It’s time for the Grammys! And we’re bringing you live updates and our most unfiltered reactions.
The 66th annual awards show features performances by Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Dua Lipa and more. So what’s happened so far? Well, Joni Mitchell won another Grammy (and pulled our heartstrings along the way), Jack Antonoff gave a sweet shoutout to the one and only Taylor Swift and Michelle Obama casually made Grammys history (even though she skipped the ceremony).
Later, Killer Mike was led out of the Crypto.com Arena in handcuffs, while Swift made a surprise announcement ― a new album ― as she accepted her lucky 13th Grammy. And Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus and Karol G claimed their first awards on music’s biggest night..
Here are all the juiciest details.
Miley Cyrus clearly doesn’t take herself, or awards shows, too seriously, and it’s honestly so refreshing. After her fun, lively, and seemingly Tina-Turner-inspired performance of “Flowers,” she returned to claim the trophy for record of the year for the same song. In her speech, she reminded everyone that, even though not everyone can win a Grammy, everyone is “spectacular” and trophies don’t define success. (Are you listening, Jay-Z?) After some quick thank you’s, she quipped: “I don’t think I forgot anyone, but I might have forgotten underwear. Bye!”
More: Miley Cyrus just won the first Grammy of her career
Earlier, she spoke on behalf of all Los Angeles residents when she quipped she almost missed her first ever Grammys win due to heavy rain traffic. “This is just too iconic,” she said onstage beside Mariah Carey, accepting the award for best pop solo performance for “Flowers.” “I just got stuck in the rain in traffic and thought I was going to miss this moment.” Anybody who has ever braved an LA freeway during a light drizzle knows exactly what she’s talking about.
While accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, Jay-Z used his acceptance speech to call out the Recording Academy’s snubs against his wife, Beyoncé. “We love y’all. We want y’all to get it right,” he said. “I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than anyone and never won album of the year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work.” Though the Bey-Hive will surely eat this moment up, it’s hard to feel much sympathy for a mega-wealthy, mega-awarded artist complaining at an awards show that his wife − also a mega-wealthy, mega-awarded artist − is actually entitled to more trophies.
More: Jay-Z calls out Grammys over Beyoncé snubs: ‘We want y’all to get it right’
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what the Grammys – and, dare I say, music itself – is all about. The most powerful moment of the broadcast came in the most simple, elegant performance of the night – something that’s become an unfortunate rarity at a show that tends to favor big dance numbers and pyrotechnics. Sitting in a regal chair and singing her soaring, timeless song “Both Sides, Now,” Joni Mitchell transported the Crypto.com Arena, and all of us watching at home, to a different place entirely. She sang with humility, grace and, most of all, a deep, deep love for music. It was moving. It was honest. It was unifying. It was everything a Grammys performance should be.
More: Joni Mitchell, 80, offers a stunning ‘Both Sides, Now’ for first Grammys performance
The In Memoriam segment, usually a somber montage honoring artists who’ve died, turned into a rousing concert, closing out with a lively tribute to Tina Turner, intro’d by Oprah Winfrey and ending with high-energy performance of “Proud Mary” by Fantasia. The number got everyone on their feet, and the energy could be felt through the screen. Detractors will surely say the segment should have been more subdued, but no one can deny Fantasia put on a good show.
Another potentially controversial In Memoriam moment? Annie Lennox ending her tribute to Sinéad O’Connor with a reference to the war between Israel and Palestine. “Artists for ceasefire! Peace in the world!” she exclaimed after her song.
Leave it to Taylor Swift to zig when we all thought she would zag. After seeming to tease the re-recording of her album “Reputation” with a website crash earlier today, she ended up revealing she’s dropping a new album entirely instead. “This is my 13th Grammy, which is my lucky number,” Swift said, after winning best pop vocal album for “Midnights. “I know the way the Recording Academy voted is a direct reflection of the passion of the fans. So 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, which is that my brand new album comes out April 19. It’s called ‘The Tortured Poets Department.’ I’m gonna go and post the cover right now backstage.” Well, OK then!
More: Taylor Swift announces brand-new album at Grammys: ‘Tortured Poets Department’
Lainey Wilson joined Karol G and Miley Cyrus in the Grammy first-timers club. During her acceptance speech for best country album for “Bell Bottom Country,” Wilson, a fifth generation farmer’s daughter from a town of 200, gave a winding extended metaphor about how making an album is a lot like farming, or something like that. “Sometimes when you find the right farming community, you can find the harvest of a lifetime,” she said. I have never farmed before, but I trust her completely.
Killer Mike’s triumphant run at the Grammys took a turn after the rapper was handcuffed. Shortly after winning three awards during the pre-show ceremony, he was escorted out of the Crypto.com arena in handcuffs by a squad of police officers, video shared by The Hollywood Reporter’s Chris Gardner on X shows. It’s unclear if the rapper was arrested or will return for the live ceremony. USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Killer Mike, the Recording Academy and the Los Angeles Police Department. Killer Mike won Grammys for best rap song and best rap performance for his song “Scientists and Engineers” and best rap album for “Michael.”
More: Killer Mike escorted out of Grammys in handcuffs after winning 3 awards
Let’s go, Karol G! The Colombian singer and songwriter became a first-time Grammy winner, taking home the trophy for best música urbana album for her album “Mañana Será Bonito.” “I promise you to give you my best always, and I hope this is the first of so many,” she said onstage. It’s been less than an hour, and we’ve already seen career firsts for two major artists. At this rate, who knows what will else will happen?
