Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar Dominate Grammy Awards Night

Featured & Cover Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar Dominate Grammy Awards Night

Sunday night saw Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar win big at the Grammy Awards, which also served as a fundraiser for wildfire relief efforts in Los Angeles. The event featured memorable performances, impassioned speeches, and striking red carpet looks (leather chaps are back, in case you were wondering).

HIGHLIGHT: Beyoncé wins album of the year—at last

On her eighth solo record, Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé addressed the Grammys’ reluctance to grant her Album of the Year. “AOTY, I ain’t win,” she sang. “Take that s— on the chin.” Now, she has won, making history in the process.

Her victory was long overdue. In 2017, Adele admitted Beyoncé’s Lemonade deserved the award over 25, and eyebrows were raised again in 2023 when Renaissance lost to Harry’s House. Ultimately, Beyoncé secured her win by tackling a genre Grammy voters could grasp—country.

But that doesn’t diminish her achievement. Cowboy Carter is a masterpiece that threads multiple genres into a thesis on America’s cultural past and the futility of racial gatekeeping in music. As part of a planned trilogy, this likely won’t be Beyoncé’s last Grammy triumph.

HIGHLIGHT: Sabrina Carpenter’s staged ‘malfunction’

Sabrina Carpenter, who has been on the brink of superstardom for years, took the Grammy stage in dazzling fashion—literally. She appeared in a razzle-dazzle showgirl outfit, missed her spotlight, dropped her cane, and fell through a trap door—only for it to all be an elaborate joke.

She bounced back into a big band version of Espresso, complete with a tap routine, before changing into a crystal-studded bodysuit for Please, Please, Please. As her set collapsed around her, she laughed it off, perfectly executing a vaudeville-style performance that left the audience entertained.

Host Trevor Noah quipped, “That was amazing and funny, which I didn’t appreciate. Really, Sabrina? You’re just gonna take my job like that?”

LOWLIGHT: The Weeknd ends his Grammys boycott

In 2020, The Weeknd was snubbed despite Blinding Lights becoming the most-streamed song ever. Calling the Grammys “corrupt,” he refused to submit his music for years.

So it was a surprise when he appeared unannounced at Sunday’s ceremony. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. acknowledged his past criticisms, highlighting efforts to diversify Grammy voters.

The Weeknd then performed two new songs, Cry For Me and Timeless, but the performance felt oddly joyless. Constantly shrouded in smoke, his return seemed more like sabotage than celebration.

HIGHLIGHT: Chappell Roan rides a big pink pony

BBC Sound of 2025 winner Chappell Roan delivered a theatrical performance of Pink Pony Club, a love letter to LA and queer discovery. Dressed in a sequined cowboy hat and boots, she rode a giant pink carousel pony alongside rodeo clown dancers.

Host Trevor Noah joked, “‘My Little Pony’ grew up!”

Later, Roan used her Best New Artist speech to call for record labels to provide artists with livable wages and healthcare. It was a breakout night for the 26-year-old.

LOWLIGHT: Kanye West and Bianca Censori’s nude stunt

Kanye West arrived on the red carpet in black, while his wife Bianca Censori wore a sheer body stocking that left little to the imagination.

After posing for cameras, the couple left abruptly, leading to speculation that they had been kicked out. However, sources later confirmed they departed on their own accord—likely before West lost the Best Rap Song award to Kendrick Lamar.

West, who already has 24 Grammys, may not have won, but he certainly got the headlines he wanted.

HIGHLIGHT: Charli XCX’s ‘Brat Green’ wins Best Artwork

Among Charli XCX’s three wins was Best Artwork for Brat. At first glance, the album cover—a plain green square with low-resolution Arial text—seems unremarkable.

However, designer Brent David Freaney spent five months perfecting the garish, nausea-inducing shade. Charli aimed to challenge the industry’s expectations of female artists, rejecting provocative album covers in favor of something intentionally off-putting.

She explained, “Why should anyone have ownership over female artists? I wanted to provoke people.”

Later, her Von Dutch performance transformed the ceremony into a sweaty underground rave, complete with a champagne toss, Julia Fox, and dancers showered in underwear (which was later donated to domestic violence survivors).

HIGHLIGHT: Kendrick Lamar’s clean sweep

The Grammys have had a complicated history with hip-hop. They didn’t introduce a rap category until 1989, and no rap album has won Album of the Year since OutKast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below in 2004.

That changed when Kendrick Lamar dominated the night, winning all five of his nominated categories—including Record and Song of the Year for Not Like Us, a scathing diss track aimed at Drake.

Dressed in denim, Lamar delivered a powerful message: “At the end of the day, nothing is more powerful than rap music. I don’t care what it is. We are the culture… respect the art form.”

HIGHLIGHT: Janelle Monáe’s moonwalk tribute to Quincy Jones

The Grammys honored the late Quincy Jones with a star-studded tribute.

Cynthia Erivo and Herbie Hancock performed Fly Me to the Moon, while Stevie Wonder led We Are the World with choirs from fire-affected schools.

But it was Janelle Monáe’s electrifying performance of Michael Jackson’s Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough that stole the show. Dressed in MJ’s Billie Jean outfit, she moonwalked across the stage, danced on tables, and threw off her jacket to reveal a shirt reading “I Love QJ.”

Taylor Swift caught the shirt—and wore it for the rest of the night.

LOWLIGHT: Snubs for Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift

Even with 94 categories, some artists inevitably go home empty-handed. But few expected Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift to be among them.

Swift, despite six nominations, won nothing—Grammy voters seemingly deciding The Tortured Poets Department didn’t match the caliber of her past Album of the Year wins.

Eilish, the bookmakers’ favorite for Album of the Year with Hit Me Hard And Soft, lost all seven categories she was nominated for.

However, Swift has credited previous losses for inspiring her biggest work (1989), so this may not be a setback—it could be a setup for her next era.

Trevor Noah’s easy-going hosting

Trevor Noah continues to strike the right balance as Grammy host—relaxed, engaged, and never mean-spirited. Some of his best jokes included:

  • “Yesterday, Beyoncé announced her new tour. I will say, though—Beyoncé, there are tariffs. We can’t afford a new tour, right? Maple syrup is about to be $50.”
  • “Taylor Swift could become the first artist ever to win Album of the Year five times. That means she would break the record of four, set all the way back in 2024 by… Taylor Swift.”
  • “The Beatles are nominated tonight for Record of the Year thanks to AI. So good luck to them! If they win, this could open up a few doors for them.”
  • “And who knows, through the power of AI, we could even get another Rihanna album.”

Final Thoughts

From Beyoncé’s long-overdue win to Kendrick Lamar’s historic sweep, the 2025 Grammys delivered major moments. With standout performances from Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Janelle Monáe, and a few eyebrow-raising snubs, the night was a mix of celebrations, surprises, and controversy.

And if nothing else, at least we got some GIF-worthy reactions along the way.

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