---
title: "Beyonce, Sabrina Carpenter win Grammys as musicians honor Los Angeles"
description: "LOS ANGELES, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Beyonce won the Grammy Award for best country album on Sunday for \"Cowboy Carter\" at a ceremony that served as a love letter to host city Los Angeles following the devastating wildfires that scarred a hub of the music business."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-03-beyonce-sabrina-carpenter-win-grammys-as-musicians-honor-los-angeles/"
published: "2025-02-03T04:47:05"
updated: "2025-02-03T04:47:07"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 410
---

# Beyonce, Sabrina Carpenter win Grammys as musicians honor Los Angeles

> LOS ANGELES, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Beyonce won the Grammy Award for best country album on Sunday for "Cowboy Carter" at a ceremony that served as a love letter to host city Los Angeles following the devastating wildfires that scarred a hub of the music business.

By Reuters · Published 3 February 2025, 06:47 SAST · Updated 3 February 2025, 06:47 SAST

## Key points
- In a night where Beyoncé snagged a surprise country award amid wildfires and heartfelt tributes to Los Angeles, the Grammys became a star-studded celebration of resilience, with Taylor Swift handing out trophies like confetti and Doechii breaking barriers in rap.
- Beyoncé aims for her first album of the year Grammy, despite past snubs.
- The 2023 Grammy Awards pay tribute to Los Angeles following devastating wildfires.
- Taylor Swift presents Beyoncé with a country award, marking her genre crossover.
- Doechii makes history as the third woman to win best rap album, inspiring Black women and girls.

## Content

- Beyonce aiming for first album of the year trophy
- Show pays tribute to Los Angeles after wildfires
- Taylor Swift also in the running for album prize

By Lisa Richwine and Danielle Broadway

The superstar hip-hop singer said she was "in shock" to take the country award for her first venture into the genre. The Beyonce album [was snubbed](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3KR0R2&linkedFromStory=true) by voters for the Country Music Awards in their nominations in September.

"Really I was not expecting this," Beyonce said after she was handed the Grammy trophy by presenter Taylor Swift. "I want to thank God that I'm able to still do what I love after so many years."

"Cowboy Carter" was in the running for the night's top Grammy prize of album of the year. Beyonce has never received the album trophy despite going into Sunday's ceremony with 32 career wins, more than any other musician.

This year's Grammy festivities were revamped to be part awards show and part fundraiser for people affected by the wildfires, which were [contained on Friday](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL2N3OH1G7&linkedFromStory=true) after killing 29 people and displacing thousands including many musicians.

Broadcast live on CBS PARA.O, the show opened with an all-star rendition "I Love LA" featuring Altadena-based band Dawes backed by John Legend, Brad Paisley, St. Vincent and Brittany Howard.

"Tonight, we decided we are not just celebrating our favorite music. We are also celebrating the city that brought us so much of that music," host Trevor Noah said.

Los Angeles natives and siblings Billie Eilish and Finneas followed Noah's monologue with a performance of nominated song "Birds of a Feather." "I love you LA," Eilish said from the stage.

Sabrina Carpenter won best pop vocal album for "Short n' Sweet," minutes after a performance of hits "Please Please Please" and "Espresso" on a set inspired by the golden age of Hollywood.

"I'm still out of breath from that performance," Carpenter said as she accepted the trophy. "This is my first Grammy so I'm going to cry."

Doechii became the third woman in Grammys history to win best rap album for "Alligator Bites Never Heal." As she accepted the honor, she offered words of encouragement to Black women and girls.

"Anything is possible," Doechii said as she held her trophy. "Don't allow anyone to project any stereotypes on you."

Grammy winners are chosen by the 13,000 singers, songwriters, producers, engineers and others who make up the Recording Academy.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Mary Milliken and Stephen Coates)