Beyoncé became the most decorated woman in Grammy history, while her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, became the youngest Texan (at 9 years old) to ever win a Grammy at the ceremony, held at a COVID-safe outdoor setting in downtown Los Angeles. The show, originally planned for January, was delayed six weeks because of rising Coronavirus numbers is L.A.
Fellow Houstonian Megan Thee Stallion also had a memorable night, taking home three Grammys — for Best New Artist and two for “Savage” (Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance, the latter of which she shared with Beyoncé). “It’s been a hell of a year,” Megan Thee Stallion said when accepting her Best New Artist Award, “but we made it.”
Beyoncé, who received nine nominations, won four awards, bringing her lifetime total to 28, surpassing Alison Krauss’ 27 wins. While accepting her award for “Black Parade,” the new Grammy queen noted, “As an artist I believe it’s my job, and all of our jobs, to reflect on the times, and it’s been such a difficult time.”
Her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, shared with her mother and WizKid the Best Music Video award for “Brown Skin Girl.”
Other winners included Houston jazz savant Robert Glasper, who won for Best R&B Song for “Better Than I Imagine” (featuring H.E.R. and Meshell Ndegeocello) and Sarah Jarosz, whose World on the Ground won Best Americana Album. The country supergroup the Highwomen, which includes Texans Amanda Shires and Maren Morris, won Best Country Song for “Crowded Table,” and Grammy veterans Snarky Puppy, from Denton, won yet another Grammy, in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category, for Live at the Royal Albert Hall.
Miranda Lambert, no stranger to the Grammy stage, won Best Country Album for Wildcard, the second time she’s taken home that award. Lambert thanked the Grammys “for putting us together and letting us at least kind of be together and say ‘hi.’”
Memorable performances included those by Arlington’s Mickey Guyton—the first Black solo female artist to earn a nomination in a country music category—who sang her autobiographical single, “Black Like Me,” nominated for Best Country Song, and the Austin-based Black Pumas, who were nominated for Best American Roots Performance, Album of the Year and Song of the Year for “Colors.”
During the “In Memoriam” segment, Lionel Richie paid tribute to Houston native Kenny Rogers.
The List: Texas Winners
Best New Artist: Megan Thee Stallion
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: Snarky Puppy, Live at the Royal Albert Hall
Best R&B Performance: Beyoncé, “Black Parade”
Best R&B Song: Robert Grasper featuring H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello
Best Rap Performance: Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé, “Savage”
Best Rap Song: Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé, “Savage”
Best Americana Album: Sarah Jarosz, World on the Ground
Best Music Video: Beyoncé, Blue Ivy & WizKid, “Brown Skin Girl”
Additional Nominees
Black Pumas: Record of the Year (“Colors”), Album of the Year (Black Pumas)
Post Malone: Record of the Year (“Circles”), Album of the Year (Hollywood’s Bleeding)
Megan Thee Stallion: Record of the Year (“Savage”)
Beyoncé: Song of the Year (“Black Parade”), Best R&B Song (“Black Parade”)
Renée Zellweger: Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (Judy)
Robert Glasper: Best R&B Album (Fuck Yo Feelings)
Mickey Guyton: Best Country Solo Performance (“Black Like Me”)
Miranda Lambert: Best Country Solo Performance (“Bluebird”); Best Country Song (“Bluebird”)
Lecrae: Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song, “Sunday Morning”
Kirk Franklin: Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song, “Sunday Morning”
Norah Jones: Best American Roots Performance (“I’ll Be Gone,” with Mavis Staples)
Lucinda Williams: Best American Roots Song (“Man Without a Soul”); Best Americana Album (Good Souls Better Angels)
Ruthie Foster: Best Contemporary Blues Album (Live at the Paramount)
Danny Barnes: Best Bluegrass Album (Man on Fire)
