San Francisco Frontiers - Beyonce finally wins top album at Grammys, as Lamar shines

Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Doechii and Sabrina Carpenter emerged as big winners at the performance-heavy gala, while heavyweights Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish went home empty-handed.

Beyonce's win for "Cowboy Carter" now makes her the most nominated, most decorated artist at the awards show ever -- as well as the first Black woman to claim the top prize in this century.

The triumph was all the more relevant as the 43-year-old's ambitious, historically rooted album elevated and showcased the work of Black artists in country music, whose rich contributions the industry has repeatedly sidelined.

"I just feel very full and very honored," she said, her husband Jay-Z and daughter Blue Ivy cheering from the crowd of A-listers at Crypto.com Arena.

She dedicated the prize to Linda Martell, a pioneering Black country musician featured on the album.

"I hope we just keep pushing forward, opening doors," Beyonce said.

The win brought Beyonce's total Grammys on the night to three: she also won for her collaboration with Miley Cyrus, and snagged the best country album trophy.

"I really was not expecting this," she said as she accepted that prize, her voice audibly shaking. "Sometimes genre is a code word to keep us in our place as artists."

"I just want to encourage people to do what they're passionate about and to stay persistent," she added.

- Lamar, Chappell Roan own the stage -

Hip-hop laureate Lamar cleaned up thanks to his smash diss track "Not Like Us," one of a series of songs from the Los Angeles-area native that skewer rap rival Drake.

He won in all five categories in which he was nominated, including Record and Song of the Year. He lost only to himself -- he was twice up for two of the rap genre prizes.

"Nothing more powerful than rap music," the 37-year-old Lamar said in accepting the top song trophy. "We are the culture."

"Not Like Us" shattered streaming records, catapulted to the top of the charts and quickly became a West Coast rap anthem, beloved for its pounding bass line, rhythmic strings and exaggerated enunciation.

Lamar dedicated his best record win to his hometown, which is still reeling from the fires that razed whole neighborhoods and left thousands of people displaced.

The coveted prize for Best New Artist went to Chappell Roan, capping a meteoric year for the Midwestern artist who went from struggling singer to music's It girl seemingly overnight.

But in a powerful acceptance speech, she recounted how it wasn't always easy -- she was dropped from her label during the pandemic and struggled to find work.

Roan demanded that labels provide artists with a "livable wage and health care."

"Record labels need to treat their artists as valuable employees," she said. "Labels, we got you, but do you got us?"

- 'Anything is possible' -

Doechii emerged as another big winner, becoming just the third woman to ever win the prize for best rap album. The second-ever winner, Cardi B, presented her with the prize.

"Anything is possible," Doechii said as she accepted the trophy through tears, speaking directly to Black girls and women like herself.

"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," she said.

"You are exactly who you need to be."

Sabrina Carpenter won for best pop vocal album, her second award of the night that followed a slapstick, Old Hollywood-inspired performance of her nominated hits "Espresso" and "Please Please Please."

And Shakira scooped Best Latin Pop Album, before delivering a jaw-dropping performance of her classics and new work, gyrating around the room.

- 'Love you, LA' -

Sunday's gala was an homage to the city of Los Angeles.

Yet it was not a somber evening but rather one of warmth, celebrating first responders while urging donations. Host Trevor Noah said at least $7 million was raised from viewers for wildfire relief.

Top LA County firefighters presented Beyonce with her big award, while students who lost their schools sang with Stevie Wonder on "We Are The World" as part of the tribute to the late music powerhouse Quincy Jones.

The show opened with a supergroup including Sheryl Crow and John Legend performing Randy Newman's track "I Love LA," while Eilish sang her hit "Birds of a Feather" in an LA Dodgers baseball cap.

"I love you LA," she said to cheers.

P.Thomas--SFF