The 63rd annual Grammy awards were historic not only because they were held in the midst of a pandemic– but also because women set several Grammy records, including Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion, and Taylor Swift. The awards held on March 14th, 2021, had no fans attending in-person due to the COVID pandemic. Notable performers include Cardi B, Dua Lipa, HAIM, and many more.
The 2021 Grammys saw female artists dominating the stage, with captivating performances and record-breaking wins. Beyoncé set the record for the woman with the most Grammys of all time, with 28 awards. (She won the Grammy for Best Rap Song for the song “Savage” with Megan Thee Stallion.) Billie Eilish won Record of the Year for the second year in a row with her song “Everything I Wanted.” Taylor Swift became the first woman to win Album of the Year three times with her quarantine album Folklore.
Not all of the winners were agreed upon by everyone, however. Eighth-grader Sophia Z said, “I don’t really think Billie should’ve won record of the year, and the choice for song of the year seemed a little questionable. I’m very happy that Taylor and Megan won. I just think that some of the wins were a little questionable; it needs to adapt to a more global audience.”
Song of the Year went to H.E.R.’s “I Can’t Breathe,” a song written in response to the death of George Floyd.
Historically, women have been winning awards and setting records since the very first Grammy Awards in 1958. Ella Fitzgerald became the first woman to win multiple Grammy awards, taking home the Best Vocal Performance, Female, and Best Jazz Performance, Individual awards. She also became the first woman to perform at the Grammys the year after.
In conclusion, despite being held during a pandemic, women at the 2021 Grammy awards set and broke several records and took home many important awards.