The 2025 Grammys

By Campbell Goldston

After 54-years, Feb. 1 marked the last time CBS will host the Grammys. With significant achievements and activism, the award show ended its partnership, and the event will find a new home on ABC, Hulu, and Disney+.

Trevor Noah, the comedian hosting the show for the sixth time, introduced the event and made jokes about celebrities, some of whom were in attendance, and others who were not present, including Donald Trump and Nicki Minaj. 

Sabrina Carpenter then took the stage, performing her single, “Manchild,” before Best Rap Album of the Year was announced. “GNX” by Kendrick Lamar took the victory, with Lamar winning in four other categories throughout the night. This marks the fourth time Lamar has had five wins in one night, making him the most-awarded hip-hop artist in Grammy history. Lamar also won Record of the Year for his collaboration with SZA on “luther,” which was mistakenly announced as Luther Vandross by Cher. 

The third performance featured all the nominees for Best New Artist, each artist performing one of their hit songs from the past year. This included KATSEYE, who performed choreography from their tour, Alex Warren, who sang “Ordinary” despite difficulties with his earpiece, and Lola Young, who performed a piano version of her hit single, “Messy.” 

Chappell Roan, winner of the 2025 Best New Artist award, presented the winner: Olivia Dean. In her acceptance speech, Dean mentioned how she is the granddaughter of immigrants and honored them by saying, “I’m a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated.”

This was one of the many statements that supported immigrants and spoke out against ICE during the show. Celebrities such as Justin and Hailey Bieber and Finneas wore “ICE OUT” pins to show their support. In her acceptance speech for “WILDFLOWER” winning Song of the Year, Billie Eilish said, “I don’t feel like I need to say anything, but...no one is illegal on stolen land.”

The final award of the night, Album of the Year, was presented by Harry Styles. Bad Bunny’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” won, making it the first all-Spanish album to ever win in this category. The album also took home a victory for Best Musica Urbana Album. 

In both of his acceptance speeches, the Puerto Rican artist advocated against ICE and the current actions of the U.S. government. He said, “We’re not savages. We’re not animals. We’re not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans.”

Other performances sparked conversation online, with Justin Bieber performing in only boxers and socks, and Lady Gaga performing with a birdcage-inspired wicker basket on her head. Reba performed for the first time on the Grammy stage in a tribute to people in the music industry who have recently passed away. Additionally, Post Malone performed a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, and Lauryn Hill, joined by others, including Jon Batiste and John Legend, performed a tribute to D’Angelo. 

Other awards included Jelly Roll winning Best Contemporary Country Album, “MAYHEM” by Lady Gaga winning Best Pop Vocal Album, “Messy” by Lola Young winning Best Pop Vocal Performance, Pharrell Williams winning the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, and Cher winning the Lifetime Achievement Award.