By Mike CrooksTuesday 16 Mar 2021MusicReading Time: 3 minutes
It was better late that never.
Delayed for two months due to the pandemic, the 63rd Grammy Awards was a night of social distancing with virtual audience and broken records.
In the gala evening’s biggest story, Beyoncé won four Grammys, bringing her overall total to 28 and making her the most-awarded female artist in the awards’ history. She now ties with celebrated producer Quincy Jones for winning the most Grammys ever by any artist.
“I’m so honoured,” the 39 year old said upon winning for Best R&B Performance for her song Black Parade.
“I have been working my whole life since I was nine years old, I can’t believe this is happening.”
Not far behind “Queen Bey” on the all-time winner’s list is 75-year-old Dolly Parton, who won her 9th Grammy with her collaboration with Christian rocker Zach Williams on There was Jesus. The pair won Best Contemporary Christian Music Song at the ceremony, which took place under COVID-19 restrictions at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
“When I first heard ‘There Was Jesus,’ it was one of the best songs I’d ever heard,” the country music star previously said.
“I felt like it was a Godsend, so I thought, ‘Yes, this is my record and I’m going to sing with him on it.’ I think people are going to get a blessing out of it. I know I have.”
Gospel and Christian accolades
Among the Gospel music winners were the Fisk Jubilee Singers, who won Best Roots Gospel Album for Celebrating Fisk, and Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music, who took home the Best Gospel Song Grammy for Movin’ On.
R&B singer-songwriter PJ Morton, who is also the keyboardist for Maroon 5, won Best Gospel Album with Gospel According to PJ.
Morton is the son of the well-known New Orleans Baptist preacher Paul Morton.
Meanwhile, influential and controversial artist Kayne West, 43, picked up his first Grammy in eight years for his Christian album, Jesus is King.
“I’m letting you know what Jesus has done for me, and in that I’m no longer a slave, I’m a son now, a son of God,” West, who is currently amid divorce proceedings with Kim Kardashian West, said in 2019.
Listen: Track 8 on Jesus is King album by Kayne West
Star power
Other big winners of the night included Taylor Swift, who became the first woman to win Album of the Year three times (for Folklore), Dua Lipa, who won Best Pop Vocal Album for Future Nostalgia, and Billie Eilish scored the ultimate prize of Record of the Year for Everything I Wanted.
In one of the most memorable moments of the evening, rapper Megan Thee Stallion took home the New Artist Grammy, and also won the Best Rap Song Grammy for Savage Remix, a collaboration with her childhood hero Beyoncé.
“First of all, I have to keep thanking God because without God none of us would be here today,” the 26 year old from Texas said.
“I also want to say congratulations to everybody because all of these songs were amazing – music really helped all of us get through the pandemic. I definitely want to say thank you to Beyonce.”
The evening included performances by Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift and Harry Styles, who won Best Pop Solo Performance for Watermelon Sugar.
“I feel very grateful to be here,” said the former One Direction singer. “Thank you so much.”