The 2024 Grammy Awards yielded some exciting moments for musicians with Bay Area ties, with multiple wins for Sacramento-born R&B musician Victoria Monét and Ukiah-raised alt rocker Phoebe Bridgers, courtesy of her work in supergroup boygenius.
The Grammy broadcast also opened with a surprise appearance from longtime San Francisco resident Tracy Chapman, the folk musician who performed her 1988 hit “Fast Car” for the first time in years, duetting with country star Luke Combs. Lindsay Zoladz from the New York Times called it “a genuine moment of warmth and unity.”
Combs’ rendition of “Fast Car,” which won song of the year at the Country Music Association Awards last November, sticks closely to Chapman’s original, indelible song. It was a triumphant moment for Chapman, with the audience on their feet and Combs’ respect clearly evident.
Bay Area winners were plentiful Sunday. Monét, who was nominated in seven categories for her debut album Jaguar II, took home three wins: Best R&B Album; Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical; and Best New Artist.
“Thank you to the champagne servers of tonight, that’s my first thank you,” Monét said in an emotional acceptance speech that touched on her 15-year journey through the music industry. “My roots have been growing underneath ground unseen for so long, and I feel like today I’m sprouting.”
