Beyoncé honors first responders in Grammys speech for album of the year win

With “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé won album of the year at the Grammys, her first-ever Grammy victory. As she won the prized award, the celebrity took her daughter Blue Ivy to the platform. She made reference to the first responders who battled the January fires in Los Angeles when she said, “I’d like to thank and acknowledge and praise all the firefighters for keeping us safe.” On Sunday night, a few firefighters were present to announce the album of the year winner on the Grammy stage. As Taylor Swift rejoiced, Beyoncé’s husband, Jay-Z, joined her in laughing at the “many, many years” it took her to win the gramophone. Beyoncé revealed the day before that she would be out on a tour to promote the album.

For album of the year, she faced competition from Andre 3000, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, Jacob Collier, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Taylor Swift. The singer of “Texas Hold ‘Em” won the Grammy for best country album just hours before for her most recent compilation. Bey, as her admirers call her, won the best country album prize, defeating Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, Kacey Musgraves, and Post Malone. “I didn’t anticipate this. After Taylor gave her the best country album award, she stated, “I want to thank God – oh my God – that I’m able to still do what I still love after so many years.” “I just want to encourage others to pursue their passions because I believe that genre may sometimes be a code word to put us in our place as artists. Remain tenacious.

She went on, “I want to express my gratitude to my lovely family and all of the artists who worked with me; without you, this album would not have been possible. Again, God, I’m still in disbelief. and once more, thank you for this honor. The Grammy for best country duo/group performance went to Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus earlier in the evening for their duet “II Most Wanted.” Before her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, she received the genre’s first country Grammy prize. Trevor Noah, host of the Grammy Awards, reminded viewers throughout the evening that the Recording Academy was concentrating on honoring first responders and raising money for relief operations in the wake of the LA disasters.

“The Recording Academy and MusiCares have raised and committed more than $4 million in emergency aid for music professionals affected by the crisis since we started the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort To Support Music Professionals,” the Recording Academy said. A standing ovation was given to the Los Angeles County Fire Department members who stood on stage during the performance before they introduced the album of the year winner. While accepting the Grammy for best new artist, Chappell Roan criticized the record industry and argued for musicians to have access to healthcare and reasonable salaries.

Before “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran,” the Colombian artist Shakira’s best Latin pop album, won, she gave her two boys, Milan and Sasha, hugs. During an homage to the entertainment legend Quincy Jones, Will Smith paid respect to his life. “In his 91 years, Q touched countless lives, but I have to say, he changed mine forever,” Smith stated. “You probably wouldn’t even kow who Will Smith was if it wasn’t for Quincy Jones.” In a poignant In-Memoriam segment, Chris Martin, the leader of Coldplay, honored “One Direction” singers Liam Payne and Toby Keith.