Taylor Swift made history as she earned her fourth Album Of The Year after making the shock announcement that she will be releasing a new album on a night where Miley Cyrus also won big including her first ever win at the Grammy Awards 2024.
The 34-year-old hitmaker was presented the top honor at the end of the night for her album Midnights in a surprise appearance by music icon Celine Dion at the star-studded event which took place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday evening.
She beat out an impressive field including: Boygenius – The Record, Janelle Monáe – The Age of Pleasure, Jon Batiste – World Music Radio, Lana Del Rey – Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,Miley Cyrus – Endless Summer Vacation, Olivia Rodrigo – Guts, and SZA – SOS.
The big win made her the first person to ever win the top prize four times as she was previously tied with Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, and Paul Simon for the record.
Taylor thanked her friends and many collaborators during her acceptance speech but one notable name which was missing was boyfriend Travis Kelce who will be playing in the Super Bowl next week.
She said: ‘I want to say. I get to work with one of my best friends who is not only one of my best friends, but also a once in a generation producer that’s Jack Antonoff. I’m so lucky. And my engineer, I want to say thank you to Sam Dew, sound wave.’
Taylor had pal Lana Del Rey join her on stage as she was also nominated in the top category and is also a collaborator with Jack Antonoff and made sure to praise the artist during her speech.
The A-lister continued: ‘ Lana Del Rey who is hiding, but I think so many female artists would not be where they are or have the inspiration without the work she has done. She is a legacy artist, a legend in her prime right now. I’m so lucky to know you went to be your friend.’
The star concluded her triumphant speech by expressing her love of music from the recording studio, to performing concerts around the world, and even earning major awards.
Taylor said: ‘ I would love to tell you that this is the best moment in my life, but I feel this happy when I finish a song or when I cracked the code to a bridge that I love, or when I am short-listing a music video, or when I am rehearsing with my dancers or my band or getting ready to go to Tokyo to play a show.
‘For me, the award is the work. All I want to do is keep being able to do this. I love it so much. It makes me so happy. It makes me unbelievably blown away that it makes some people happy who voted for this award too. All they want to do is keep doing this. So thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to do what I% love so much! Mind blown! Thank you so much!’
An hour-and-a-half before that the A-lister earned her milestone 13th Grammy Award on Sunday evening as she dropped a huge secret that she has been keeping from her Swifties for two years.
Taylor earned the coveted Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights when she revealed some shocking news.
She beat out heavy competition including: Ed Sheeran – – (Subtract)., Kelly Clarkson – Chemistry, Miley Cyrus – Endless Summer Vacation, and Olivia Rodrigo – Guts.
During her acceptance speech she said: ‘Okay, this is my 13th Grammy. [Cheers and applause] Which is my lucky number. I don’t know if I’ve ever told you that.
‘I want to say thank you to the members of the Recording Academy for voting this way, but I know that the way that the Recording Academy voted is a direct reflection of the passion of the fans. ‘
It was then where she dropped the secret news that she had been working on her secret 11th studio album.
She sent her fans into chaos as she said: ‘So I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I have been keeping from you for the last two years, which is that my brand-new album comes out April 19th it’s called The Tortured Poets Department.
‘I’m going to go and post the cover right now backstage. Thank you, I love you! Thank you!’
Miley Cyrus was one of the biggest winners of the night as she earned the coveted Record Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for her hit track Flowers.
The 31-year-old’s shining moment came toward the end of the night as she beat out an impressive field for Record Of The Year including: Billie Eilish – What Was I Made For? [From the Motion Picture “Barbie”], Boygenius – Not Strong Enough, Jon Batiste – Worship Olivia Rodrigo – Vampire, SZA – Kill Bill, Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero, and Victoria Monét – On My Mama.
During her acceptance speech she said: ‘All right. Thank you all so much. This award is amazing. But I really hope that it does not change anything. Because my life was beautiful yesterday. Not everyone in the world will get a Grammy, but everyone in this world a spectacular, so please don’t think that this is important.
‘Even though it’s very important, right, guys? We are very excited. I want to thank everyone who is standing on the stage. Tom, Tyler, Michael, Greg. Our teams, crush, Columbia.’
She went on to thank many people but notable omissions included dad Billy Ray Cyrus, sister Noah Cyrus, and brother Trace Cyrus.
