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Grammys 2025: A Ceremony Defined by Wildfires and Big Wins for Rising Stars

Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, NPR
The 67th Grammy Awards were weighted with a focus on the LA fires, but filled with surprising wins.
A woman with long red curly hair stands on stage with a book in one hand and a trophy in the other. She is wearing white face paint and dramatic, multicolored eye make up.
Chappell Roan, who won best new artist at the 67th Grammy Awards, opened up in her speech about her own struggle to get a job and access healthcare after being dropped from her first label. (Kevin Mazur/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The/Getty Images North America)

When wildfires erupted across Los Angeles last month, the Recording Academy faced a difficult question: whether or not to move forward with tonight’s 67th Grammy Awards. Ultimately, the Academy decided canceling the ceremony would be an even bigger blow to the thousands of Los Angeles area residents who work on the event, and so they came to the conclusion that the show would go on — with a heavy emphasis on the spirit and resilience of the city it calls home.

The Academy’s mission to pay tribute to both the city itself and all of those affected by the wildfires showed up as soon as the show started with host Trevor Noah’s monologue. The band Dawes — whose members Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith lost their homes in the fires — was backed by John Legend, Sheryl Crow and Brittany Howard to perform a cover of Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.”

Shortly after, host Trevor Noah introduced LA native Billie Eilish. Decked out in a Los Angeles Dodgers hat and assembled against a backdrop of the Southern California mountains, the 23-year-old singer and her brother Finneas infused new meaning into their haunting, borderline-creepy love song, “Birds of a Feather,” which is up for both song of the year and record of the year.

Finneas and Billie Eilish perform onstage during the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
Finneas and Billie Eilish perform onstage during the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards. (John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy/Getty Images North America)

But the dedication to Los Angeles was not only limited to musical performances. In addition to fundraising efforts highlighted by Noah throughout the show, the Academy decided to incorporate short clips of small business owners who are a crucial part of the local economy, such as a floral designer who introduced her shop’s mission alongside Grammy winner Doja Cat.

In the first win of the night, Florida multihyphenate Doechii shouted out the long legacy of Black women in hip-hop and the creative prowess behind her hometown of Tampa as she accepted the Grammy for best rap album. Her mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal, also earned her nominations for best new artist and best rap performance.

Doechii accepts the best rap album award for Alligator Bites Never Heal at the 67th Grammy awards.
Doechii accepts the best rap album award for Alligator Bites Never Heal at the 67th Grammy awards. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images/Getty Images North America)

The latter category represented one of the most competitive races of the ceremony. Following an electric live rendition of her breakout single “Pink Pony Club” earlier in the show, Chappell Roan beat out fellow nominees Sabrina Carpenter, Benson Boone, Teddy Swims, Raye, Khruangbin and Doechii, who also delivered one of the most memorable performances of the night.

In Roan’s acceptance speech, the “Midwest Princess” directly criticized the music industry while advocating for livable wages for rising artists. She opened up about her own struggle to get a job and access healthcare after being dropped from her first label during the pandemic. “It was so devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system,” she said. “Labels, we got you. But do you got us?”

Beyoncé accepts the best country album award for COWBOY CARTER.
Beyoncé accepts the best country album award for COWBOY CARTER. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images North America)

Another key moment of the night arrived when Beyoncé — with what appeared to be genuine bewilderment — accepted the Grammy for best country album for Cowboy Carter after it was notably shut out of the Country Music Association Awards last year.

During the earlier premiere ceremony, Kendrick Lamar kicked off an early sweep for his song “Not Like Us,” also winning best rap song and best music video. The diss track, which was considered the definitive mic drop in Lamar’s ongoing beef with Drake, is also up for record of the year and song of the year. Lamar’s album GNX, which he released in November, was not eligible for tonight’s Grammys.

Sabrina Carpenter performs onstage during the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
Sabrina Carpenter performs onstage during the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards. (John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy/Getty Images North America)

Sabrina Carpenter also scored early wins for best pop vocal album and best pop solo performance for “Espresso.” The 25-year-old performed a medley of hits from Short n’ Sweet, her sixth studio album and commercial breakthrough. Other notable winners of the night from the earlier ceremony include Nashville darling Sierra Ferrell (best Americana album, best Americana roots song, best Americana performance and best Americana roots performance) and St. Vincent (best rock song, best alternative music performance, and best alternative music album).

Copyright © 2025 NPR

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