, but the elusive superstar still managed to be the biggest headline of the night thanks to a history-making win, and, well, just being Bey.
host of the night, comedian Trevor Noah, stopped the two women mid-step to announce that Beyoncé had just tied the all-time record for most Grammy wins by a female artist. Bey’s reaction to the surprise affront was immediately noteworthy: a mix of tepid shock, light dissociation, and perhaps a smidgen of discomfort for being caught off-guard by the news.
Some online, however, saw her history-making moment as bittersweet. After Beyonce won her 28th Grammy award later that night for Best R&B Performance, officially breaking her previous record, the conversation quickly evolved into one critiquing the Grammys. For many, the revelation was a reflection of how the Recording Academy continuously positions itself as progressive when it comes to giving women — specifically Black women — their dues, while still not awarding them the trophies that matter.