Miley said: My mommy, my sister, my love. My main gaze, because look how good I look. Your wife, your fiance, all the people that we love. Thank you all so much.’
She then ended her grateful acceptance speech with a joke as she said: ‘I don’t think I forgot anyone, but I might have forgotten underwear. Bye.’
Earlier in the night Miley shocked as she beat out Taylor Swift to earn the first Grammy Award of the night which also happened to be her first ever win on music’s biggest night.
The Wrecking Ball singer triumphed in the Best Pop Solo Performance category for her hit track Flowers which was announced by fellow music megastar Mariah Carey.
She beat out the aforementioned Taylor who was nominated for Anti-Hero along with Billie Eilish – What Was I Made For? [From the Motion Picture “Barbie”], Doja Cat – Paint the Town Red, and Olivia Rodrigo – Vampire.
Miley not only was in disbelief that she had won but was also presented the award by Mariah as she said: ‘This MC is going to stand by this emcee, because this is just too iconic. Oh, my god, I just got stuck in the rain and traffic and thought I was going to miss this moment and I could have missed the award, that’s fine, but not to Mariah Carey!
‘I just saw you at the Hollywood Bowl and it was everything. I got sat in my lucky number 3 seat, so there is a story you want to tell that sums up this moment and I was not going to tell it, but now Mariah is here. ‘
Miley went on to tell a sweet story about a little boy capturing a butterfly and how that relates to her.
One of the biggest awards of the night – Song Of The Year- went to Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas for What Was I Made For? which was featured on the soundtrack for top grossing film of 2023 Barbie.
Billie, 22, and her 26-year-old brother beat out quite the field including: Dua Lipa – Dance the Night (also from Barbie the Album), Jon Batiste – Butterfly, Lana Del Rey – A&W, Miley Cyrus – Flowers, Olivia Rodrigo – Vampire, SZA – Kill Bill, and Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero.
The hitmaker took to the podium to accept the honor as she recognized her fellow nominees by beginning her speech saying: ‘No, what? Oh, my god. No, whoops, yikes. Damn, that stupid, guys. I was looking at everyone’s faces and I leaned over and I was like not a chance! I just want to say everyone in this category, like — that was a crazy list of incredible people, incredible artists, incredible music!
‘I feel crazy right now. Damn, dude. I am shocked out of my balls. Thank you to the members of the Recording Academy. Thank you to my brother who is my best friend in the world and makes me the person I am today.’
She finished her speech by talking about what an honor it was to be part of the film which earned 1.4billion in the box office.
Billie said: ‘Thank you to go to Greta Gerwig for making the best movie of the year. Thank you for Paul walker for having meeting where he said we should have a song on the soundtrack and he was like do you want to be on the Barbie soundtrack.
‘We are so lucky. We continue to be deeply, led deeply privileged lucky people. It’s hard to feel deserving ever, but we definitely don’t right now. We are very humble and grateful.’
She concluded her speech: ‘So there was a little boy that all he wanted for his birthday was a butterfly and so his parents gave him a butterfly net, and he was so excited. He went out in the sun and started swinging and swinging, but with no luck he sat down on the ground, he finally let go and he surrendered and he was okay that he was not going to capture this beautiful.
‘And right when he did is when the butterfly came and landed right on the tip of his nose. And this song Flowers is my butterfly. Thank you.’
SZA was the most nominated artist coming into the event with nine as she even earned two prior to the gala airing but she hit the stage first when she took home Best R&B Song bringing her total to three.
The 34-year-old hitmaker – born Solána Imani Rowe – was presented the honor by controversial singer Lizzo as she showed up a little late to accept the honor but did recognize their longtime friendship.
She said: ‘I’m sorry. I’m out of breath, because I was changing, and then I took a shot and I ran here. But Lizzo and I have been friends since 2013, when we were both on a tiny tour together opening up in small rooms for like 100 people. And to be on the stage with her is so amazing. I’m so grateful. I would like to thank my parents, my mom and my dad. God, all of TDE, and my siblings at TDE.
‘To my godparents, to my niece! I’m sorry! I’m just really overwhelmed. You don’t really understand, I came really, really far and I can’t believe this is happening. Hi, Taylor. I’m just very grateful. And I am not an attractive Have a good evening!’
