The 67th Grammy’s occurred on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, and were bigger and better than ever. Despite the recent wildfires in Los Angeles, it did not disappoint with the fashion, performances and amazing artists all in attendance. With so many amazing musicians, many viewers had strong opinions about the awards, as many close calls were made. There were quite a few debatable picks and outfits sparked controversy. The red carpet was a spectacle of castles on heads, worn by Jaden Smith and no clothes, an unforgettable statement by Kayne West’s wife, Bianca Censori. English and Photojournalism teacher Austin Siebel commented, “I didn’t watch [the Grammy’s] because I prefer to see people with their clothes on,” in reference to that ensemble.
Some of the night’s biggest controversies occurred when Beyonce won awards like Album of the Year, Best Country Album and Best Country Duo/Group with Miley Cyrus. Many fans felt that while her album “Cowboy Carter” is a country genre, she is not a country singer, and the awards should have gone to Laniey Wilson, who performed at the Grammys, or Chris Stapelton, both of whom truly deserve the honor. Beyonce now has 35 Grammys, the most Grammys ever held by any musician. Some people are also speculating that her husband Jay-Z bought her the Grammy. While it could be true, some songs on “Cowboy Carter” were very popular on TikTok, and many people listened to it.
Another controversial win was Kendrick Lamar’s many awards for his song “Not Like Us.” Written by Lamar as a diss track to rapper Drake, the song gained popularity on social media. It won Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Rap Performance and Best Music Video, making Lamar the most decorated artist of the night. While the song was undoubtedly popular this year, many students felt it didn’t compare to other nominations. Senior Addie Gorg said, “I personally thought that maybe Billie Eilish’s song should have won. I think it has had more influence on society in general. I just thought it was more creative… and fit better instead of just being a diss.” Regardless of opinions, Lamar now has 20 Grammys in his collection and is one of the most successful rappers currently involved in the industry.
Making history as the third woman to win Best Rap Album was Doechii with “Alligator Bites Never Heal.” “I put my heart and my soul into this mixtape. I bared my life. I went through so much. I dedicated myself to sobriety, and God told me I would be rewarded, and he would show me just how good it could get,” Doechii stated in her speech, teary-eyed. Sophomore Damali Buffalo commented, “Her just trying to prove…that black girls don’t always have to set, fit the standard and that don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t can’t do this. Like, you can do it if you tell yourself that you can.”
Back to big wins, Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga won the award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their song “Die with a Smile.” The majority of viewers were satisfied by the win as the song was definitely influential this year. Lady Gaga turned heads when accepting the award, speaking out about acceptance and inclusion for transgender people and other members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Chappel Roan blew up on TikTok in early summer of 2024. Her performance, quirky personality and catchy songs got her nominated in many categories, such as Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Good Luck Babe;” Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” while also winning Best New Artist. In her acceptance speech, she caught everyone’s attention by talking about the struggles of getting to the top of the music industry and asking The Academy to provide for small artists. She also had an extravagant performance of “Pink Pony Club” on a large mechanical pink pony. She rolled out on the giant pink pony with many lights, dancers and theatrical effects. The performance was jaw-dropping. She got a crowd of professional singers to sing with her, which was amazing. Freshman Jordan Pfieffer describes the performance as “Eccentric…Very charismatic. Very, unique and joyful.” Gorg added that “…the fact that she’s a new artist of the year too… she literally came in swinging, [she has a] huge presence on the stage.”
Another big night win went to Sabrina Carpenter with her album “Short ‘n Sweet” and its hit single “Espresso,” winning Best Pop Vocal Album and Solo Performance. The two awards were her first ever Grammys. Carpenter also stunned the Grammy audience with her breathtaking performance featuring a mash-up of two of her most popular songs, “Please, Please, Please” and “Espresso.” Her performance featured humor while impressing viewers with her vocal and songwriting talent. Carpenter got the recognition she deserved with this album and wowed the Grammy stage for likely the first of many occasions.
Touching more on newer artists, Charli XCX also received her first two awards for her album “Brat.” The “Brat Summer” trend hugely influenced the music industry over the summer, earning her the Grammys for Dance Pop Performance and Best Dance/Electronic Album. Like Carpenter, she also performed a medley on stage featuring her hits “Van Dutch” and “Guess.” While some felt her performance was non-Grammy appropriate as it featured suggestive dances and the throwing of women’s underwear in the air, the majority of fans and members of the school community felt that she was deserving of her awards.
Despite all the exciting wins, there are quite a few artists that students felt were “snubbed” undeservingly. Most notable of these was Billie Eilish, who was nominated for seven Grammys and went home empty-handed. Many thought she deserved the Album of the Year for her album “Hit Me Hard and Soft” over Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” album. In addition to Eilish, Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande also did not receive any awards despite their numerous nominations. Regardless of students’ stances on Swift and her music, many were shocked that she did not win an award for her most recent album, “The Torchered Poets Departement.” “I was really surprised that Taylor didn’t win anything because she’s been winning for years,” Pfieffer stated. While not winning awards, Eilish, Swift and Grande all seemed to have a great night.
Eilish was also one of the artists chosen to perform on the Grammy stage. While it might not have been the same as winning awards, she did amaze fans with her heartfelt rendition of her song “Birds of a Feather,” which was dedicated to her hometown in Los Angeles, which was recently destroyed by forest fires. While tear-eyed, fans were extremely impressed by her segment and many were inspired to donate to the cause. It should not go without mentioning that $7 million was raised by viewers to help rebuild the city of LA after the forest fire destruction.
Another emotional performance of the night was Cynthia Erivo’s tribute piece for Grammy legend Quincy Jones. She sang the timeless song “Fly Me to the Moon” while Herbie Hancock accompanied her on the piano. She awed the audience with her vocal talent as images of Jones were projected on the screen. While it was mainly in honor of Jones, the memorial section also included mentions and respects to Liam Payne and Toby Kieth, along with a few other artists. There were also performances by Teddy Swims, Coldplay, John Legend and The Weeknd.
The night was filled with electric performances, memorable fashion, and heartwarming awards. While viewers will form opinions for themselves, the majority of people were very pleased with this year’s show. Buffalo praised the Grammy’s effort on inclusion. “I thought [the ceremony] was very beautiful…A bunch of ethnic and color people coming together- it just touched my heart.” She also noted her appreciation of the Academy recognizing more young and up-and-coming artists. Overall, the ceremony was a fun and exciting event in our culture for both students and teachers alike.