At the Golden Globes, you could practically hear a pin drop when host Jo Koy made a joke about the frequent Taylor Swift cutaways at NFL games. That joke didn’t seem to land with the pop star then, who took a cold sip from her cup while staring daggers at the comedian. Lucky for Trevor Noah, Swift seemed to have found her sense of humor in time for the Grammys, laughing when he joked that every time he mentions Swift’s name, the broadcast should cut to a former NFL player. The camera then focused on a befuddled Terry Crews. Noah stayed mostly complimentary throughout his opening monologue. Was he pandering a little to the A-listers? Sure, but it was no disaster, which, in the realm of award shows, should be counted as a win.
More: Grammys host Trevor Noah defends Taylor Swift over NFL scrutiny
Boy I hope. Swift’s website crashed Sunday afternoon for about two hours, with Swifties believing the site was riddled with Easter eggs teasing the announcement of the re-release of her sixth album “Reputation (Taylor’s Version).” Swift’s website appeared to show an error message hours before the Grammys. The first line was “Error 321 Backend fetch failed.” Error 321 is a communication error that would appear on a fax machine with a poor telephone line connection. “I’m sorry, the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now” is a line from Swift’s track “Look What You Made Me Do,” the lead single on “Reputation.” Consider those dots, connected.
Taylor Swift website crashes, sending fans on frantic hunt for ‘Reputation’ Easter eggs
With his win for best producer of the year, non-classical, Jack Antonoff joined Babyface as the only person to win the category three times in a row. During his acceptance speech, which rounded out the premiere ceremony, Antonoff thanked his wife Margaret Qualley and others who have supported him in his career, including his collaborator Taylor Swift. “We made a song called ‘Out of the Woods’ for ‘1989,’ and, when I was waiting for that call that says, ‘OK, now this goes to some big-name person,’ she said, ‘Let’s mix this…,’ ” he said. “I love you to death, Taylor.”
That’s double-Grammy-winner Michelle Obama to you! The former first lady took home the Grammy for best audio book, narration and storytelling recording for “The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times.” It’s the second time she’s won a Grammy (she won in 2020 for “Becoming), making her the only former first lady with two wins.
Joni Mitchell wins Grammy, is first-time performer
Yes, which is good news, especially for anyone who failed to secure tickets to her Hollywood Bowl performances in Los Angeles later this year. (I promise I’m not bitter or anything.) It’s bound to be a special show on Sunday, too. Mitchell, 80, who suffered a brain aneurysm in 2015 that left her temporarily unable to walk or talk, performed for the first time ever at the Grammys. During the premiere ceremony, she won for best folk album for “Joni Mitchell at Newport (Live).” Walking out onto the stage with a cane, Mitchell beamed at the crowd before giving a brief, humble thank you.
It’s the calm before the storm inside the massive white tent housing the Grammys red carpet, anyway. Outside, the downpour that meteorologists have promised all week has commenced. We are in the sweet spot on the carpet between artists attending the Grammys pre-show and the televised ceremony, and a few notable faces, including Josh Groban, boygenius and Victoria Monét, have made quick appearances. With two hours to go until the ceremony, things are certain to start heating up soon. –KiMi Robinson
More: Trevor Noah returns to host 2024 Grammy Awards for 4th year in a row
The Beatles may have broken up about five decades ago, but they still can’t stop winning Grammys! The group won best music video at the premiere ceremony for their 1966 song “I’m Only Sleeping,” which got an official music video in November 2022. “I can’t believe I get to say this: I’d like to thank John, Paul, George and Ringo!” the video’s director Em Cooper exclaimed in her acceptance speech.
What was that? You thought the Barbenheimer double features had finally come to an end? Well, think again: “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” which dominated theaters last summer, won back-to-back at the Grammys premiere ceremony. “Barbie the Album” won best compilation soundtrack for visual media and “Oppenheimer” for best score soundtrack for visual media. Billie Eilish and Finneas also made an early appearance to accept their award for best song written for visual media for their “Barbie” song “What Was I Made For?” “Making this song saved me a little bit,” Eilish said of the soft ballad in their acceptance speech.
More: You might be way behind on the Oscars. Here’s how you can catch up.
Well, that got started with a bang! If downtown Los Angeles was feeling sleepy amid this uncharacteristic rain, it better be awake now after the opening number of the premiere ceremony. J. Ivy, Pentatonix, Larkin Poe, Jordin Sparks and Sheila E. took the stage for a rousing set that seemed to jolt the theater awake, ending with a booming drum solo from Sheila E. while Sparks belted for her life. Let’s hope that energy lasts, because the Grammy ceremonies are going to unfold over for the course of the next nine hours.
A whopping six times! Will she win? And, more importantly, is she planning a “Reputation (Taylor’s Version)” announcement if she does? Swifties certainly hope so.
Reportedly not. Yes, it’s a bummer; but, honestly, she’s given us so much this year, the woman deserves to sit back and relax.
Will we see Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce together at the Grammys?
Probably not. Though he’s Swift’s beau, Travis Kelce has said he’ll skip the Grammys to practice for the Feb. 11 Super Bowl (which apparently is like the Grammys, but for football, or something like that.)
Will Jason Kelce be at the Grammys?
His brother Jason probably won’t be there, either. According to The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network, he’ll be on the other side of the country in Orlando, Florida, playing in the NFL’s Pro Bowl.
Who votes for the Grammys?
The Illuminati − just kidding (kind of). Voting members of the Recording Academy do. These members, according to the organization’s website, “are composed of a pool of vetted and venerable performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, instrumentalists, and other creators currently working in the recording industry.”
Basant Kasayap is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Bollywood to regional cinema, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