The star – who also earned Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical – finished off her speech by thanking her fellow nominees.
Victoria said: ‘I would like to thank all of the other nominees in the category, because best is subjective. We voted for it. I think we are all the best. When you look at what best means introspectively, I would like to say that that is what ranks true. Let me just make a song. That’s what rings true. And we are all the best versions of ourselves tonight. Thank you to the recording academy and every collaborator. Thank you deb, thank you, Thank you. If I know you, thank you. ‘
The top honor in country went to Lainey Wilson who took home Best Country Album for Bell Bottom Country.
The 31-year-old hitmaker beat an impressive field including: Brothers Osborne – Brothers Osborne, Kelsea Ballerini – Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, Tyler Childers – Rustin’ in the Rain, and Zach Bryan – Zach Bryan.
She was presented the honor by fellow country star Kacey Musgraves as her acceptance speech began: ‘This is absolutely wild, y’all. This is my very first Grammys. Thank you so much to my collaborators, Jay Joyce, Jason, the cowriters, the musicians. Anyone who had anything to do with this record, it has truly changed my life.
‘I am from a farming community in northeast Louisiana. A little town of 200 people, and I am a fifth-generation farmer’s daughter, and I would consider myself a farmer too. And everyone I surround myself with, I think they are farmers too, but they are storied farmers. It’s about getting up every single day and planting those seeds and watering them and watching them grow. And sometimes when you find the right farming community, you can have a harvest of a lifetime. And I truly believe that. And I think that’s exactly what this is tonight. God bless every single one of y’all. Thank you Jesus thank you to the recording community, and thank you to my fans. I love y’all so much.’
The second award of the evening was given to Karol G in the Best Música Urbana Album category for Mañana Será Bonito.
The 32-year-old Columbian hitmaker beat out Rauw Alejandro – Saturno and Tainy – Data.
During her acceptance speech she said: ‘Hi, everybody! My name is Karol G! And I am from Colombia! And this is my first time at Grammys, and my first time holding my own Grammy. I’m super happy. I’m super nervous.
‘I’m super excited to be in front of so many legends that I admire and respect. And this is such a beautiful thing. My album has given me the best memories in my own life, my whole life. My fans that came and enjoyed my album, they are the motivation and inspiration and are here with me. Thank you so much. I promise you to give me you my best always. So thank you so much es Latina! ‘
One of the more heartwarming moments on the night came when Celine Dion made a shock appearance amid her battle with incurable stiff-person syndrome.
The star, 55, who has stepped away from her singing career in light of her health woes, was visibly emotional as she walked onstage with the support of eldest son Rene-Charles Angelil, 23, to cheers and a standing ovation and to present Album of the Year.
She said: ‘Thank you, all! I love you right back. You look beautiful. When I say I’m happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart.
‘Those who have been blessed enough to be here at the Grammy Awards must never take for granted the tremendous love and joy that music brings to our lives and to people all around the world.
‘And now it gives me great joy to present a Grammy Award that two legends Diana Ross and Sting presented to me 27 years ago. These are the outstanding nominees for album of the year.’
Celine then announced Swift’s acclaimed album Midnights had won the award – making Grammy history as she won the award for the fourth time.
Celine looked incredible in a terracotta coat, chiffon dress and glittering jewelry as she was helped onto stage.
Jay-Z used his acceptance speech at the Grammy Awards to condemn the academy for failing to give his wife Beyonce the best album award, despite her 32 wins in other categories.
The Brooklyn-born rapper was honored with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award for his contribution to the music industry.
With his 12-year-old daughter Blue Ivy standing on stage beside him, and wife Beyonce looking on from their table in the audience, dressed in just-off-the-catwalk Louis Vuitton by Pharrell Williams, Jay-Z spoke about the importance of dreams, drive and ambition.
He said that there were more important things in life than winning Grammys, noting they were subjective – and pointing out his superstar wife had never won best album.
‘I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won Album of the Year,’ Jay-Z said. ‘So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that. The most Grammys; never won Album of the Year. That doesn’t work.’
The camera cut to Beyonce, looking slightly apprehensive in the audience.
Jay-Z has been nominated for 88 competitive Grammy Awards, winning 24 of them. Six of his nominations have been for Album of the Year.
Beyonce has also been nominated for 88 competitive Grammy Awards, winning 32 of them.
