The 2025 GRAMMYs
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards were held last Sunday, February 2nd in Los Angeles. The ceremony was held just weeks after the devastating wildfires that ravaged the greater Los Angeles community. It was evident from the first few minutes of the show that the fires would be a centerpiece of the show, where host Trevor Noah repeatedly encouraged viewers and celebrities in attendance to donate to causes that support the rebuilding of LA. Despite the somber undertones of the show, the Grammys still delivered numerous excellent performances, memorable acceptance speeches, and a beautiful celebration of the music that defined 2024.
The Grammy Red Carpet is notorious for its daring and at times controversial looks; notable examples include Lady Gaga hatching out of an alien egg and Joy Villa’s “Make America Great Again” dress. Last night was no exception; Bianca Censori, wife to the infamous Ye (formerly Kanye West), dropped her black fur jacket to reveal a completely sheer dress exposing her bare physique. This look drew major controversy online, and Ye and Censori left the event shortly after their walk on the Carpet. Newcomer Chapell Roan seemingly took inspiration from medieval French attire and channeled Marie Antoinette in her first-ever Grammy red carpet appearance. Other best-dressed celebs included Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, and Troye Sivan.
Billie Eilish opened the show with a performance of her smash hit “Birds of a Feather.” The performance was visually stunning with a backdrop of LA, and her performance set the tone for a great night of music. My personal favorite performance was Sabrina Carpenter’s who sang a medley of her hits “Espresso” and “Please Please Please.” The performance was complete with funny theatrics and a few costume changes. Other notable performances included Chappell Roan’s rendition of “Pink Pony Club,” the medley of Best New Artist nominees performing their hits, and Charli XCX’s eccentric rendition of her songs “Von Dutch” and “Guess.” The in memoriam performance and multiple other performances were dedicated to the city of LA. These performances brought great emotion and reminded viewers of the message of this year’s Grammys.
As for the awards, the Grammys handed out a majority of their awards at a pre-ceremony show that took place a few hours before the televised broadcast, where only nine awards were left to be handed out. The most memorable awards of the night were Chappell Roan’s win for Best New Artist, Beyoncé’s long overdue win for Album of the Year, and Kendrick Lamar’s wins in both the Record and Song of the Year categories. Some artists such as Chappell Roan and Lady Gaga took time during their acceptance speeches to call for change. Roan pleaded to music executives to protect their small artists and provide them with health insurance, while Gaga showed her support for LGBTQ people across the country who have faced recent attacks on their political identities. By far the most talked about moment of the night was Beyoncé’s win for her first Grammy for Album of the Year. Many believed Beyoncé had been previously snubbed for the award and should have won it for her album Lemonade, released in 2016.
The Grammys always provide viewers with memorable and buzz-worthy moments and this year is no exception. These moments and performances are sure to stir up conversation in the coming days. Despite the solemn tone of the show, viewers were still left with a beautiful celebration of one of the greatest years of music in recent history.