The 2025 Grammys noticed loads of smiles, tears, laughter and, truthfully, a number of surprising moments throughout Sunday’s awards ceremony. From Beyoncé’s record-breaking wins and The Weeknd‘s shock efficiency to Kanye West and Bianca Censori’s inappropriate crimson carpet second and Girl Gaga and Bruno Mars‘ tribute to Los Angeles, listed here are among the most memorable moments from music‘s largest evening.
Beyoncé Lastly Wins Album of the Yr
Beyoncé took dwelling album of the yr for the primary time in the course of the 2025 Grammys on Sunday evening. The singer was nominated alongside André 3000 (New Blue Solar), Sabrina Carpenter (Brief n’ Candy), Charli XCX (Brat), Jacob Collier (Djesse Vol. 4), Billie Eilish (Hit Me Exhausting and Soft), Chappell Roan (The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess) and Taylor Swift (The Tortured Poets Division). Members of the L.A. Hearth Division had been available to current the award throughout a telecast that made fireplace aid central to the present and, as host Trevor Noah revealed towards the present’s finish, raised $7 million for aid efforts. Learn extra right here. — Lexy Perez
Girl Gaga and Bruno Mars Pay Tribute to L.A. Following Wildfires
Girl Gaga and Bruno Mars paid homage to Los Angeles with a efficiency of “California Dreamin’” on the 2025 Grammys. After a harrowing video detailed the consequences of the wildfires on the L.A. neighborhood, the “Die With a Smile” singers carried out a stripped-down rendition of The Mamas & the Papas’ 1965 monitor. “I really like you California,” Gaga stated on the finish of the efficiency, which prompted the group to erupt in a standing ovation. Grammys host Trevor Noah recommended their tribute, reminding the viewers “to donate what you’ll be able to” to MusiCares fireplace aid, an effort created by the Recording Academy to assist these affected by the wildfires. Learn extra right here. — McKinley Franklin
Kendrick Lamar Sweeps All of His Classes
Two of the highest awards of the evening, tune of the yr and report of the yr, had been awarded to Kendrick Lamar for “Not Like Us” in the course of the 2025 Grammy Awards. Miley Cyrus, who offered the report of the yr award, quipped that she may say Beyoncé’s title as an alternative, however finally revealed that Lamar received the award. As soon as he made his means as much as the stage to simply accept the golden gramophone trophy, Lamar stated he’s “gonna dedicate this one [award] to town” of Los Angeles. Lamar additionally received each different class during which he was nominated. Learn extra right here. — Carly Thomas
Kanye West and Bianca Censori Shock Grammys With Purple Carpet Second
The 2025 Grammys crimson carpet had formally been open for roughly 20 minutes, however Kanye West and his spouse, Bianca Censori, created the inappropriate second viewers shall be discussing lengthy after the ceremony has ended. When the pair first stepped onto the carpet, Censori was wrapped in a high-necked fur coat (the jury continues to be out on actual versus fake) that she clutched collectively in entrance. With additional safety measures instantly put in place and a request for photographers to step again six inches, per The Hollywood Reporter‘s crimson carpet reporting, Censori dropped her coat to disclose that she was carrying an exceedingly sheer minidress in an open, nude-tone mesh and seemingly no underwear beneath. The photogs already had fallen silent when the pair arrived, which made all of it the simpler to listen to one lady photographer comment, “What a reveal.” Learn extra right here. — Laurie Brookins
The Grammys Get Political
It appears Donald Trump is making awards exhibits political once more. Excessive-profile ceremonies had been principally apolitical final yr as celebs grew quiet after talking out in opposition to Trump from awards present levels in his first time period, the 2025 Grammys — the primary main awards present in Trump’s second time period — featured various references to among the most controversial actions the president has taken at first of his second time period. Girl Gaga issued maybe the strongest callout to Trump’s anti-trans government orders, together with a first-day proclamation that the U.S. would solely acknowledge two genders (female and male) and that these “should not changeable.” Accepting the Grammy for finest pop duo or group efficiency for her “Die With a Smile” duet with Bruno Mars, Gaga declared “Trans persons are not invisible. Trans folks deserve love. The queer neighborhood deserves to be lifted up. Music is love.” Learn extra right here. — Hilary Lewis
The Weeknd Surprises Viewers With Grammys Efficiency
The Weeknd made a shock look and efficiency on the 2025 Grammys after he had introduced three years prior that he deliberate to boycott the present following his 2021 snub. The Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. launched the efficiency as he mirrored on criticism that the Academy acquired, particularly from The Weeknd (actual title Abel Tesfaye). In 2021, The Weeknd referred to as out the Recording Academy after his hit After Hours album was snubbed from the album of the yr class — After Hours held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart for greater than three weeks — as was his hit single “Blinding Lights” for report of the yr. “The Grammys stay corrupt. You owe me, my followers and the business transparency…” he tweeted on the time. Learn extra right here. — Lexy Perez
