As music lovers and consumers, the Grammys is a big night to celebrate our favorite artists, producers, composers, songwriters, and every other music role under the sun. It’s also an opportunity to get a peek into the trajectory of where our industry is headed.
Sunday, March 14th in Los Angeles, women dominated the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, taking home the biggest awards of the night over their male counterparts. This representation spans across all genres from rock to pop to hip-hop/rap to R&B and country. Audiences were also able to enjoy killer performances by strong women figures in the industry. Among them were Doja Cat, Mickey Guyton, Megan thee Stallion, Cardi B, Dua Lipa, and Billie Eilish.
History was made this year with Beyoncé winning her 28th grammy to be tied with legend and Berklee alum Quincy Jones. Queen Bey also holds the most Grammys of any woman in Grammy history.
Beyoncé’s daughter, Blue Ivy, also made headlines being the second youngest to ever win the award for her appearance in Brown Skin Girl.
As with every year, there was much controversy with the ceremony. Beyond fans feeling robbed of their favorite artist’s Grammy win, viewers questioned decisions surrounding Korean pop group, BTS. Despite submitting several songs, the group was nominated for the only full English song in their 230-song discography, ‘Dynamite’.
With the Academy’s added initiatives of inclusivity, this had viewers scratching their heads.Music does not have to be in your native tongue to leave an impact. It transcends barriers to bridge listeners across the globe, exposing audiences to cultural diversity they wouldn’t have been shown otherwise. This is where the power of music lies.
Though GMB's favorite sister duo Chloe x Halle ended Grammy night without a win, our hearts are full at seeing them recognized as nominees for this prestiged distinction. This acknowledgement hit close to home, especially having the opportunity to speak with the two artists personally and capture a fraction of their radiance. We are constantly inspired by women like them, raising the bar and paving the way for other women close behind looking to shift the narrative of the female presence in the music industry.
Below is a message is from Chair & Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy Harvey Mason expressing the Academy's efforts moving forward:
There may be hesitance from consumers towards the powers that be who dictate the results of the distinguished Grammy’s, but we cannot deny what the awards have come to signify in pop culture. As fans and creators of music alike, we have the power to put our foot down and reshape the industry standards to include everyone and be a true reflection of the makers behind the music. As Mason states, “This is not a vision for tomorrow, it is a job for today.” We must join forces to render the change we seek.
This is why groups like Girls Make Beats exist—to dismantle structures in the music industry that have historically shut out women. And who knows? One of our GMB sisters may be on stage accepting their very own Grammy sooner than we think!
Click here to listen to Episode 3 of the GMB podcast to hear our girls discuss more ceremony highlights, the history of the award show, responses to the show’s criticism, and more.
Peace and blessings,
Kaiya Nyasha
(IG/TikTok- @kaiyanyasha)