The 66th Grammy Awards took place on Feb. 4, 2024, in Los Angeles, California. This annual Grammy Awards came in hot, with women dominating many of the major categories, breaking records, and slamming the academy.
Many female singers won their first Grammy awards, including Miley Cyrus and Karol G. Miley Cyrus has been in the spotlight since she was young, making her debut acting gig on Disney as Hannah Montana. She then shifted her career focus from acting to singing and performing. Cyrus has many hit songs such as Wrecking Ball, Angels Like You, and one of the most famous hits in the U.S.: Party in the U.S.A. However, even after having so many hit songs, she had previously won no Grammy Awards up until the 66th Grammy Awards. Flowers was released in 2023 by Miley Cyrus, which became her biggest hit and won them their first Grammy.
“Honestly, I was surprised that it was their first win… she deserves this win…” Seneca Valley sophomore Sarah Novoa answered when asked about their opinions on Miley Cyrus’s first Grammy win. Many shared this opinion, especially on social media, and congratulated her for this big win.
Colombian singer and songwriter Karol G, left the award show with her first Grammy, her sole nomination. She won the Album of The Year Grammy with her historic 2023 album Mañana Será Bonito.
“She deserves this so much after seeing her grow as an artist for years. It is something that makes me happy and proud to say I am Latina,” said Quince Orchard senior Nicole Santos. This was a historic win not just for Karol G but also for women, as she is the first woman to win the Best Música Urbana Album.
Another woman who continued to break records and made Grammy history is Beyoncé, dubbed Queen Bey. This year, she won Best Dance/Electronic Album for her album Renaissance, making history by having the most number of Grammys of all time: a total of 32. Queen Bey was not the only artist breaking Grammy history that night; Swifties celebrated the night for Taylor Swift’s win, which also made history. Taylor Swift became the first artist to win Album of The Year 4 times in a row after winning with her Midnights album. Not only was history made, but also it was made by two well-known artists.
The 2024 Grammys brought many historic wins and acknowledgments to incredibly well-rounded female artists, but they also caused controversy over the artists who have not yet won Album of the Year. Jay-Z, well-known as an American rapper and husband to the iconic Beyonce, once again called out the academy for never having given Queen Bey the award of Album of the Year.
During his speech he states how “…she has more Grammys than anyone and never won album of the year.” It was clear that he was bothered by the academy’s decisions, especially with the Album of the Year. Fans also argued how “No Black Woman has earned that award in 25 years.” This made fans side with Jay-Z even more, although it seemed like deja vu from the 2009 MTV VMAs. Many people have been upset with decisions made by the academy on who wins these Grammys; this year fans might have started to reach their limit.
The Academy hosting the 66th Annual Grammy Awards had a bit of everything, from celebrating many artists to calling out problems with the Academy’s awarding. These events were just a few of many that took place that night, but overall, fans acknowledge the hard work and passion brought by all of these artists, regardless of whether they won or not. Not everyone will agree with the decisions made, but in the end, there is always next year.
Article Written by Alejandra Sanchez of Seneca Valley High School
Photo Courtesy of Flickr