The number of female winners at the Grammys increased by 82 percent this year, it has been reported.
In 2018, only 17 of 86 awards were given to women or female-led bands. When asked about the lack of female winners in a post-ceremony press conference, CEO Neil Portnow controversially suggested it was up to women to “step up”.
At last night’s (February 10) event, 31 women won awards. Among them was Kacey Musgraves, who took home the trophies for Album Of The Year, Best Country Solo Performance, Best Country Song and Best Country Album. Other female winners included Lady Gaga, H.E.R., Cardi B, St. Vincent, and Dua Lipa.
“I think that women have a really necessary perspective to art, to music and it’s really nice to see that getting a chance to be included,” Musgraves said backstage. “I think it takes two to tango and I think it takes women having the balls to put out art that might not always be liked by everyone, but it also takes people on the other side of that to reach out and give those things a chance to be heard or seen.”
The performances on the night were also dominated by women, with Camila Cabello kicking off the ceremony, followed later by the likes of Cardi, Musgraves, Gaga, H.E.R., Diana Ross, Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, and a collaboration between Lipa and St. Vincent.
Last year, the Grammys announced a new initiative to improve “female advancement” following Portnow’s comments. “The Recording Academy is establishing an independent task force to review every aspect of what we do as an organization and identify where we can do more to overcome the explicit barriers and unconscious biases that impede female advancement in the music community,” he said when announcing the new idea.
“We will also place ourselves under a microscope and tackle whatever truths are revealed.”