Women Breaking Records in the 2023 Grammys
As the Grammy night began, everyone was wondering the same thing: where was Beyoncé? The icon was stuck in Los Angeles traffic, causing speculation as to whether she would arrive in time. She was the star of the night as she had the opportunity to become the most awarded person in Grammy history. When the time came, the award presenter even mentioned how history was about to be made when Beyoncé's name was on the envelope for the best dance/electronic album award.
The Woman Post | Valentina Ibarra
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With 32 Grammy Awards, Beyoncé solidifies her position as one of the most important artists of this generation. Just days after announcing her tour, Ticketmaster reported that more than half of the tickets would be unavailable because the pre-sale registration had more people registered than available spots at all the stadiums.
But Beyoncé wasn't the only one making history. Viola Davis, known for her incredible performances in movies and TV shows such as "How to Get Away with Murder," "The Help," and "The Woman King," achieved EGOT status, meaning she has won the four biggest awards in the entertainment industry: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Only 18 people have accomplished this feat. She won best audiobook narration and storytelling recording for her memoir "Finding Me," and all of her awards were in performing categories. Only four other people can claim the same. She is a black woman breaking records across the entertainment industry.
The Recording Academy has faced accusations of having a negative bias toward black artists for years. From not nominating artists like The Weeknd after breaking streaming records, to only giving R&B and rap awards, but not the main categories, to black nominees. Due to this, the achievements of the black community within the industry should be widely recognized. This is the case with Lizzo, who won the record of the year award for her hit "About Damn Time." She is the first black woman to win this award since Whitney Houston in 1994 with "I Will Always Love You," nearly 30 years ago.
Another historic moment came from Kim Petras, who became the first transgender woman to win the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance award alongside Sam Smith. In her speech, she took a moment to thank Sophie, a transgender producer who died two years ago and inspired thousands of queer artists to leave a mark in the industry. She is the second transgender woman to win a Grammy, with the first being Wendy Carlos in 1969. It took more than 50 years for it to happen again.
Taylor Swift also made history by becoming the first artist to win the best music video category with sole directing credit for her music video. This was also the first Grammy for her iconic album "RED," which was re-recorded to regain control of her songs. The video is a short film for "All Too Well," a ten-minute song that was cut short on the original "RED" ten years ago because the producers thought it wouldn't be well-received by the public. As Swift said, the award is a recognition of her efforts to reclaim her music.
After a historic night for women, let's hope for a more inclusive academy that allows talented women to continue making their mark in music history.
