This year’s 66th Grammy Awards brought us new and familiar faces winning either their first ever Grammy, or adding onto their forever building collection. From alternative to country, R&B to Rap, these were my Predictions and Winners for the 66th Grammy Awards. But before delving in, I wanted to take this time to highlight Jay-Z’s acceptance speech after winning the Dr. Dre Global Impact award. During his speech, he put a spotlight on the Grammy’s subjectivity in their award winners and nominees. Although he does mention that music overall is subjective, he points out that his wife, Beyonce, who has won the most Grammys in history has never won Album of the Year, saying, “Even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work”. Now, even though I do disagree with this statement because an artist can have great songs and performances but not entire albums, I do agree with the later part of his speech. He mentions, “Some of you gonna go home tonight and feel like you’ve been robbed. Some of you may have been robbed. Some of you don’t belong in the category”, which I feel perfectly resembles the Grammy’s overall as an award show. g

Record of the Year

Prediction: “Kill Bill” – SZA

Wanted: “Not Strong Enough” – boygenius

Winner: “Flowers” – Miley Cyrus  

While watching the show late Sunday night, it came as a shock that “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus had taken home the Grammy for Record of The Year. This is seeing how SZA was the talk of the night being nominated for the most Grammys and her song “Kill Bill” being played in radio stations on loop throughout 2023. However, after some reflection, a realization had hit that “Flowers” had been the song of the summer. Although, I had wanted boygenius’s “Not Strong Enough” to win in this category and was not too fond of “Flowers”, Cyrus’s comeback song and album after a three year sabbatical had taken hold over many other enthusiastic listeners and awarded her the Record of The Year. 

Album of the Year 

Prediction: “Midnights” – Taylor Swift

Wanted: “SOS” – SZA

Winner: “Midnights” – Taylor Swift

Whether it’s on the football field, social media, or TicketMaster, Taylor Swift has been the continuous talk of 2023. That is why it came as no surprise that Swift took home Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album with “Midnights” which was released in late 2022. Personally, I had wanted SZA’s “SOS” to win for Album of the Year not only because of SZA’s outstanding music on the album but because she is a newer musician that truly embodies the up and coming generations. Unfortunately, for SZA however, she did not win but we were graced by her breathtaking performance of “Snooze / Kill Bill” and later experienced a sneak peak at her new song “Saturn”. On Swift’s end, after being awarded the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album, Swift wasted no time by announcing the release of her new album “The Tortured Poets Department” set for release on April 19th this year. Making it her fourth album, including two rerecordings of previous albums, in a span of only two years. Nevertheless, both of these women have lots to be proud of with SZA taking home three Grammys and Swift two. 

Song of the Year

Prediction & Wanted: “What Was I Made for” – Billie Eilish

Winner: “What Was I Made for” – Billie Eilish

If you haven’t yet, you have to listen to “What Was I Made For” by Billie Eilish and while you’re at it, watch the Barbie movie that this song was written for. The amount of depth and vulnerability the song is able to capture perfectly pairs with not only the movie but also with how it feels to not know what you’re doing in a world full of change. From Billie Eilish’s beautiful voice to the perfect accompaniment from the piano, this song is able to make you feel confused, lost, understood, and hopeful all at the same time. 

Best New Artist 

Prediction: Noah Kahn 

Winner: Victoria Monét

Ice Spice and Gracie Abrahams dominated the beginning of the year but Noah Kahn had come in full effect towards the end of 2023 which made me believe he had truly secured the award. But I couldn’t have been more wrong as Victoria Monét had taken home Best New Artist. As someone who has been in the music business a while and has finally risen to stardom, Monét openly became popular after her hit single, “On My Mama” which was released shortly before her album “JAGUAR II”. With her and all the others in the category, I’m sure there is lots to come from all these new Artists and I’m excited to see what they bring to the table next. 

