By: Aly West

The Grammys recognize spectacular work in the music industry, and in 2018 only men were winners. But this year, powerful women took center stage: Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, SZA, and Lainey Wilson were a few that impacted this year’s Grammys. 

Taylor Swift won “Album Of The Year” for Midnights. She also won “Best Pop Vocal Album” where she announced her newest album. 

“I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the last two years, which is that my brand new album comes out April 19,” Swift said. “It’s called The Tortured Poets Department. I’m going to post the cover backstage.”

Miley Cyrus won “Best Pop Solo Performance” and “Record Of The Year.”

“This award is amazing,” Cyrus said. “But I really hope that it doesn’t change anything because my life was beautiful yesterday. Not everyone in the world will get a Grammy, but everyone in this world is spectacular, so please don’t think that this is important,”

Winning over Lana Del Ray, Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, SZA, and Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish won the Grammy “Song Of The Year.”

“Damn, dude! I’m shocked out of my balls!” Eilish said. “Everybody in this category: that was a crazy list of incredible people.”

SZA was awarded “Best R&B Song,” “Pop Duo/Group Performance,” and “Urban Contemporary Album.” In addition to SZA winning three Grammys, SZA performed one of her upcoming songs from her album Lana. 

“’Saturn’ discusses the desire and the longing for things to be better on this planet,” SZA said. “And we want to go somewhere else, but we can’t, so we have to find something worth saving here,”

Lainey Wilson, a country music singer, attended the Grammys for the very first time. “I’m just excited to be in the room with just so many people from so many different walks of life and genres…just celebrating music,” Wilson said. 

Wilson’s album Bell Bottom Country won “Best Country Album.” 

Newest Grammy Awards All Won By Women

Three new categories, “Best African Music Performance,” “Best Alternative Jazz Album,” and “Best Pop Dance Recording” were added to the 66th Grammys.

“I never thought I’d say I won a Grammy at 22 years old,” Tyla said as she accepted the “Best African Music Performance” award. “Thank you to the Recording Academy for this category. It’s so important.” 

Meshell Ndegeocello accepted the first-ever Grammy “Best Alternative Jazz Album” award. This is the second Grammy Ndegeocello has received. 

“We ride the highs, the lows and the in-betweens, and to know that we’ve got each other’s backs, and this feels like the start of the next era,” Kylie Minogue said, as she accepted the “Best Pop Dance Recording” award.