Sunday night’s Grammy Awards were a huge win for Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar, with both artists taking home major honours.
The ceremony, which focused on raising funds for wildfire relief efforts in Los Angeles, was packed with unforgettable moments—from show-stopping performances to powerful speeches and red carpet looks sure to inspire fashion trends for the next year.
The Standard takes a look back at the standout moments from the star-studded evening:
See also: Which British stars won at the Grammys?
Beyonce’s meme-worthy reaction to winning Best Country Album
beyoncé winning best country album of the year at the 2025 grammys suprised shock not expecting gagged reaction video pic.twitter.com/OqGju2SGNJ
— 🗂️ (@bratfolder) February 3, 2025
Beyoncé may have had fans screaming with excitement at home when Cowboy Carter won Best Country Album, but in the room, she was momentarily frozen in shock. In true Queen Bey fashion, she even gave us an instantly iconic reaction before her daughter gave her a gentle nudge—prompting her to finally make her way to the stage.
Although the moment almost didn’t happen as footage from the event has shown the music icon arriving with Blue Ivy and husband Jay-Z seconds before her name was called for the Best Country Album category, which was presented by Taylor Swift.
She became the first Black woman in nearly half a century to win a country category at the Grammys, cementing Cowboy Carter's impact. And that wasn’t her only country win—though it wasn’t televised, she also took home Best Country Duo/Group Performance for II Most Wanted, her collaboration with Miley Cyrus.
Babyface cutoff mid-interview as reporter vies to speak to Chappell Roan
Associated Press journalists Leslie Ambriz and Krysta Fauria came under fire after their interview with Grammy-winning producer Babyface was cut short when Fauria spotted pop star Roan behind them at the 2025 Grammys on Sunday.
Babyface was mid-answer when Fauria called out: “Chappell! Chappell!” the 65-year-old handled the moment gracefully, saying, “You guys wanna do that? Go do that,” and walked away. Ambriz said to the A-list star, “I’m so sorry. Sorry,” as Roan, 26, stepped forward to be interviewed.
Footage of the moment was widely criticised on social media, with Grammy-winning singer Dionne Warwick calling out the incident. She shared the clip on X with the caption: “13x Grammy Award winning Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds? Am I seeing this correctly?” Warwick also posted a screenshot of the definition of the word “decorum”.
After the moment went viral, Fauria apologised saying: “I wanted to say that I’m really sorry about interrupting Babyface earlier. There was a lot of commotion on the carpet, but I’m a big Babyface fan, as are we all. I really apologize."
Taylor Swift ‘holding space’ for Cynthia Erivo
Cynthia Erivo and Taylor Swift recreate the viral “Holding Space” moment at the #Grammys pic.twitter.com/48j0el4iOA
— wicked news hub (@wickednewshub) February 3, 2025
Taylor Swift came to Cynthia Erivo’s rescue at the 2025 Grammy Awards after the Wicked star appeared to struggle finding her seat. Swift, who was up for six awards on the night, spotted Erivo looking a little lost in the crowd and quickly waved her over to sit next to her.
In a video shared by @tayvisnation on X, the Champagne Problems singer can be seen reaching out to greet Erivo before patting the seat beside her, inviting her to join her. The Oscar nominee wasted no time taking the spot, and Swift pulled her in for a sweet hug.
Throughout the night, the duo were spotted sitting together, with cameras capturing their reactions multiple times during the ceremony, including one moment where they recreated Erivo’s viral ‘holding space’ moment behind event host Trevor Noah.
Shakira celebrates Grammy win with rarely-seen sons
Shakira shared a heartwarming moment with her rarely-seen sons at the 2025 Grammys as she celebrated a major win. The Hips Don’t Lie star, 48, took home Best Latin Pop Album for Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran.
After being presented the award by Jennifer Lopez, Shakira turned to embrace her sons, Milan, 12, and Sasha, 10. The singer shares her boys with ex-partner Gerard Piqué, 38, whom she split from in June 2022. During her acceptance speech, the Colombian icon made a powerful political statement, dedicating her win to her "immigrant brothers and sisters" amid growing concerns over mass deportation plans.
Later in the night, before taking the stage for a show-stopping performance, the four-time Grammy winner reflected: “I want to share this award with my kids. They are here with me. I'm so proud of you guys, of your kind hearts. Thank you so much for supporting me the way you do. I love you. Thank you.”