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Prediction: “Never Felt So Alone” – Labrinth ft. Billie Eilish

Wanted & Winner:  “Ghost in the Machine”- SZA ft. Phoebe Bridgers

I’m honestly split because although I did want “Ghost in the Machine” to win for this category, I really believed that “Never Felt So Alone” would rain superior. From the voice combination and layering of Labrinth and Billie Eilish, the unique backing track, and the unpredictable change in pacing of the song it is one of the best and most underrated pop duo performances. In reality there is not enough to be said about this song which is why I am so surprised that it did not win. These two songs though are some of the best pop duo songs that in my opinion, have ever come across this category. “Ghost in the Machine” has an equal amount of breathtaking power as well in an almost completely opposite way. SZA and Phoebe Bridgers, two artists who would never be thought of to sing on the same track truly hone in on their skills and bring the performance of a lifetime. Never singing over each other, SZA sets the tone from the beginning of the song with a very head banging beat. This melodic tune followed by SZA’s singing/rapping continues on until reaching Bridger’s verse that slows the entire song down. Honing in on her lyrics and voice, Bridgers for her 45 seconds is able to capture entire audiences with her short performance. Showcasing the contrasting skills of both artists combining together to create this masterpiece. 

Best Alternative Music Performance 

Prediction: “This is Why” – Paramore

Wanted: “Cool About it”- boygenius

Winner: “This is Why” – Paramore

Known to some as one of the best bands to do Alternative music, Paramore was able to take home their first two Grammys this award night with Best Rock Album for “This Is Why” and  Best Alternative Music Performance for the title track of the same album. The strong and repetitive chorus that is brought on with a strong electric guitar backing is what sold this song for me to win in this category. Although my heart yearns for boygenius’s “Cool About It” which I wanted to win with its soft guitar and banjo melody and harmonizing vocals, the band was able to take home Best Alternative Album and two other Grammys so there is nothing to hurt over. 

Best Traditional R&B performance

Prediction & Wanted: “Simple” – Babyface ft. Coco Jones

Winner: “Good Morning” – PJ Morton ft. Susan Carol

After listening to “Good Morning” again after my surprise from them winning this award, I will say that the song is better after listening again. Although quite repetitive, the song gives the traditional R&B vibe both vocally and instrumentally. However, I still can’t get over “Simple” by BabyFace and Coco Jones. Jones’s voice seems like it was made for this category and the lyrics with her tone pair up perfectly. Even Babyface coming in after Jones and the two conversing back and forth in the song made the performance even better. I would say that this was the most underrated category with the biggest snub for the 66th Grammy Awards. 

Best Melodic Rap Performance 

Wanted: “Sittin’ on Top of the World” – Burna Boy ft. 21 Savage

Prediction & Winner: “All My Life” – Lil Durk ft. J. Cole

Best Melodic Rap Performance previously known as Best Rap/Sung performance is a category that recognizes the best mix of rap and sung vocals on a song. Through looking at the nominations and each of the songs, it was clear that “All My Life” had embodied the vocals and rap exactly for what this award was looking for. With the incorporation of Lil Durk’s rapping, mixed in with the background choir had really carried the chorus. Additionally, J Cole’s storytelling rap was able to yet again bring a story to the song. 

Best Country Solo Performance 

Prediction: “Fast Car” – Luke Combs

Wanted: “In Your Love” – Tyler Childers

Winner: “White Horse” – Chris Stapleton

With Luke Combs singing Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car, I really believed that it would win in this category not only because of the popularity from the song before, but because of the modern day spin that Combs had put on it. However, Stapleton’s “White Horse” really does embrace a lot of theatrics into something you only listen to. To be quite honest, I didn’t even know that this song could be considered Country with the incorporation of so much electric guitar instead of acoustic. Nevertheless, Statepleton had come out victorious compared to the other nominees. 

Best Music Video

Prediction: “In Your Love” – Tyler Childers

Wanted: “Count Me Out” – Kendrick Lamar

Winner: “I’m Only Sleeping” – The Beatles

I knew right away after watching the “In your Love” music video by Tyler Childers that I both wanted and predicted for it to win. The music and the acting that takes place in the video pair perfectly to tell a story about love and loss, and how through experience we have our future. But I couldn’t have acted more impulsively. After watching Kendrick Lamar’s “Count Me Out” the pain and blunt emotion he was able to display simply from a conversation with his therapist and video elements throughout added more vulnerability to a song that already touched into emotions. Even Eilish’s“What was I Made For”, stood out among other music videos for its relatability to everything not going the way you plan. That’s why after seeing that “I’m Only Sleeping” by the Beatles had won for Best Music Video almost 60 years after its release, it was astounding to me. Granted, the art in the video was truly magnificent, but for it to win over these other music videos that had displayed so much emotion both through acting and through music was truly upsetting.