Taylor Swift’s record, the Céline Dion surprise, the Jay-Z controversy… What to remember from the 2024 Grammy Awards

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Taylor Swift is indeed the queen of pop. After a record year thanks to her phenomenal tour, the 33-year-old singer triumphed on the stage of the Crypto Arena, in Los Angeles, during the 66th edition of the Grammy Awards, Sunday February 4. She received the prestigious album of the year award from Celine Dion for the fourth time in her career.

Taylor Swift is the symbol of a year where female artists were largely rewarded, like popstars Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish or R&B singer SZA. Men, too, have been talked about, but not necessarily for good reasons, like rappers Jay-Z and Killer Mike. Franceinfo summarizes what you need to remember from the evening of the American music awards.

Taylor Swift makes history

The American artist became the first, both men and women, to win a fourth time the album of the year award, for Midnights. She thus enters the pantheon of the ceremony as the artist most awarded for her albums, ahead of Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon. “I would like to tell you that this is the best moment of my life, but I also feel happy when I finish a song, she declared. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to do what I love so much! I’m blown away!”

Also awarded the Grammy for best pop album, Taylor Swift took advantage of the evening to pull off a big marketing coup by announcing the release of a new album on April 19: The Tortured Poets Department. She confirms her status as queen of pop, after being chosen as personality of the year 2023 by the magazine Time. His tour, Eras Tour, was a phenomenal success. She generated more than a billion dollars in revenue in 60 dates last year, an amount never seen before in music history.

Celine Dion makes a surprise visit

Diminished by a rare neurological pathology, stiff person syndrome, Céline Dion made a brief surprise appearance to present the most prestigious award of the evening to Taylor Swift. “When I say I’m happy to be here, I really mean it, with all my heart”she said. “Those who were fortunate enough to attend the Grammy Awards should never take for granted the immense love and joy that music brings to our lives and to people around the world”continued the one who received a long standing ovation upon her arrival on stage.

The Quebec star, sixteen times nominated for a Grammy (five wins), has not been on stage since a concert in Newark, a suburb of New York, in March 2020. In the spring of 2023, she had canceled all her concerts planned until in April 2024. A few days ago, Amazon Prime Video announced the upcoming release of a documentary on the 55-year-old singer, I Am: Celine Dionin which she wants “to raise awareness” about his illness.

Jay-Z causes slight discomfort

Sean Carter, aka Jay-Z, did not humiliate Taylor Swift like Kanye West during the MTV Video Music Awards in 2009, but he still threw a chill by recalling that the Grammy Awards never rewarded his wife Beyoncé in the premier category, that of album of the year. An incongruity according to him, because “Queen B” is the most awarded artist in the history of the ceremony, with 32 trophies. “Think about this: more Grammys, not once album of the year, something is wrong”he said, his wife present in the room.

Beyoncé became the most successful artist of all time at the Grammy Awards last year, but the award for album of the year had slipped away from her in favor of British popstar Harry Styles. In 2017, the Recording Academy also snubbed her for preferring Adele, fueling criticism against the lack of diversity at the Grammy Awards.

Women dominate the evening

“Can we savor for a second the fact that women dominated music this year?”, said South African comedian Trevor Noah as he kicked off the evening. A statement confirmed during the ceremony since female artists took the lion’s share during this 66th edition of the Grammys. In addition to Taylor Swift’s triumph, Miley Cyrus won the Record of the Year award for her hit flowersof which she delivered a wild version on stage. “This award is extraordinary, but I really hope it doesn’t change anything because my life was beautiful yesterday”reacted the 31-year-old singer when receiving this award which salutes the overall quality of a title.

Billie Eilish won the song of the year award for her melancholy ballad What Was I Made For?flagship title of the film’s soundtrack barbie. “That’s crazy”reacted the 22-year-old star, accepting with his brother, Finneas O’Connell, this prize which rewards songwriters. “Thanks to Greta Gerwig for making the best film of the year”she said.

Singer SZA walked away with three statuettes for R&B song of the year, Snoozethe R&B album of the year, SOSand that of the best duo/group of the year, with Ghost in the machinein collaboration with Phoebe Bridgers.

Rapper Killer Mike arrested

Very mixed evening for rapper Killer Mike. He was the big winner in the rap category with three Grammy Awards, including best rap album, Michaelthe best rap song and best rap performance, Scientists & Engineers, with André 3000, from the duo Outkast, Future and Eryn Allen Kane. These awards were presented during the pre-evening, before his arrest by the police.

A video was posted on social media showing him in handcuffs, escorted by police through the corridors of the Crypto Arena. According to New York Times, his arrest is linked to a physical altercation. On the social network

The winners of the main categories of the 2024 edition:

Album of the year: Midnightsby Taylor Swift
Record of the year : flowersby Miley Cyrus
Song of the year : What Was I Made For? (from the movie barbie), by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell
Revelation of the year : Victoria Monet
Rap album of the year : Michaelby Killer Mike
Progressive R&B Album of the Year: SOSby SZA
R&B Album of the Year: Jaguar IIby Victoria Monét
Rock album of the year : This is whyby Paramore
Pop album of the year : Midnightsby Taylor Swift
World music album of the year : This Momentfrom Shakti
Dance/electronic album of the year : Current Life 3by Fred Again
Country Album of the Year : Bell Bottom Countryby Lainey Wilson
Producer of the year : Jack Antonoff
Pop duo/group of the year : Ghost in the Machineby SZA and Phoebe Bridgers
R&B song of the year : Snoozeby SZA
Rap song of the year : Scientists & engineersby Killer Mike and Andre 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane
Rock song of the year : Not strong enoughby Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus
Metal performance of the year : 72 Seasonsby Metallica

Visit the Grammy Awards website to find the complete list.


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