By Charlie Rowe
The 2025 Grammys, having taken place this past Sunday February 2nd, were more than just a night of dazzling performances and glittering trophies—the over 3 hour show sparked conversation, controversy, and calls for change.
While Billie Eilish left empty-handed, her losses raised eyebrows and questions among her dedicated, cult-like following. Rising star Chappell Roan used her acceptance speech for Best New Artist to call for better healthcare and support for up-and-coming artists, challenging the industry’s often neglectful approach to its most vulnerable talent as that is what she experienced just five years ago. And of course, the red carpet didn’t disappoint, with fashion choices that ranged from boundary-pushing to outright jaw-dropping. Whether it was the battles for recognition, bold statements of solidarity, or simply unforgettable looks, the 2025 Grammys were about much more than just the music and had a lot of standout moments.
Billie Eilish has been in the music scene for years now, with two prior albums who have been decorated handsomely with multiple awards, including Grammys. Billie was, to many people, a shoe-in to win one (or all) of her seven nominations with her newest album, Hit Me Hard and Soft. It was a beautifully crafted album that Eilish had donned as her most personal to date, it debuted at the second spot in the Billboard Hot 200, spurred many viral TikTok audios, and was followed by a successful tour.
The success of this album led to the Grammys nominating Billie for album of the year and best pop vocal album. Her lead single off the album, Birds of a Feather, got nominated for record of the year, song of the year, and best pop solo performance. On top of that, Billie was nominated for best pop duo/group performance for Guess with Charli XCX, and best dance pop recording for her song L’amour De Ma Vie [Over Now Extended Edit]. With such an accomplished album written solely by her and her brother, you’d expect her to walk away with something, but she left empty handed.
In reality, the competition was absolutely stacked this year in every single category, but especially the ones Billie was vying for. There wasn’t one clear winner pit against the rest, every artist was well deserving of every award, putting out quality work across the board. If Billie were to have taken any award home, I would’ve loved to see her take home record of the year. Billie and Finneas historically create all of Billie’s projects, just the two of them, putting every little detail into the art themselves. Birds of a Feather was a smash hit over the last year and was beautifully crafted, and deserves that recognition.
While Billie Eilish’s unexpected losses left fans devastated for her and upset with the Grammys, another artist, Chappell Roan, used her big moment in the spotlight to address a different kind of injustice. While giving her speech for winning Best New Artist, Roan delivered a powerful message that called for much-needed change in the music industry, specifically regarding healthcare and support for emerging talent.
She started her speech by saying “I told myself, if I ever won a GRAMMY, and I got to stand up here in front of the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels and the industry profiting millions of dollars off artists would offer a living wage and healthcare, especially to developing artists,”
She continued with a personal anecdote of her own experience, where she recounted “I was signed as a minor, when I got dropped I had zero job experience under my belt. And like most people I had a difficult time finding a job during the pandemic and could not afford health insurance. It was so devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system. I was so dehumanized not to have health insurance.”
Roan ended her well-recepted speech by asking, “Labels, we got you, but do you got us?”, which had many artists (including Taylor Swift!) out in the crowd standing, cheering, and clapping along. You could tell so many of these artists agreed whole-heartedly with what Chappell Roan was saying, their faces showing they related to what she was talking about and remembered their own struggles.
Chappell Roan’s call to action is one that is important, and way overdue. Many young artists don’t fully know what they’re getting into when signing with a major label, they’re just attracted to the ideas and opportunities major labels may bring to fruition.
Until thus far, celebrities of any status haven’t really challenged the inner workings of labels towards beginning artists on such a large scale, and I’m interested to see if this will be a turning point in the relationships cultivated with new artists by labels. Hopefully, Roan’s brave call out wasn’t a pebble thrown into the ocean.
The final standout moment at the Grammys for me was, unsurprisingly, the fashion. I’m not even necessarily talking about best or worst dressed, as there were so many stunning looks and equally as many boring ones, but just the outlandish.
Prime example, Jaden Smith and his head in a house. I’m sure Jaden had a very deep, metaphorical reasoning for what he was wearing, but the entire night I just kept thinking, those poor people behind him. Was he not blocking their every view? The house wasn’t the tallest, but it sure was blocky and wide.
This also goes for the aforementioned Chappell Roan. I absolutely loved every look she brought to the awards show, but when she had that very tall pointed hat incorporated into her look, was she not blocking everyone behind her? I’m all for fun and whimsy fashion, but I couldn’t help but wonder what it looked like to be behind either of them.
In the end, the 2025 Grammys were not just about celebrating music, but about sparking vital conversations that go beyond the stage. From Billie Eilish’s surprising losses, which fueled fan outrage and reflection on the unpredictable nature of the industry, to Chappell Roan’s courageous call for better healthcare and support for emerging artists, the night was a powerful reminder that the Grammys are about more than just glitz and glamour. Even in the realm of fashion, where creativity clashed with practicality, the evening was full of thought-provoking moments that will linger long after the awards have been handed out. As the music industry continues to evolve, it’s clear that these conversations are just the beginning of much-needed changes for artists at every level.
