2025 Grammy Awards’ top moments: Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Chappell Roan

Sabrina Carpenter kicked off her Grammys performance with hit single “Espresso”, pulling out all the stops: the physical comedy that made her Short n’ Sweet Tour a sensation and landed her a Netflix Christmas Special. She showed off her acting and Broadway experience with a tap dance break, going into “Please Please Please” and returning to “Espresso” again for her very quotable “I’m working late cause I’m a singer” lyric. Carpenter won her first-ever Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance and followed it by grabbing Best Pop Vocal Album.

Grammy Award-winner and friend Olivia Rodrigo – who had Chappell Roan as an opening act during her Sour and Guts world tours – introduced Roan’s performance, a big theatrical number with sad clowns and a giant pink horse. Towards the end, Roan pointed her microphone to the audience and shouted, “Sing it!”. The crowd – her peers, fellow nominees and music legends – joined right in. Roan also won her first-ever Grammy, for Best New Artist. She spoke up for trans rights on the red carpet, and her winner’s speech demanded liveable wages for artists.

‘Guts (spilled)’ review: Olivia Rodrigo’s bonus tracks elevate the Grammy winner’s original album

After four major snubs, Beyoncé finally took Album of the Year home for her groundbreaking genre-bending project Cowboy Carter, which also won Best Country Album the same night. Beyoncé was notably snubbed at the 58th Annual Country Music Association Awards. She is the first Black woman this century to win Best Album and the first Black artist ever to win Best Country Album.

More history was made at the Grammys this year as Doechii became only the third woman ever to win Best Rap Album. She delivered an emotional, powerful speech, telling Black girls and women everywhere she was a testimony that they were exactly who they needed to be, right where they were: “You can do it. Anything is possible. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you that tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark, or that you’re not smart enough, or that you’re too dramatic, or you’re too loud.”

Billy Choi’s raps inspired by his family’s teahouse make for uniquely Hong Kong hip hop

Lamar won five Grammys – in every category he was nominated for. Alongside Best Rap Song and Music Video, the rapper clinched both Song and Record of the Year, shouting out Los Angeles, its neighbourhoods and the families out in Palisades and Altadena – areas majorly affected by the fires.

Album of the Year
Cowboy Carter – Beyoncé

Song of the Year
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar

Record of the Year
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Die with a Smile” – Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars

Best Latin Pop Album
Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran – Shakira

Best New Artist
Chappell Roan

Best Country Album
Cowboy Carter – Beyoncé

Best Pop Vocal Album
Short n’ Sweet – Sabrina Carpenter

Best Rap Album
Alligator Bites Never Heal – Doechii

Best African Music Performance
“Love Me JeJe” – Tems

Best Alternative Music Album
All Born Screaming – St. Vincent

Best Alternative Music Performance
“Flea” – St. Vincent

Best Rock Album
Hackney Diamonds – The Rolling Stones

Best Rock Song
“Broken Man” – Annie Clark, songwriter (St. Vincent)

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Daniel Nigro

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Visions – Norah Jones

Best Music Video
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap Song
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap Performance
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar

Best R&B Song
“Saturn” – SZA

Best R&B Performance
“Made For Me (Live On BET)” – Muni Long

Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
Amy Allen

Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“II Most Wanted” – Beyoncé Featuring Miley Cyrus

Best Dance Pop Recording
“Von dutch” – Charli xcx

Best Pop Solo Performance
“Espresso” – Sabrina Carpenter

Best Dance/Electronic Album
BRAT – Charli xcx