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GRAMMYS 2024

Women dominate historic night
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DESK
The 66th iteration of the Grammy Awards, regarded as the highest accolades in the music industry, were presented during a ceremony yesterday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The entire show was broadcast on CBS, with Trevor Noah serving as the host for the night of the star-studded affair.
The winners were selected by members of the Recording Academy, including musicians, producers, engineers and other industry professionals. The Recording Academy has made efforts to diversify its membership in recent years by extending invitations to more women and individuals from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Musical enchantress Taylor Swift notably clinched the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, for her album Midnights , making her the sole artiste to secure the top music industry prize four times. Whilst accepting the honour, she additionally left the audience in awe through the announcement of her highly-anticipated 11th studio album, titled The Tortured Poets Department .
Miley Cyrus has achieved a remarkable feat by securing two Grammy Awards. The acclaimed singer clinched victories in the categories of Best Pop Solo Performance and Record of the Year for her song Flowers . Radiant in a black dress, Miley Cyrus received her first award from none other than Mariah Carey. In her acceptance speech, she conveyed the profound meaning behind her first-ever Grammy win, highlighting the significance of the recognition after dedicating nearly two decades to the music industry.
The Song of the Year award this time went to the song What Was I Made For? from the major motion picture Barbie , to Billie Eilish. Billie Eilish O’Connell and her brother Finneas O’Connell, are credited as songwriters for this inspiring track that left an unforgettable mark on the film.
Victoria Monét took home the award for the Best New artiste. Monét received an impressive seven Grammy nominations at the 2024 awards, tying for the second-most nominations overall. Her inaugural full-length album, Jaguar II , secured victories in two categories, winning Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.
Out of her remarkable nine nominations, leading the pack, SZA claimed victory in three categories at the Grammy Awards. She secured awards for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Progressive R&B Album, and Best R&B Song. Additionally, her sophomore album SOS received nominations in major categories like Album of the Year and Record of the Year, marking a significant recognition at the prestigious event.
The year saw a dominance of female artistes across nearly every category. It was a night marked by several significant firsts, especially for women. Karol G secured her inaugural Grammy for Best Música Urbana with Mañana Será Bonito , while Lainey Wilson celebrated her first trophy, winning Best Country Album for Bell Bottom Country .
The broadcast was highlighted by captivating performances, featuring standout moments from Joni Mitchell, Tracy Chapman with Luke Combs, and Billy Joel, who premiered his latest single, Turn the Lights Back On . Noteworthy performances also included Miley Cyrus debuting her song Flowers , Dua Lipa unveiling Training Season , and Olivia Rodrigo delivering a passionate rendition of Vampire .
Jay-Z, the only male recipient, received the Dr Dre Global Impact Award and used his acceptance speech to criticise the Grammys for never awarding his wife, Beyoncé, Album of the Year. He pointed out that despite her numerous Grammys, she has never won in that category, challenging the credibility of the awards.
The Grammys 2024 awarded the Best Global Music Album to Shakti’s This Moment , featuring musicians Shankar Mahadevan, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ganesh Rajagopalan, and Selvaganesh Vinayakram.
Ustad Zakir Hussain, along with Rakesh Chaurasia, triumphed in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album and Best Instrumental Composition categories. This marked a historic moment as he became the first Indian artiste to win three Grammys in one night, adding to his previous victories in 1992 and 2009 and bringing his total Grammy count to five.