Pop superstar Taylor Swift, R&B artist SZA and pop singer Miley Cyrus won Grammy trophies on Sunday as women dominated this year’s top honors in the music business.
Swift, winner of best pop vocal performance, used the moment to announce that she will release a new album on April 19 called “The Tortured Poets Department.”
“I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the last two years,” Swift said as she disclosed the new album.
SZA, who won the award for best R&B song for “Snooze,” ran out from backstage, where she was changing outfits, and accepted her trophy from presenter Lizzo. SZA recalled how she and Lizzo had played to small rooms of people as they were building their careers.
“I came really, really far, and I can’t believe this is happening, and it feels very fake,” she said.
Cyrus won her first Grammy, taking the best solo pop performance prize for her empowerment anthem “Flowers” and was handed the gold trophy by Mariah Carey. Cyrus said she got stuck in traffic during heavy rain in Los Angeles and nearly missed the moment her name was called.
“I could have missed the award, that’s fine, but not Mariah Carey!” Cyrus said as she stood on stage.
Swift, SZA and Cyrus were in the running for the night’s top prize of album of the year. If Swift wins that honor, she will be the only musician in the 66-year Grammys history to have won the award four times.
Comedian Trevor Noah, hosting for a fourth time, opened the show on CBS (PARA.O), opens new tab by joking that it was “the only concert that starts on time.”
In one of the night’s first performances, country singer Luke Combs joined with Tracy Chapman for a duet of “Fast Car,” the hit song that she released in 1988 and that Combs remade into a massive country hit last year. Swift, Jelly Roll and other nominees stood in the audience and swayed to the music.
Indie rock band boygenius, a band formed by musicians Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, claimed three awards including rock performance, rock song and alternative music album for “The Record.”
Winners were chosen by the musicians, producers, engineers and others who make up the Recording Academy. The group has worked to diversify its membership in recent years by inviting more women and people of color to its ranks.
