Beyonce sits alone atop the Grammy throne as the ceremony鈥檚 most decorated artist in history, but at the end of Sunday鈥檚 show it was Harry Styles who walked away with the album of the year honor.
The Grammys spread its top awards among other artists, leaving Beyonce off stage at the end of the night. But the superstar was a constant presence throughout the night, even when she wasn鈥檛 in the room, especially once she won her 32nd award and surpassed late conductor Georg Solti in all-time wins.
鈥淚鈥檓 trying not to be too emotional,鈥� the superstar said after her historic win as her husband Jay-Z stood and applauded her. The singer thanked her late uncle, her parents, Jay-Z and her children for supporting her. 鈥淚鈥檓 just trying to receive this night. I want to thank God for protecting me. Thank you, God.鈥�
The Grammys stage at the end of the night has eluded Beyonce since 2010, when she won song of the year for 鈥淪ingle Ladies.鈥� She added four trophies to her collection for her album 鈥淩enaissance.鈥�
Styles was emotional accepting his album of the year award, saying he was inspired by everyone in the category. 鈥淎 lot of different times of my life, I鈥檝e listened to everyone in these categories. It鈥檚 so important to remember that there is no such thing as best.鈥�
The British singer-actor took home three awards Sunday. 鈥淚t feels like validation that you鈥檙e on the right path,鈥� said the singer backstage. 鈥淲hen we get in the studio and begin the record, we just make the music we want to make. It feels really nice to feel like `Oh, that鈥檚 the right thing to do.鈥濃��
Beyonce missed being in the room when she tied Solti鈥檚 record early in the telecast. Host Trevor Noah said she was on her way to the ceremony but blamed Los Angeles traffic for not being in person to accept it.
Once Beyonce 鈥� the night鈥檚 leading nominee 鈥� finally arrived, Noah presented her with the best R&B song award at her table.
Beyonce won for best R&B song for 鈥淐uff It,鈥� dance-electric music recording for 鈥淏reak My Soul,鈥� traditional R&B performance for 鈥淧lastic Off the Sofa鈥� and dance-electric album for 鈥淩enaissance,鈥� which was nominated for album of the year.
Lizzo won record of the year for 鈥淎bout Damn Time,鈥� delivering a rousing speech that brought many in the audience, including Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Adele, to their feet.
鈥淢e and Adele were having a good time, rooting for our friends. This is an amazing night. This is so unexpected,鈥� Lizzo said, dedicating her award to Prince.
鈥淚 wanted to make the world a better place, so I had to be that change to make the world a better place. Now, I look around and see these songs are about loving your body and feeling comfortable in your skin and feeling good.鈥�
Jazz singer Samara Joy won best new artist, shrugging off challenges by such acts as Wet Leg, Anitta and Maneskin. The New Yorker was virtually in tears when she collected the award and noted that her little brother was her date. 鈥淚鈥檓 so, so grateful. Thank you.鈥� She has released two albums as a lead artist and also won the Grammy for best jazz vocal album earlier in the night.
Veteran singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt shrugged off big-name rivals like Adele, Swift and Beyonce to win the song of the year award. 鈥淚鈥檓 so surprised. I don鈥檛 know what to say,鈥� a visibly stunned Raitt said, adding that the song 鈥淛ust Like That鈥� explores organ donation. It capped a night when Raitt won two other Grammys 鈥� for best Americana performance and best American roots song.
A who鈥檚 who of hip-hop royalty took the stage for an epic, rousing 15 minute tribute to the genre鈥檚 50th anniversary. The performance included Grandmaster Flash doing part of his seminal hit 鈥淭he Message,鈥� Run DMC, Chuck D and Flavor Flav along with Ice-T, Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes and Nelly all taking the stage.
It ended with everyone on the stage and LL Cool J shouting 鈥渕ulti-generational! Fifty years!鈥�
The performance was a crowd-pleasing moment for a ceremony that has long had a shaky history of not recognizing rap.
Bad Bunny opened the show with a festive, high-energy performance that brought many of the audience including Swift who rose to her feet and danced near her table at Los Angeles鈥� Crypto.com Arena.
Sam Smith and Kim Petras won best pop duo-group performance for their song 鈥淯nholy.鈥� Petras said Smith wanted Petras to make the acceptance speech because 鈥淚鈥檓 the first transgender woman to win this award.鈥�
鈥淚 want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open for me so I could be here tonight,鈥� said Petras, who made a reference to friend and Grammy-nominated musician Sophie, who died after an accidental fall in Athens, Greece in 2021. 鈥淵ou told me this would happen. I always believed in me. Thank you so much for your inspiration, Sophie. I adore you, and your inspiration will forever be in my music.鈥�
Petras thanked Madonna for being a tremendous supporter of LGBTQ rights.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I could be here without Madonna,鈥� Petras said. 鈥淢y mother, I grew up next to a highway in nowhere Germany. And my mother believed me that I was a girl. I wouldn鈥檛 be here without her and her support.鈥�
During the in memoriam segment, the Grammys recognized the lives of Loretta Lynn, Migos rapper Takeoff and Christine McVie with several star-studded performers paying them homage. The touching performances included Kacey Musgraves singing 鈥淐oal Miner鈥檚 Daughter鈥� in tribute to Lynn Quavo and the Maverick City Music hit the stage to honor his nephew Takeoff with the song 鈥淲ithout You 鈥� and Sheryl Crow, Mick Fleetwood and Bonnie Raitt performed 鈥淪ongbird鈥� to remember McVie.
Kendrick Lamar won sixth career trophy for best rap performance for 鈥淭he Heart Part 5鈥� and also won best rap album for his studio offering, 鈥淢r. Morales & The Big Steppers.鈥�
鈥淵ou know, as entertainers, we say things to provoke thoughts and feelings and emotions,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o making this record is one of my toughest. 鈥� I would like to thank the culture for allowing me to evolve in order to make this. I finally found imperfection with this album.鈥�
Viola Davis emerged from Sunday鈥檚 show an EGOT 鈥� a term for those who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony 鈥� after her win for best audio book, narration and storytelling recording. The actor gave an emotional speech and emphatically said 鈥淚 just EGOT鈥� after she marched on stage to collect her award.
鈥淥h, my God,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wrote this book to honor the 6-year-old Viola, to honor her, her life, her joy, her trauma, everything,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚t has just been such a journey.鈥�
The show made its return to Los Angeles after the pandemic first delayed, then forced the Grammys to move to Las Vegas last year. Noah hosted the ceremony as well, which saw Jon Batiste take home album of the year.
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AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy contributed to this report.
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By Jonathan Landrum Jr.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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