With 2025 off to a rocky start, award season couldn’t have come at a more interesting time. The 67th Grammy Awards aired Sunday, leaving pop culture enthusiasts such as myself with lots to discuss.
For starters, there was a distasteful red carpet appearance and pop girlies owning the stage and forgetting their pants at home.
Shockingly, a wildfire relief donation plea was made to the viewers at home whilst some of the wealthiest A-listers and entertainers sipped champagne in their couture.
Sabrina Carpenter, known for her wit, cheeky songs and petite stature, didn’t disappoint. Miss Polly Pocket herself scored two Grammys for Best Pop Vocal Album, “Short n’ Sweet,” and Best Pop Solo Performance for her hit “Espresso.” Carpenter took center stage, paying homage to Hollywood Legend Goldie Hawn. She put her spin on Goldie’s iconic 1979 performance. The Short n’ Sweet triple threat gave us humor and her theatrical best while tap dancing and belting her signature vocals.
From one Disney Channel alum to the next, Miley Cyrus attended the awards as a presenter slaying in her Alaïa. Before announcing the record of the year, Cyrus pointed to the front row and said, “We won Beyoncé.” The two won “Best Duo” that evening for their song “ II Most Wanted,” making Beyoncé a 35-time Grammy winner and Cyrus a three-time Grammy winner. One thing I have always loved about Cyrus is her respect for those who preceded her, as well as her eagerness to collaborate. Cyrus even reunited with Sabrina Carpenter. Fans took to Instagram to share pics of the two 15 years ago at their first meeting. Maybe there’s a Cyrus/Carpenter collab in our future.
Whether it was presenters or performers, the Grammys got the memo. Generation Z wanted Chappel Roan, Olivia Rodrigo, Charli XCX, Doechii and Billie Eilish, and the Grammys delivered. Instagram was flooded with priceless reactions, making for the best award-show memes. Accounts like @betches and @bustle are always the place to be the day after an award show.
This year, women dominated, which was an absolute slay. Nevertheless, Kendrick Lamar found his way into the mix, taking home five awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. While I’m happy for Lamar, I predicted Billie Eilish would sweep up Song of the Year for her beloved “Birds Of A Feather.” Eilish seemed to be in good spirits for the majority of the night until the very end when she was seen crying. Was it tears of sadness due to a winless night or something else? We’ll stay tuned for that scoop.
It was also a winning night for Shakira. Jennifer Lopez (J.Lo) presented Shakira with her award for Best Latin Pop Album for “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran,” was iconic and also quite ironic. It wasn’t too long ago when JLo begrudgingly shared the Super Bowl LIV halftime show with Shakira, and we heard all about it in J.Lo’s documentary, “Halftime.”
Although some news outlets report she never said anything targeting Shakira, quotes from J.Lo such as “I’m trying to give you something with substance,” said J.Lo, “Not just us out there shaking our f**cking a**es and f**cking belly dancing”. Well, who could she be referring to other than “Miss Hips Don’t Lie” herself? Anyway, congrats, Shakira and none for Gretchen Weiners.
Changing tempos, Raye and Cynthia Erivo delivered breathtaking jazz renditions of “Oscar Winning Tears“ and “Fly Me To The Moon.” Both women are undeniably talented, and their performances were nothing short of captivating.
On the flip side, there were a few misses. While Benson Boone’s recycled performance may have excited a few newbies, he could use a few new tricks up his sleeve and less public crotch adjustments because that was awkward.
However, the more disconcerting moments from this year’s Grammys include Kanye West’s red carpet appearance with his wife, Bianca Censori, who dropped her fur, exposing her fully nude figure. Incidentally, there has been an outpouring of concern for Censori’s wellbeing following their departure. Contrary to multiple reports, Kanye claims they left the Grammys willingly.
But Kanye’s controversial arrival wasn’t the only thing that rubbed many of us the wrong way. In this uncertain economic and political climate we’re currently in, it felt tone-deaf to rally regular folks for donations while tax-exempt corporations, millionaires and billionaires celebrated their wins and gains dripping in diamonds and designer threads. The Grammys highlighting the importance of rebuilding the devastated communities affected by the wildfires was a great idea, butperhaps a live celebrity donation meter would have been better received.
Once again, it’s tone-deaf to appeal to the majority at home who’s bearing the brunt of taxes, tariffs and federal funding cuts while there are increasing exemptions for wealthy celebrities we watched toast to each other.
It’s giving dystopian society, or rather the “Hunger Games.” The famous quote, “May the odds be ever in your favor,” is better suited for the big screen, not our reality.
Ava Francis is a 21-year-old journalism major from New Orleans residing in Texas.
