Taylor Swift gifts Beyoncé with highest nation album

A surprised expression shot throughout Beyoncé’s face as her newest report, Cowboy Carter, was once named highest nation album on the 67th Grammy Awards.

In a second laced with symbolism, the award was once introduced through Taylor Swift – every other artist who has effectively switched genres – and who’s Beyoncé’s festival for the evening’s major prize, album of the yr.

“Wow, I in point of fact was once now not anticipating this,” mentioned the famous person, thanking “all the fantastic nation artists” who had voted for the prize.

The popularity got here 5 months after Beyoncé was once snubbed on the Nation Track Awards – even after she was the primary black girl to have a primary hit at the Sizzling Nation Songs chart, with Texas Cling ‘Em.

That music may be nominated for Document of the 12 months on the Grammys, the place Beyoncé faces festival from the likes of Sabrina Chippie, Kendrick Lamar and Chappell Roan.

That class additionally options The Beatles, nominated for Now And Then – the monitor they reassembled from an previous John Lennon demo in 2023.

The music has already received highest rock efficiency in an early “premiere rite”, the place the majority of the Grammys’ 94 awards are passed out.

The primary rite, on the Crypto.com enviornment in Los Angeles, is doubling up as a fund-raiser for other people suffering from the ferocious wildfires that swept town remaining month.

The display opened with a unique efficiency through the native band Dawes, whose properties had been destroyed within the inferno, enjoying Randy Newman’s vintage music I Love LA.

Later, Girl Gaga and Bruno Mars delivered a rousing model of California Dreamin’, at first through The Mamas & Papas, devoted to the primary responders who helped take on the fires.

Comic Trevor Noah, who’s web hosting the display, admitted that “only a few weeks in the past, we were not certain that this display would even occur”.

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

Squads of firefighters had been invited to the awards to honour their efforts; and so they walked the crimson carpet taking selfies with the largest stars in track.

Los Angeles local Billie Eilsh was once the second one artist on degree, enjoying her award-nominated music Birds Of A Feather towards a backdrop impressed through California’s herbal attractiveness.

“I like you LA,” she mentioned because the track ended.

Noah later joked that winners whose speeches ran longer than one-and-a-half mins could be compelled to donate $1,000 for each and every further 2d they spoke.

As for the awards, Beyoncé arrived on the rite with probably the most nominations – 11 in general.

She already has extra Grammys than every other artist in historical past, a haul of 32 trophies, however hasn’t ever received the largest prize, album of the yr.

Profitable highest nation album alerts that she’s within the operating for that prize on the 5th time of asking – however the class is stacked with equally-deserving information through Billie Eilish and four-time winner Taylor Swift.

British pop famous person Charli XCX may be within the operating for Brat – which has already received 3 trophies, together with highest dance/pop album.

Sabrina Chippie is every other robust contender, having already received highest pop vocal album for Brief ‘n’ Candy, and highest pop solo efficiency for her flirtatious summer season anthem, Coffee.

Chappell Roan received highest new artist, and used her speech to name for equitable pay and prerequisites within the track business.

“I informed myself, if I ever received a Grammy and I were given to rise up right here in entrance of probably the most tough other people in track, I’d call for that labels and the business profiting thousands and thousands of greenbacks off of artists, would provide a habitable salary and well being care, particularly to growing artists,” she mentioned.

“Labels, we were given you, however do you were given us?”

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

She famous it was once handiest the 3rd time a girl had received the class because it was once offered in 1989, with a shout-out to her predecessors Lauryn Hill and Cardi B.

“There are such a lot of black ladies available in the market which are observing me at this time, and I need to let you know, you’ll do it,” she added.

“Anything else is imaginable. Do not permit anyone to venture any stereotypes on you [or] let you know that you’ll’t be right here, that you are too darkish, or that you are not sensible sufficient, or that you are too dramatic or you might be too loud.

“You might be precisely who you want to be to be proper the place you’re and I’m a sworn statement. Reward God.”