2025 Grammys highlights: Trevor Noah jokes about maple syrup cost amid trade war, The Weeknd ends boycott after inspiring Grammy change
Chappell Roan called for health insurance and livable wages for artists, Will Smith honoured Quincy Jones and Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" won Album of the Year
The theme throughout the 2025 Grammys was recognizing the devastation of the Southern California wildfires. Host Trevor Noah urged individuals in the room, at home, and corporations to donate to the MusiCares Fire Relief, which supports MusiCares, Direct Relief, California Community Foundation and Pasadena Community Foundation.
Los Angeles County firefighters came out on stage, recognizing and thanking first responders battling the wildfires, to present the award for Album of the Year, which went to Beyoncé for "Cowboy Carter." Beyoncé brought her daughter, Blue Ivy, on stage to accept the award.
"I hope we just keep pushing forward, opening doors," Beyoncé said.
Trevor Noah jokes about tariffs: 'Maple syrup is about to be $50'
Noah began the awards ceremony by saying that while the 67th annual Grammy Awards are once again in Los Angeles, it's under "unusual" circumstances this year, referencing the Los Angeles wildfires.
He went on to thank local firefighters with "the spirit of the city" emerging under the devastating circumstances, with residents of Los Angeles helping each other amid the tragedy. Noah added that the night is a celebration of the city that brought the world so much of the music being celebrated during the ceremony.
The Grammy's host went on to reference the tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday. The move was followed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirming the federal government will move forward with tariffs on $155 billion worth of American goods in the coming days.
Speaking about Beyoncé's newly announced "Cowboy Carter" tour Noah said, "We can’t afford a new tour. Maple syrup is about to be $50."
The Weeknd performs at Grammys after boycott
The Weeknd doesn't have the best relationship with the Grammy Awards, after calling the Recording Academy "corrupt" in 2020 and boycotting the ceremony for years.
But that came to an end this year when the Toronto singer took the stage to perform "Cry For Me” and “Timeless” with Playboi Carti.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. spoke about The Weeknd's previous criticism of the Academy.
"I heard him. I felt his conviction," Mason Jr. said. "What we all want is an organization dedicated to the community of all music makers and one that reflects the entire music community, for now and for future generations."
He went on to highlight how the Academy has "changed," including adding 3,000 women voting members and nearly 40 per cent of all voters are people of colour.
Chappell Roan: 'Labels, we got you, but do you got us?'
Fan-favourite artist Chappell Roan won the Grammy for Best New Artist and used her acceptance speech to call for better treatment for artists by music labels, including providing health insurance.
"I told myself if I ever won a Grammy and I got to stand up here in front of the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels and the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a livable wage and healthcare, especially to developing artists," Roan said.
“Because I got signed so young, I got signed as a minor, and when I got dropped I had zero job experience under my belt, and like most people I had a difficult time finding a job in the pandemic and could not afford health insurance. It was so devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system. ... And if my label would have prioritized artists’ health, I could have been provided care by a company I was giving everything to. So record labels need to treat their artists as valuable employees with a livable wage and health insurance and protection. Labels, we got you, but do you got us?”
Beyoncé shocked to win Best Country Album
Before she won Album of the Year, Beyoncé looked stunned when Taylor Swift presented her with the Grammy for Best Country Album.
"Wow, I really was not expecting this," she said after accepting her award.
"I'd like to thank all of the incredible country artists that accepted this album. We worked so hard on it. I think sometimes genre is a code word to keep us in our place as artists and I just want to encourage people to do what they're passionate about, and to stay persistent."
Doechii's mom joins her on stage to receive award
In one of the most memorable acceptance speeches of the night, Doechii brought her mom up on stage to accept the award for Best Rap Album for "Alligator Bites Don't Heal." She is the third woman to win the category's history.
"I went through so much. I dedicated myself to sobriety and God told me that I would be rewarded and he would show me how good it can get. And I have to thank God. I need to thank my beautiful mother for coaching me," Doechii said on stage.
Will Smith honours Quincy Jones
Controversially, Will Smith also took the stage, after his infamous slap at the Oscars, to honour the late Quincy Jones, who was an executive producer on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
"You probably wouldn’t even know who Will Smith was if it wasn’t for Quincy Jones," Smith said.
He went on to share something Jones told him as a young actor on set of the 1990s TV show: "It is your job to take care of these people." Smith added that he's worked to live up to that for his entire career.
Alicia Keys: 'This is not the time to shut down the diversity of voices'
Alicia Keys receives the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 2025 #Grammys pic.twitter.com/mE0hNJPgXk
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 3, 2025
Alicia Keys received the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, with her musical Hell’s Kitchen, loosely based on her life, celebrated at the ceremony.
"This is not the time to shut down the diversity of voices," Keys said when she accepted her award. "We've seen on this stage talented, hardworking people from different backgrounds with different points of view and it changes the game. DEI is not is not a threat, it's a gift.