The 65th Annual Grammy Music Awards: Highlights
Edited by Anna Mengani
Fans, artists, and creators came together on February 5th, 2023, to watch the 65th Annual Grammy Music Award Ceremony. Hosted by Trevor Noah, music’s biggest night featured star-striking performances, heart-warming tributes, and plenty of highly prestigious awards. Kicking off the ceremony on the red carpet, nominated artists did not disappoint with their fashionable looks. Harry Styles continued to positively surprise fans by walking the carpet in a colorful and sparkly low-cut jumpsuit, and Taylor Swift, winner of Best Music Video, arrived bejeweled in a midnight blue two-piece dress. Lizzo caught eyes by appearing in a stunning and captivating orange floral dress created by Dolce Gabbana.
The performances were some of the best parts of the night, as they perfectly represented why we celebrate music. Bad Bunny, who later won Best Musica/Urbana Album, opened the ceremony with a performance of 'El Apagón’ and 'Despues de la Playa.’ Brandie Carlile, winner of Best Rock Performance, performed ‘Broken Horses’ from her Grammy-nominated album In These Silent Days. Kim Petras’ and Sam Smith’s spirited performance of ‘Unholy’ - introduced by Madonna - was a show that is likely to be remembered for years to come. Luke Combs made his debut on the Grammys stage, performing his single 'Going, Going Gone’ from his third studio album Growin’ Up. Lizzo took the stage to perform ‘About Damn Time’ and ‘Special’ from her recent album Special. She was joined by a women’s choir during her powerful performance and had nearly the entire arena dancing by the end. Heartfelt tribute performances were also made to honor the lives that were recently lost in the industry. Kacey Musgraves performed an acoustic rendition of Loretta Lynn’s 'Coal Miner’s Daughter,’ and Quavo, joined by Maverick City Music, honored Takeoff by performing ‘Without You.’ In addition, Mick Fleetwood, Sheryl Crow, and Bonnie Raitt came together to pay tribute to Christine McVie, and performed a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s 'Songbird’ from the classic Rumours album.
The first award of the night was announced by Jennifer Lopez and went to Harry Styles’ Harry’s House for Best Pop Vocal Album. Not only is this Styles’ second Grammy, but he previously won this same award in 2021 for his sophomore album Fine Line. Olivia Rodrigo returned to the Grammys stage to announce jazz singer Samara Joy as the Best New Artist, which is one of the several awards Rodrigo won in 2022. Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers won the award for Best Rap Album over fellow nominees Jack Harlow, Pusha T, Future, and DJ Khaled. Dwayne Johnson made an appearance to present Adele with the Best Pop Solo Performance award for her hit single 'Easy on Me’ from her recent album 30, which was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. Beyoncé broke records during the ceremony, as she became the artist with the most Grammy wins in history. With nine nominations, the top nominee Beyoncé successfully took home four awards: Best Dance/Electronic Record, Best Dance/Electronic Album, Best R&B Performance, and Best R&B Song. With these wins, the icon now holds 32 Grammys, beating the record previously held by Georg Solti.
The ceremony ended with the announcement of the three most prestigious and competitive awards. For Song of the Year: Lizzo, Taylor Swift, GAYLE, Harry Styles, Steve Lacy, Beyoncé, Adele, Bonnie Raitt, DJ Khaled, and Kendrick Lamar all held a nomination. First Lady Jill Biden took the Grammys stage to present the award to Bonnie Raitt for ‘Just Like That.’ Lizzo’s 'About Damn Time’ won Record of the Year, becoming victorious amongst artists like ABBA, Adele, Beyoncé, Doja Cat, and Steve Lacy. Lizzo dedicated her award to Prince, and gave a touching speech on the relationship between music and self-love. Concluding the night was the biggest award of all, which was won by Harry Styles. Harry’s House took home Album of the Year, becoming the artist’s biggest win in his career.
This event is not only a celebration of the artists and creators but of the fans as well. The Grammy Awards are annually successful in bringing individuals together to honor the unified love for music, and people across the globe are left hopeful and excited for the potential of this new year of music.
