The 2025 Grammy Awards celebrated the biggest names in music, with stunning performances, powerful speeches, and history-making wins. Hosted by comedian Trevor Noah for the fifth consecutive year, the star-studded event took place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
This year’s Grammys not only honoured musical excellence but also contributed to relief efforts, offering aid to music professionals affected by the Los Angeles wildfires.
In the genre categories, Shakira won Best Latin Pop Album, with Jennifer Lopez presenting the award. The Colombian superstar dedicated her win to immigrants, saying, “I want to dedicate this award to all my immigrant brothers and sisters in this country. You are loved, you are worth it, and I will always fight with you.”
Shakira’s remarks come close on the heels of an immigration crackdown ordered by the US President Donald Trump with an aim to trace, track, nab and deport illegal settlers from the country. The move was criticized by Mexican-American singer Selena Gomez in a social media post she later deleted.
Chappell Roan took home the coveted best new artist award, beating fellow nominee Sabrina Carpenter. In her acceptance speech, Roan advocated for better financial and health protections for emerging artists.
“I told myself if I ever won a Grammy and I got to stand up here in front of the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels and the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a livable wage, and healthcare especially to developing artists,” she said, receiving loud cheers from the audience. Later that night, she delivered a rousing performance of her hit Pink Pony Club, one of the standout musical moments of the evening.
The night’s most emotional moment came as Will Smith introduced a tribute to the legendary Quincy Jones, calling him “a brilliant, 28-time Grammy Award-winning producer, arranger, film and television composer, conductor, trumpet player, recording artist, and humanitarian.”
A moving performance followed, with Stevie Wonder, accompanied by Herbie Hancock on piano, leading a choir of young singers from Palisades Charter High and Pasadena Waldorf School in Altadena — both of which were impacted by the recent wildfires.
Musical highlights included Billie Eilish and Finneas performing Birds of a Feather, captivating the crowd with their signature melancholic harmonies. In a surprise twist, The Weeknd, once a vocal critic of the Grammys, stunned fans with an unannounced performance, marking his first return to the Grammy stage in years.
