It’s safe to say that this year’s Grammy Awards was packed with unexpected moments, thrilling comebacks, and headline-worthy surprises. From Colombian singer Shakira and R&B artist The Weeknd performing on the Crypto.com Arena stage to Kendrick Lamar triumphing over Drake to Kanye West’s unwelcoming entry with his wife, here’s a breakdown of the most-talked-about moments of the night.
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Was Kanye trying to make a statement?
Kanye West, professionally known as Ye, shocked everyone with an unexpected appearance on the Grammys red carpet, despite not receiving an invite. Some reports suggest that the Stronger rapper was trying to make a statement when he arrived with his wife Bianca Censori and five others in tow. The couple donned matching black outfits until Censori turned heads when she removed her black fur coat to reveal an extremely sheer dress, exposing her private areas.
Their appearance erupted social media, with many criticising the moments as “disgraceful” and “tasteless” and urged the Recording Academy to remove them from the event. The couple eventually left, but whether they left on their own terms or were escorted out by security remains unclear.
Queen Bey wins big
Beyoncé was visibly stunned when Taylor Swift announced her name as the winner of Best Country Album for Cowboy Carter. Her shocked reaction quickly became an instant meme, especially since her 13-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, calmly prompted her mother to receive the award.

The singer took home Album of the Year for the same album, marking a personal milestone for her, considering that, in her 99 nominations and 34 wins, this marks her first. She beat out Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, Charli XCX, André 3000, and Jacob Collier for the coveted award.
In Memoriam
This year’s In Memoriam tribute was led by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. Performing All My Love from his new album, the segment opened with a tribute to former One Direction member Liam Payne, who passed away in October 2024 in Argentina.
The #Grammys2025 honored Liam Payne in a heartfelt tribute during their memoriam segment. A true loss for music, but his legacy will live on through the incredible music he created. Rest in peace, Liam. #LiamPayne #InMemoriam #MusicLegacy pic.twitter.com/ltgQu5o3xa
— Cooper Jones (@CooperJone96225) February 3, 2025
His tribute was followed by other music industry icons who passed away in the past year including Kris Kristofferson, Ángela Álvarez, Steve Albini, Cissy Houston, John Mayall, Dickey Betts, Angela Bofill, Joe Bonsall, Fatman Scoop, Sandra Crouch, Richard Sherman, Joe Chambers, Jack Jones, Duane Eddy, Henry "Hank" Cicalo, Abdul Kareem "Duke" Fakir, and Will Jennings.
Shakira shakes the stage with Latina magic
Colombian singer Shakira celebrated her 48th birthday by performing on the Grammys stage for the first time since 2007, performing Ojos Así from her 1998 album Dónde Están los Ladrones? and Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 from her latest Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran album.
Shakira added one more gramophone to her existing three when she won Best Latin Pop Album for Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran towering over Anitta’s Funk Generation, Luis Fonsi’s El Viaje, Kany García’s García and Kali Uchis’ Orquídeas.
Five points for Kendrick Lamar
The Kendrick Lamar vs Drake feud was the most talked, or should I say rapped about, artist spar in the past decade. It escalated last year when the two participated in an online rap battle, dissing each other endlessly. Lamar seemingly won the war when his final diss track Not Like Us topped charts.
Now, his win has been solidified as he took home five awards for the song in all categories it was nominated in – Record of the year, Song of the year, Best music video, Best rap song, Best rap performance.
Welcome back, The Weeknd
Abel Tesfaye, known better to the world as The Weeknd, ended his infamous Grammy boycott after four years. Back in 2020, the Recording Academy failed to give the singer a nomination in any of the categories for his widely acclaimed album After Hours.
The singer famously declared that he would not submit any of his songs for Grammy consideration. So, The Weeknd taking to the stage at the 67th Grammys was surprising. He performed Cry For Me from his new album Hurry Up Tomorrow and Timeless from the album of the same name.