Written by Sam Cohen
The biggest night in music, with performances by Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish, and Charli XCX, proved performance art is alive and the future of the music industry is bright. A handful of shocking winners and a diverse range of newcomers took home hardware.
Sabrina Carpenter stole the show early on with a medley of “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” with a jazz twist. With theatrical production and Great Gatsby-esuq choreography, she put on one of the night’s best performances.
This year, the Grammys belonged to Kendrick Lamar, whose “Not Like Us” racked up five awards. Winning Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance was no surprise; however, taking home Best Music Video is a testament to K Dot’s artistry. This all happened in the Grammy pre-show–it wasn’t until the end of the main show that Kendrick took home two of the biggest awards of the night.
I hope Drake was not watching the show as Kung Fu Kenny won both Record of The Year and Song Of The Year. The five Grammys put Lamar at a total of 22 all-time Grammy wins, the third most of any male hip-hop artist ever. He and Childish Gambino are the only rappers to win the two awards; don’t be surprised if Kendrick comes back with nominations next year with songs from 2024’s GNX.
Top Dawg Entertainment, the former home and label of Kendrick Lamar, stayed winning as Doechii took home Best Rap Album for her mixtape “Alligator Bites Never Heal.” She became the third woman to win the award and left a message for future women: “I know there’s some black girl; so many black women watching me right now. And I wanna tell you, you can do it. Anything is possible. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you.”
Brat was bound to receive attention after Charli XCX’s extravagant run in 2024. She started the night by winning Best Dance Pop Recording and Best Dance/Electronic Album. Charli capped off the night in the club with “Von Dutch” and “Guess.” The performance quickly turned rave, awoke sleeping viewers struggling to get through the nearly four-hour run time.Â
Before taking home the award for Best New Artist, Chappel Roan turned the stage into the Pink Pony Club, performing a roaring version of her hit song. Chappel’s night wasn’t finished after winning one of the most important awards, as she delivered a speech everyone in the music industry needs to hear.Â
With her four-foot high Midwest Princess crown, Chappel pulled out her journal and brought the crowd to their feet, “Record labels need to treat their artists as valuable employees with a livable wage and health insurance and protection.”
The late great Quincy Jones was remembered with one of the better tributes of recent history. Starting with Elphaba herself, Cynthia Erivo provided a beautiful rendition of “Fly Me To The Moon.” Legends Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock took it from there, performing “Bluesette,” a cut from Jones’ 1975 album Mellow Madness, and a memorable “We Are the World.”
Jones’ time with The Fresh Prince of Bel Air wasn’t forgotten as Will Smith took the mic to provide a sweet story of the music God. Janelle Monáe stole the show, closing with Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” (she even hit a moonwalk).
A day before announcing her 2025 Cowboy Carter tour, Beyoncé added to her all-time Grammy record with multiple wins, including Best Country Album and, most importantly, Album of The Year. Whether you liked Beyoncé’s country twang or not, it’s hard to refuse her legacy as she now has 35 Grammys under her holster.
The internet may still be recovering from Sunday’s results; however, it is never too early to speculate who will make their mark in the 2026 Grammys. Kendrick and Tyler, The Creator will undoubtedly find their way into the Best Rap Album category and maybe even have a shot at a Best Album nomination. With the comeback of The Weekend to the Grammys, “Hurry Up Tomorrow” will likely be decorated in noms.Â
Sunday reminded music fans that the Grammy Awards still have credibility and artists don’t take the night lightly. Performances from Doechii and Chappell delivered an assurance that in a world that darkens every day, music still brings joy and hope.
