Taylor Swift makes Grammys history as women rule music's top honors
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[February 05, 2024]
By Lisa Richwine
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Pop superstar Taylor Swift set another record on
Sunday, winning the Grammy award for album of the year for an
unprecedented fourth time as women dominated the music industry's top
honors.
Swift also announced from the Grammys stage that she would release a new
album in April.
The 34-year-old won album of the year for "Midnights," eclipsing music
legends Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder, who each claimed
the prize three times.
Swift said she was thrilled by the honor and gushed about the
fulfillment she feels from writing and singing songs. "It makes me so
happy," she said. "All I want to do is keep doing this."
Earlier, Swift claimed the prize for best pop vocal performance and used
the moment to announce that she will release "The Tortured Poets
Department" on April 19.
"I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I've
been keeping from you for the last two years," Swift said as she
disclosed the new album, which was made available for pre-sales during
the Grammys telecast.
Swift, who is about to jet to Tokyo to resume the world's
highest-grossing concert tour, was among the women who swept the major
Grammy awards on Sunday.
Billie Eilish claimed song of the year for "What Was I Made For?," a
ballad written for the "Barbie" movie soundtrack.
"As a woman, it feels a lot of the time like you're not being seen,"
Eilish told reporters backstage. "I feel that this makes me feel very
seen. Sometimes it feels really good to have somebody tell you 'good
job.'"
Miley Cyrus, winner of her first two Grammys on Sunday, landed the
record of the year honor for her empowerment anthem "Flowers."
"This award is amazing," Cyrus said, "but I really hope that it doesn’t
change anything because my life was beautiful yesterday."
Best new artist went to R&B and pop singer Victoria Monet, who thanked
her mom, "a single mom raising this really bad girl."
Winners were chosen by the musicians, producers, engineers and others
who make up the Recording Academy. The group has worked to diversify its
membership in recent years by inviting more women and people of color to
its ranks.
SZA, who went into the night as the most-nominated artist, won three
trophies including best R&B song for "Snooze."
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Billie Eilish poses on the red carpet as she attends the 66th Annual
Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 4, 2024.
REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
"I came really, really far," she
said. "I can't believe this is happening, and it feels very fake."
Indie rock band boygenius, a band formed by musicians Phoebe
Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, also claimed three awards.
JONI MITCHELL, BILLY JOEL PERFORM
Comedian Trevor Noah, back for a fourth stint as host, opened the
show on CBS by joking that it was "the only concert that starts on
time."
Folk singer Joni Mitchell performed for the first time at the
Grammys, singing "Both Sides Now" from a chair and sporting blonde
braids and a beret, with Brandi Carlile playing guitar beside her.
In a tribute to the many musicians and industry executives who
passed away in the last year, Stevie Wonder played "For Once In My
Life" to honor the late Tony Bennett who sang along from a video.
Annie Lennox sang "Nothing Compares 2 U" in a tribute to Sinead
O'Connor, and Fantasia Barrino honored Tina Turner with her version
of "Proud Mary," backed by singers in shiny gold and silver fringed
outfits.
Jon Batiste played "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Lean On Me" in a tribute
to Clarence Avant, known as "the Godfather of Black music."
Near the start of the show, country star Luke Combs sang his cover
hit "Fast Car," alongside the original singer and writer of the 1988
song, Tracy Chapman.
Toward the end, Billy Joel performed his new single "Turn The Lights
Back On," his first original song in 17 years.
In accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, rapper Jay-Z aired
some Grammy grievances, including the fact that his superstar wife
Beyonce had never won album of the year despite having earned more
Grammys than anyone else.
"I don’t want to embarrass this young lady," Jay-Z said as Beyonce
watched from the audience. "But she has more Grammys than anyone and
never won album of the year. So even by your own metrics, that
doesn’t work."
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine and Danielle Broadway; Editing by Mary
Milliken, Stephen Coates and Neil Fullick)
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