The 63rd annual Grammy Awards, hosted on March 14, gave their audience a night of entertainment while navigating the challenges of hosting an award show during a pandemic.
Performances this year included Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny, Cardi B, Lil Baby, Billie Eilish, and Megan Thee Stallion. Beyoncé made history as she had earned the 28th Grammy win of her career, breaking the previous record for most Grammy wins by a female artist and most Grammy wins ever by a singer.
“Every artist that won or got nominated for a Grammy should be proud. They have been recognized for making music that has inspired or has positively affected an extreme amount of people,” said Nadine Lahlouh, a junior.
Megan Thee Stallion took the stage and made it hers as she was the first female rapper since 1999 to win the best new artist award. She also won best rap performance and best rap song.
“Megan Thee Stallion gained popularity very fast with her hit song ‘Savage’ in 2020. It’s crazy how quickly she amassed a following, and a year later, she won three Grammys, but it is well deserved,” said Lahlouh.
Lil Baby performed “The Bigger Picture,” his take on the social unrest and Black Lives Matter protests that had gripped America in the months that it came out. He discussed the killing of George Floyd and corrupt police governing the streets. “The Bigger Picture” earned Lil Baby nominations for best rap song and best rap performance.
Lil Baby’s performance featured social justice leader Tamika D. Mallory who stated, “It’s a state of emergency. It’s been a hell of a year. Hell for over 400 years. My people, it’s time we stand, it’s time we demand the freedom that this land promises.”
Despite her young age, Billie Eilish has taken over the music industry accumulating close to 48 million monthly listeners on Spotify. She won the award for record of the year for “Everything I Wanted” and best song written for visual media for “No Time To Die,” bringing her total Grammy wins to seven.
Blue Ivy Carter, Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s daughter, won her first Grammy for best music video for “Brown Skin Girl.”According to CNN, she is the second youngest artist to win a Grammy award at the age of nine.
“It is crazy how young some artists are. There are artists with crazy amounts of talent and being as young as 18 and even younger. Some artists in their mid 20’s have amassed a huge following such as Travis Scott, DaBaby, and Camila Cabello,” said Aman Chetan, a junior.
According to The New York Times, behind the winnings, the Grammys have been battling accusations of bias against women and Black Artists.
The Weeknd declared he is boycotting the awards after his songs, including record-breaking “Blinding Lights,” did not receive any Grammy nominations. However, his boycott caused some backlash.
“We’re all disappointed when anyone is upset. I will say that we are constantly evolving. And this year, as in past years, we are going to take a hard look at how to improve our awards process, including the nomination review committees,” said Harvey Mason Jr., the Interim President of the Recording Academy.
The Weeknd joins the list of Black stars, like Drake, Frank Ocean, and Kanye West, who have all publicly rebuked the Grammys.
“In my opinion, I would say that the Grammys have failed to recognize both women artists and artists of color. I believe that many artists’ gender and race may have to do something with why they haven’t been acknowledged or have won awards,” said Megan Hughes, a junior.
After recent criticism, the Grammys are promising change. They brought more women and people of color into their workforce, included new categories for highlighting women in engineering and production fields, and aimed to amplify Black voices.
“I don’t want to say the Grammys are rigged or anything like that, but it does seem unfair that his songs and some other popular songs from women and Black artists have not been a part of the charts,” Chetan said.
Despite the controversies, the Grammys are still seen as one of the highest awards an artist can earn.
“Everyone who has been nominated or even won a Grammy should be tremendously proud of their music. Despite the criticism behind it, it is an award that many artists should work toward,” Lahlouh said.
