grammy Awards, and we’ve even seen records being broken by artists, such as Beyoncé and Michael Jackson.
READ: Zakes Bantwini puts SA on top with Grammy
The 65th edition of the award show was held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 5 and definitely had a lot to offer. With so many standout moments, this year’s Grammy’s were unforgettable.
A queer affair
Singer Kim Petras, who has been in the industry for over a decade, finally got her chance to shine.
This year, she took home the best pop duo/group performance award with fellow non-binary musician Sam Smith for their hit song Unholy, making her the first transgender woman to win the award.
She took to the stage and made an emotional speech, thanking fellow trans creatives for paving the way for her. She even thanked the late electronic singer, Sophie, for her contributions to music. Sophie tragically passed away in 2021, after accidentally falling off a rooftop in Athens.
“I adore you and your inspiration will forever be in my music,” she said as she broke down in tears. Her Grammy win has opened the doors for many transgender artists who will come after her and proves that anything is possible.
Beyoncé breaks the record for Grammy wins
I’m pretty sure Beyoncé doesn’t have any more space in her trophy cabinet considering how many awards she bags across award academies.
In true Beyoncé fashion, the singer would once again make history after winning four Grammy awards at this year’s ceremony. Her awards included best dance recording, best R&B song, best traditional R&B performance and best dance/electronic album for her album Renaissance. This brought the Cuff It singer's Grammy total to a whopping 32 wins, making her the Grammy’s most decorated artist.
Trevor Noah tanked
When we heard that Trevor Noah would be taking on the role of a lifetime as the Daily Show’s host in 2015, we were more than happy for him to wave our flag high. Over the years, we have also watched the comedian break barriers and bring South Africa to the world.
READ: Mome on black love and wellness
This year, he took to the Grammy stage as the host for the third time and absolutely gave us nothing. As if the countless dad jokes weren’t enough, Noah also seemed equipped with an arsenal of cringe moments, one of which has been trending online.
Noah commented on singer Harry Styles being the sex symbol of the Grammys, which clearly rubbed fellow muso Lizzo the wrong way, as the camera would catch her eyes rolling at just the right moment. Fortunately, we can’t help but love Noah, so hopefully, they give him a chance to redeem himself next year.
Harry’s House won what?
Harry Styles was the big winner of the night as he took home the album of the year award for his album Harry’s House. I love Harry Styles’ song As it Was as much as the next person, and I think that Harry’s House was a perfect embodiment of where pop is in 2023; however, rumours of a potential snub are beginning to circulate the internet.
The list of artists within the category included Beyoncé for her album Renaissance, 30 by Hello hitmaker Adele and even an iconic blast from the past, with a nomination for the group ABBA for their album Voyage.
Styles gave every nominee in the category with him their flowers, stating that he listens to every nominee alone. However, I think the funky dresses and bright colours he wears may have temporarily affected our hearing as the album is a gleaming example of how low the standard is for white men.
Lizzo wins big
Lizzo finally made it to the mainstream and set her sights right at the top. The artist won the record of the year at this year’s Grammy’s for her song About Damn Time.
Lizzo rose to fame with her song Truth Hurts, which went viral on the popular app TikTok. She then released a myriad of songs within the last seven years and perfectly executed every live performance with her trusted flute in hand. And, as if that wasn’t enough, Lizzo also became a body positivist icon just for being her fabulous self.
This win marked her fourth Grammy win and during her acceptance speech, the Good as Hell hitmaker gave Beyoncé a huge shout out saying:
“In the fifth grade, I skipped school to see you perform,” she comically said to Beyoncé, she then told the crowd about her sister who got her out of literature class to make that dream happen, and how a gospel medley by Beyoncé became the catalyst for the rest of her successful career.