The Grammys emotional tribute to Liam Payne
Liam Payne fans were overcome with emotion as the Grammys paid a heartfelt tribute to the late One Direction star on Sunday, with a special performance from Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Martin, 47, took centre stage in the ceremony’s annual In Memoriam segment, which honours the legendary voices lost over the past year.
As host Trevor Noah introduced the tribute, a montage of Payne and his One Direction bandmates appeared on the big screen, showing them waving to a sea of adoring fans from a rooftop—a poignant reminder of his incredible journey in music. As a montage of him smiling and singing on stage rolled, Payne said in a voiceover: “We never expected any of this to happen. Actually sit and think about it, we've done some amazing things.”
Other musicians remembered at the ceremony include American actor and singer Kris Kristofferson and Tito Jackson – an original member of The Jackson 5 and the brother of the late Michael Jackson and American musician Wayne Osmond.
Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo make amends
AAAAAAAAAA SABRINA Y OLIVIA pic.twitter.com/hxMgkQZX6W
— Claudia (@claudialvsjoe) February 3, 2025
Any lingering drama between Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter seems well and truly in the past. During the broadcast, the two pop stars were spotted chatting as Swift walked by. Rodrigo had stopped by Carpenter’s table, and while their conversation wasn’t audible, their relaxed body language and hug suggested any tension from their shared history with Joshua Bassett was gone.
Rodrigo attended the ceremony with her boyfriend, Enola Holmes actor Louis Partridge, and the couple was seen looking affectionate throughout the night. Meanwhile, Carpenter—who was last linked to Barry Keoghan—marked a career milestone, winning her first-ever Grammy, including Best Pop Vocal Album.
Jaden Smith’s headwear
In 2014, Pharrell Williams’ iconic Mountie hat became a viral sensation, but at the 67th Grammy Awards, Jaden Smith seemed to have taken headwear to a whole new level.
Attending the ceremony, Jaden turned heads with an eye-catching, conversation-starting headpiece that quickly sparked a frenzy on social media. The 26-year-old was joined by his sister Willow and father Will, who made his first public appearance since the infamous Oscars slap.
The striking hat, crafted by Abodi Transylvania, draws inspiration from Transylvanian history and the eerie vampire tales of Bathori. According to the designer, it's a “bold, modern design.” However, fans had their own take, with some likening the sculptural accessory to a “haunted Minecraft building.”
Kanye West and his wife Bianca Censori’s naked stunt
Kanye West stepped onto the red carpet in his signature black attire, accompanied by his wife Bianca Censori, who turned heads for all the wrong reasons. As they posed for the cameras, the Australian model stripped off her black fur coat to reveal a sheer body stocking that left little to the imagination.
The couple didn’t stick around long. After the photos, they made a swift exit, skipping the ceremony altogether and driving off into the LA night. At first, reports suggested they had been kicked out, but sources close to the pair say they left on their own terms. One insider confirmed, "West walked the carpet, got in his car, and left."
By the time Kendrick Lamar claimed the Best Rap Song award over West’s track Carnival, they were likely already home. But Kanye probably isn't too bothered—after all, he’s got 24 Grammy wins and the kind of headlines he thrives on.
Artists pay tribute to LA Wildfire victims
Oh Grammy making me tear up from the start. #ILoveLA #Dawes #Grammys2025 pic.twitter.com/l7u7bUeGJ8
— Louisa Bacio (@Louisabacio) February 3, 2025
The Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles kicked off with a heartfelt tribute to those affected by the recent wildfires. Dawes, the American folk rock band who lost both their home and studio in the fires, opened the show with a stirring rendition of Randy Newman’s I Love LA. They were joined on stage by a star-studded lineup, including John Legend, Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, Brittany Howard, and St. Vincent.
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars also honoured the city with a moving performance of California Dreamin' by The Mamas & The Papas, dedicating their rendition to those impacted by the devastating wildfires in Southern California.
The fires, which began last month, have caused widespread destruction, claiming at least 25 lives and forcing over 105,000 people to evacuate. In response, the Grammy Awards announced plans to raise funds for wildfire recovery efforts.
Brits take Grammy stage by storm
Charli xcx’s full performance of ‘Von dutch/Guess’ at the 2025 #Grammys pic.twitter.com/CSZ2KVklZe
— xcxshake (@xcxshake) February 3, 2025
Charli XCX and Raye represented the UK with unforgettable performances that captivated both the audience at the event and viewers at home. Charli, who bagged three Grammys, brought her own brand of chaos and energy to the ceremony. During her live renditions of Von Dutch and Guess, she transformed the glitzy Grammy stage into a vibrant, sweaty nightclub.