Beyoncé Makes Historical past With Nation Album ‘Cowboy Carter’
It’s protected to say Beyoncé was genuinely shocked by her finest nation album win on the 2025 Grammy Awards. The music icon, who made historical past as the primary Black lady to win within the class for Cowboy Carter, was offered the distinction by Taylor Swift, who beforehand received finest nation album in 2010 for Fearless. After Swift learn her title, the digital camera minimize to Beyoncé, who was seemingly shocked by the win, and he or she made that clear throughout her acceptance speech. “Wow, I actually was not anticipating this,” she says after hugging Swift on the stage. “Wow, I wanna thank God — Oh my God! — that I’m in a position to nonetheless do what I really like after so a few years. Oh my God!” Learn extra right here. — Carly Thomas
Chappell Roan Comes Down on Music Business Throughout Speech
Chappell Roan took dwelling the extremely anticipated finest new artist award on the 2025 Grammys, and he or she used her win to focus on the therapy of creating artists within the music business. Victoria Monet, the 2024 winner of the class, returned to the Grammy stage to announce Roan as this yr’s winner. The “Scorching to Go” singer thanked her fellow nominees “whose music acquired me by means of this previous yr,” she stated. Roan introduced a pocket book to the stage to ship remarks she stated she’d advised herself she all the time would say if she had been ever to search out herself on this place. “I advised myself if I ever received a Grammy, and I acquired to face up right here in entrance of probably the most highly effective folks in music, I might demand that labels and the business profiting tens of millions of {dollars} off of artists would supply a livable wage in well being care, particularly to creating artists,” Roan stated, met with cheers from the group. Learn extra right here. — Nicole Fell
Doechii Will get Emotional Throughout Inspirational Acceptance Speech
Doechii shared some highly effective phrases whereas accepting her first Grammy in the course of the 2025 awards ceremony. After Cardi B revealed that Doechii received the award for finest rap album for Alligator Bites By no means Heal, she immediately burst into tears. As soon as she took to the stage, the rapper famous that solely three ladies have received within the class since being launched in 1989, together with Lauryn Hill, Cardi B and now, Doechii. “I put my coronary heart and my soul into this mixtape. I bared my life,” she continued in her speech by means of tears. “I went by means of a lot. I devoted myself to sobriety, and God advised me that I might be rewarded and that he would present me simply how good it might get. And I’ve to thank God.” Learn extra right here. — Carly Thomas
Quincy Jones Tribute Options Cynthia Erivo, Will Smith and a Medley of Iconic Hits
A slew of musical artists paid tribute to the late Quincy Jones on the Grammys on Sunday evening. The music legend, who died Nov. 4, was honored with a medley of among the lots of of songs he had a hand in throughout his prolific profession as a report producer, movie composer, multi-genre artist, leisure government and humanitarian. Will Smith launched the tribute, calling Jones — referred to as “Q” to his buddies — “one of the vital influential and groundbreaking figures of our occasions.” Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Monaé, Lainey Wilson, Stevie Surprise, Herbie Hancock and Jacob Collier carried out a medley of hits as a part of the tribute. Learn extra right here. — Kimberly Nordyke
Charli XCX Goes Full ‘Brat’ Alongside Julia Fox and Alex Consani
Charli XCX confirmed the Recording Academy easy methods to be a Brat throughout her debut efficiency on the 2025 Grammys. The British singer began her reside rendition of “360” in a parking storage exterior the Crypto.com Area alongside Gabbriette Bechtel and Alex Consani — two of the celebrities of the Grammy nominated monitor’s music video. In true Charli XCX trend, she created a celebration ambiance all through her reside efficiency, strolling all through the venue accompanied by her entourage earlier than making her means contained in the venue. She went on to carry out “Guess,” cultivating her signature occasion vibe on the Grammys predominant stage. Charli XCX fairly actually recreated a membership scene in the course of the efficiency, the place she was later joined by mannequin and socialite Julia Fox. She carried out with a gaggle of partygoers as clothes flew across the stage, mimicking the monitor’s music video, dancing across the stage how Charli XCX would. Notably, all unworn clothes used throughout her efficiency shall be donated to home violence survivors. Learn extra right here. — McKinley Franklin
