What more can one woman — one artist — do?
Somehow after Beyoncé became the winningest artist in Grammy history with 32 gramophones, she still managed to come off as a loser — yet again — when Harry Styles’ “Harry’s House” won Album of the Year over B’s “Renaissance.”
No doubt — “Harry’s House” was one of the best pop albums of 2022. And, certainly, “As It Was” — which spent 15 weeks at No. 1 — was my personal pick for Record of the Year.
But — deep breath — how could Beyoncé still not have an Album of the Year gramophone after four nominations, when she should already have at least two? Her game-changing surprise self-titled set somehow lost to Beck’s “Morning Phase” in 2015, and “Lemonade” — one of the best albums of the century — bowed out to Adele’s “25” in 2017.
“Renaissance” was a true album, a complete statement from start to finish with the smoothest of track transitions taking you on a journey through the club underground while fiercely representing black queer culture.
When B showed up late to the Grammys — stuck in L.A. traffic, she missed the moment when she tied conductor George Solti for the most wins ever after “Cuff It” took Best R&B Song— it seemed to be setting up the whole night for a triumphant moment so well deserved by an artist who has shown up again and again for the Recording Academy.
No more, Beyoncé — they don’t deserve you.
And to add insult to injury, Beyoncé’s own husband, Jay-Z, had to go on and perform “God Did” with DJ Khaled right after his wife had lost the big one yet again. True professional that he is, he carried on. But what a show of disrespect to the first couple — the first lady — of music.