She made a bold entrance, stepping out of a black SUV, strutting toward the camera, and dramatically tossing a glass of champagne against the wall of a parking garage.
Taylor Swift dancing with a bottle of champagne during Charli xcx’s performance of “Guess” at the #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/AtOsfyT6DT
— xcx source (@xcxsource) February 3, 2025
What followed was a high-energy rave, with Charli surrounded by model Julia Fox and a sea of dancers, all drenched in underwear—an unmistakable nod to the song’s lyrics. Also spotted in the crowd raving to the star’s performance was Taylor Swift with a champagne bottle in hand alongside pal Margaret Qualley.
Among the night’s show-stealers was British singer-songwriter Raye, nominated for three awards, including Best New Artist. While she didn’t take home any trophies this time, her performance of Oscar Winning Tears had the entire Crypto.com Arena in awe.
The Weeknd ends Grammys boycott
The Weeknd made a shocking return to the Grammys on Sunday, after famously boycotting the awards in 2021.
Abel Tesfaye, the Canadian artist behind the hitmaker, hit the stage with a performance of two tracks from his latest album, Hurry Up Tomorrow. He kicked things off with a powerful rendition of Cry For Me, before being joined by Playboi Carti for a high-energy version of Timeless.
This performance marks a dramatic return, three years after Tesfaye chose to turn his back on music's biggest night.
Trevor Noah leads anti-Trump remarks
Grammys host Trevor Noah wasted no time taking a jab at President Donald Trump’s new tariffs during his opening monologue. Hosting the event for the fifth consecutive year, Noah playfully targeted the financial impact of Trump’s policies, particularly those affecting Canada. Referring to record-breaking nominee Beyoncé and her upcoming ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour, he quipped, “I will say, though Beyoncé. There’s tariffs. We can’t afford a new tour, right? Maple syrup is about to be $50 (£40.62).”
He also took aim at the US immigration policies introduced under the Trump Administration. “We’re going to be honouring the best in music as voted on by the 13,000 members of the Recording Academy and 20 million illegal immigrants,” he joked.
In a nod to his own status, the South African comedian added: “There’s been a few changes in Washington. So I’m gonna enjoy tonight because this may be my last time I get to host anything in this country.”
Just hours before the ceremony, Best New Artist winner Chappell Roan delivered a powerful message of support to the trans community during a red carpet interview with GLAAD. “It's brutal right now. Trans people have always existed and they will forever exist, and they will never, no matter what happens, take trans joy away,” she declared.
“Trans people are not invisible. Trans people deserve love. The queer community deserves to be lifted up. Music is love. Thank you.” – Lady Gaga’s speech at the #GRAMMYspic.twitter.com/6yhmi3pk42
— pop culture gal (@allurequinn) February 3, 2025
Lady Gaga also used her platform to stand up for her transgender fans. “I just want to say tonight that trans people are not invisible. Trans people deserve love. The queer community deserves to be lifted up. Music is love,” she said while accepting her best pop duo/group performance award.
Her remarks come after President Trump’s controversial statement last month, declaring there are "only two genders" following his return to the White House.
On stage, trans models and activists Alex Consani and Richie Shaza joined Charli XCX for an electrifying performance of Von Dutch and Guess from her album Brat.
Meanwhile, Alicia Keys took a moment to address another of Trump’s divisive policies—his crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion departments—while accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award.
Beyoncé finally winning Album of the Year
BEYONCÉ FINALLY ACCEPTS HER AWARD FOR ALBUM OF THE YEAR FOR COWBOY CARTER, GET TF UP😭😭🥹🥹 pic.twitter.com/bnPIWJsasf
— 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘆🫧💚 (@beyoncegarden) February 3, 2025
Beyoncé finally claimed the coveted Album of the Year Grammy, marking a historic win at this year’s awards. Despite holding the title of the most-nominated artist in Grammy history, the top prize had eluded her four times before.
Only three women of colour have won Album of the Year before Beyoncé, with Lauryn Hill being the last to take the honour 26 years ago. Presented by members of the Los Angeles Fire Department, the music icon was joined by her 13-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy, as she accepted the award for her chart-topping album Cowboy Carter.
Feeling deeply moved, Beyoncé said: "It's been many, many years and I just want to thank the Grammys, every songwriter, every collaborator, every producer, all the hard work." She dedicated her win to Linda Martell, the first commercially successful black female artist in country music.
