The 2025 Grammy Awards’ Best Moments Prove It’s The Year Of The Woman

The 2025 Grammy Awards just might be the greatest night in the history of the awards show. Sure, the annual ceremony always honors the best and brightest in music, and Sunday was no different, spotlighting some of the greatest emerging and long-standing names in the industry. But, this year’s awards ceremony was different in one big way: The Grammys were all about — and for — the ladies. 

Going into the show, women led many of the big categories in nominations, leading to several major wins in categories like Best Rap Album, Best Country Album, Best New Artist and the always coveted Album Of The Year. If this doesn’t seem like a big deal, it really is. While women have been nominated in these categories throughout the Grammys’ history, the awards show — much like the music industry — has a history of overlooking and underappreciating female artists (and we’re not just talking about Beyoncé’s numerous AOTY snubs up to this point). In addition to taking home major awards, pop princesses Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter, rapper Doechii, and artists Raye and Charli XCX showed fans and haters alike that they can *sing.* Below, all of our favorite moments from the show.

In a true Grammys miracle, Queen Bey finally took home Album Of The Year. It’s a big and long overdue moment. Beyoncé, the most awarded performer in Grammys history with 35 wins, has been nominated five times for Recording Academy’s biggest prize and lost every single damn time — until tonight. “It’s been many, many years,” Beyoncé said with a smile, before dedicating the award to Linda Martell, the first Black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry and whose spoken word is featured on several songs off the 2024 genre-bending Cowboy Carter.

While accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award last year, Beyoncé’s husband Jay-Z called out the Recording Academy for the repeated snubs. "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." We’d have to agree and it seems the 13,000 members of the Recording Academy's voting body, as we were so often reminded of, agrees too.

But AOTY was far from her only win of the night. Earlier in the evening, Beyoncé further solidified herself as *the* singer who can literally do anything, taking home the Grammy Award for Best Country Album. It’s a history-making moment, with Bey being the first Black woman to take home the gramophone since the category was created in 1995. A shocked Beyoncé — who is the most awarded singer in Grammys history — spoke to the moment, and subtly to the haters who have critiqued her foray into the genre. “I think sometimes genre is a cold word to keep us in our place as artists, and I just want to encourage people to do what they’re passionate about.” Beyoncé also nabbed Best Country Duo/Group Performance alongside Miley Cyrus for their collab “II MOST WANTED.” All hail the Queen!

She truly is a Femininomenon. Chappell Roan just took home the award for Best New Artist at the 67th Grammy Awards and shared a passionate message about the need for health care and livable wages for artists. During her acceptance speech, the “Hot To Go” singer called out music labels and execs for “profiting millions off of artists” without providing basic health care and protections, noting that after she was dropped by her label during the pandemic, she was unable to find work or pay for health care.

“It was so devastating to feel so committed to my art and so betrayed by the system, and so dehumanized to not have help,” Roan said. “And if my label would have prioritized artists’ health, I could have been provided care by a company I was giving everything to.” Roan ended her speech with a direct message, asking: “Labels, we got you, but do you got us?” We love our Midwest Princess for using her platform for good.

The Swamp Princess is taking home some pretty iconic hardware. First-time Grammy nominee Doechii took home the award for Best Rap Album for her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal, making her only the second solo woman to come out on top in the category. (The first solo woman was Cardi B for her 2018 album Invasion of Privacy; Lauryn Hill was the first woman to win the category with The Fugees in 1997). 

In her emotional acceptance speech, the Florida-born rapper — who brought her mom onstage with her — spoke to the weight of the moment and the work that went into her debut. “I put my heart and my soul into this mixtape. I bared my life, I went through so much. I dedicated myself to sobriety and God told me that I would be rewarded and that he would show me just how good it could get.” Wrapping up her monumental moment, Doechii shared a message with her fans and other young women looking up to her. “I know that there is some Black girl out there, so many Black women out there, watching me right now. And I want to tell you, you can do it.  Anything is possible. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you that tell you you can't be here, that you’re too dark or that you're not smart enough or that you’re too dramatic or too loud. You are exactly who you need to be to be right where you are.” Words to live by.

She may be short n’ sweet, but pop princess Sabrina Carpenter is also a first-time Grammy winner. While she may not have taken home the award for Best New Artist (despite grinding in the industry for a decade), Carpenter kicked off the 67th annual Grammy Awards with a bang, picking up two major awards: First, during the pre-show ceremony for Best Pop Solo Performance for “Espresso,” and then during the televised broadcast, taking home the award for Best Pop Vocal Album for her 2024 album Short n’ Sweet. After over 10 years in the industry, the singer is finally getting her dues. 

In one of the most poignant moments of the evening, singer Shakira made a meaningful dedication while accepting the Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album for her latest release Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. In her thank you speech, Shakira spoke to the current political climate in the United States and the recently enacted mass deportations of undocumented immigrants implemented by President Donald Trump. “I want to dedicate this award to my immigrant brothers and sisters in this country. You are loved. You are worth it. I will always fight for you.”

President Trump may think Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is to blame for everything that’s going wrong in the country, but one person who recognizes the need for it is singer Alicia Keys. While accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the Grammys, Keys spoke to the state of the country. “This is not the time to shut down the diversity of voices. We've seen on this stage talented, hardworking people from different backgrounds with different points of view, and it changes the game. DEI is not a threat, it's a gift." Sounds like advice everyone — including politicians — should be taking. 

Up until a few weeks ago, celebrities and music fans weren’t sure if the annual Grammy Awards would even happen. With the Palisade and Eaton fires devastating the city and people of Los Angeles last month, another awards show wasn’t really top of mind for many. Which is what made the 67th Grammy Awards all the more special. 

Kicking off the show, host Trevor Noah paid tribute to LA, highlighting all the ways the West Coast city has impacted, influenced, and inspired musical icons and moments. After all, as Noah noted, LA is the city where brother/sister duo Billie Eilish and Finneas first started making music together in their Highland Park childhood home, where rapper Snoop Dogg first rapped about “Gin and Juice,” and where new-age pop princess Chappell Roan visited the music venues and clubs that would inspire some of her greatest hits. Following Noah’s monologue, local music legends like John Legend, Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, St. Vincent, and Brittany Howard joined LA folk band Dawes — brothers Taylor Goldsmith and brother Griffin Goldsmith who were personally affected by the Eaton fire — to perform the aptly-titled “I Love LA.” The Randy Newman song was a fitting homage that managed to pay tribute to the city and showcase the resilience of the city and its people.

Later in the ceremony, collaborators Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars shared another tribute to the embattled state, singing a moving rendition of The Mamas & the Papas’ “California Dreamin’”. And presenting the biggest award of the night, Album Of The Year, weren’t music artists, but Los Angeles firefighters, who received a standing ovation.

And it didn’t just stop at a song or two. Throughout the show, the Recording Academy shared calls for donations throughout the show, with funds given to MusiCares Fire Relief during the live telecast to be distributed to musicians and those impacted by the wildfires. All in all, the night was a beautiful tribute to the resilience of the City of Angels and how much more work needs to be done on the road to recovery.