Female performers set magical tone at Grammys

Even at the Grammys, with or without nominations, it’s all about Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.

The world’s biggest pop stars were at the center of Sunday night’s show for moments that happened during acceptance speeches. Early in the night, Swift won best pop vocal album for “Midnights.” It was Grammy No. 13, her lucky number. But the focus soon turned to another Swift album when she revealed “a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the past two years.”

Her new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” will be released April 19.

“I’m gonna go and post the cover right now backstage,” she said.

Oh, and by the way, Swift also won album of the year for “Midnights,” making her the first person to do it four times. She previously won for “Fearless,” “1989” and “Folklore.”

The show also featured a performance by Travis Scott; Dua Lipa channeling “Chicago” the musical; Olivia Rodrigo serving “Carrie” prom scene; and U2 in The Sphere from Las Vegas. Joni Mitchell also performed for the first time at the Grammys.

Here are seven of the most memorable moments.

1. Family time with Meryl

Streep and Mark Ronson

Meryl Streep scurried to her seat as host Trevor Noah introduced her son-in-law and super-producer Mark Ronson.”Do you know what this moment means? It means the Grammys is gonna win an Oscar,” Noah joked.

2. Miley Cyrus finally gets her flowers

Miley Cyrus took home the first Grammy of the night, and of her career, for megahit “Flowers.” Mariah Carey presented the award for best solo pop performance, and Cyrus called the song “my butterfly.” Later, Cyrus performed “Flowers” on TV for the first time and channeled Tina Turner. Much of the crowd sang along, including John Legend, Taylor Swift, Kylie Minogue and Oprah Winfrey. “Flowers” was also named record of the year.

3. Luke Combs and Tracy

Chapman duet

Country star Luke Combs scored the biggest hit of his career with a cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.” They performed it together, and seeing Comb glance over at Chapman with admiration was one of the night’s sweetest moments. Chapman had a top 10 hit with the song in 1988.

4. Karol G’s beautiful night

Karol G became the first woman to win best música urbana álbum for “Mañana Será Bonito.” The category was introduced in 2022 and won twice by Bad Bunny.

“Hi everybody, my name is Karol G. I am from Medellin, Colombia, she said onstage. “This is my first time at the Grammys, and this is my first time holding my own Grammy.”

5. SZA’s sweet speech

SZA won best R&B album and accepted it with a funny and genuine speech. It was presented by Houston’s own Lizzo.

“I’m out of breath ’cause I was changing, then I took a shot and I ran here. Lizzo and I have been friends since 2013 when we were both on a tiny Red Bull tour together, opening up in small rooms for like 100 people, and to be on this stage with her is so amazing. I’m so grateful,” SZA said.

She thanked her parents, godparents and niece; said “Hi, Taylor, I love you” from the stage; and finally stopped herself because she’s “not an attractive cryer.”

6. Fantasia does Tina

It’s Fantasia season, y’all. Despite not getting an Oscar nomination for “The Color Purple,” the “American Idol” winner was winning during an electric tribute to Tina Turner. She sang “Proud Mary” and shimmied her way through the crowd in a gold bodysuit. Anyone who’s followed Fantasia knows she deserves this moment.

7. Joni Mitchell singing

‘Both Sides Now’

The night’s most touching moment came in a surprise appearance by an ailing, 80-year-old Joni Mitchell who performed an especially wistful version of her 1966 hit “Both Sides Now.” Nearly 60 years later, the lyrics of “I’ve looked at life from both sides now, from win and lose and still somehow, it’s life’s illusions I recall, I really don’t know life at all,” hit in an especially moving and poignant way.”

Jay-Z calls out the Grammys over Beyoncé

Beyoncé had some of the best albums of all time. And Jay-Z wants the Grammys to know.

During his acceptance speech for the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, Jay-Z brought up his wife’s record-breaking run of Grammy wins. Beyoncé won her 32nd Grammy in 2023 for best dance/electronic album for “Renaissance.”

But she has yet to win a Grammy for album of the year, despite nominations for “I Am … Sasha Fierce,” “Beyoncé,” “Lemonade” and “Renaissance.”

“I don’t wanna embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than anyone and never won album of the year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that,” Jay-Z said as a hush fell over the crowd.

Beyoncé, wearing a cowboy hat over platinum hair, looked on uncomfortably from the crowd.

“Some of you gonna go home tonight and feel like you been robbed. Some of you may get robbed. Some of you don’t belong in the category,” Jay continued as the crowd audibly gasped. “When I get nervous, I tell the truth.”

Jay-Z also spoke about the Grammy’s gradual embrace of hip-hop. He brought up DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, who won the first Grammy for best rap album in 1989. They boycotted the show after finding out the category wouldn’t be televised. Jay-Z said he did the same thing a decade later when DMX released two albums that weren’t nominated.

Lecrae gets a big surprise

Houston’s Lecrae picked up two Grammys during Sunday’s pre-telecast ceremony.

The Christian rapper and actor won best contemporary Christian music performance/song for “Your Power” with Tasha Cobbs Leonard; and his “Church Clothes 4” won best contemporary Christian music album.

Lecrae was in attendance to receive the awards and said he didn’t expect to win. He was joined onstage by his beaming daughter.

He’s previously won Grammys in those same categories: best gospel album in 2013 and best contemporary Christian music performance/song in 2015.

“Church Clothes 4” is the final installment in a mixtape series that kicked off in 2012. Lecrae was featured in the movie musical “Journey to Bethlehem” with Antonio Banderas.