Taylor Swift sets a record with latest triumph at the Grammys

Miley Cyrus got her flowers, Joni Mitchell and Billy Joel made their returns, and Taylor Swift snagged her 13th Grammy (her lucky number, she reminded us). And she made Grammy history Sunday with her 14th trophy, for album of the year for “Midnights.”

She became the first artist to win that prize four times. Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra and Paul Simon each triumphed three times. And she’s only 34.

“I’d love to tell you this is the best moment of my life but I feel this happy when I finish a song or when I crack the code to a bridge I love or when I’m shot listing music video or when I’m rehearsing with my dancers or my band or getting ready to go to Tokyo to play a show,” she said. “For me, the award is the work. All I want to do is to be able to keep doing this. It makes me so happy.”

Giddiness infiltrated the 66th annual Grammy Awards.

Sure, artists get super-excited when they win trophies, whether it’s their first one (Cyrus) or routine one (Billie Eilish). But even performers get excited.

Tracy Chapman couldn’t hide her smile as she plucked the opening notes of “Fast Car” on her acoustic guitar. She was reprising her 1988 hit with country superstar Luke Combs, who reprised that song into a smash country and pop hit last year. Chapman seemed so happy even as she crooned words about being poor and dreaming that someday she’d be someone.

No one was giddier than the members of boygenius, the indie-rock supergroup of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, who were squealing and jumping up and down in their matching white suits, black neckties and pink carnations when they collected three Grammys in the pre-telecast when all but 10 trophies were presented.

“We were delusional enough as kids to think this might happen someday,” said Dacus, 28, when picking up the first trophy, for best rock performance. “I feel like a kid because that was the last time this seemed possible.”

The night’s first prize during the telecast from Crypto.com Center in Los Angeles went to Cyrus, for best pop vocal performance over finalists Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat, Swift and Eilish. Cyrus, picking up her first Grammy 17 years into her recording career, said she was more excited about accepting the trophy from Mariah Carey than she was for the award itself.

“This M.C. is getting to stand by this M.C.,” Cyrus said speaking in initials. “This is iconic.”

Later, Cyrus was no longer able to disguise her excitement. While singing “Flowers,” her dance anthem of bounce-back empowerment, she improvised another reason she’s so strong, “I just won my first Grammy.”

Her second Grammy was a big one — record of the year for “Flowers.” “This award is amazing,” she said, now more composed. “This award won’t change anything. My life was beautiful yesterday.” And after thanking a long list of people, she concluded, “I don’t think I forgot anyone but I forgot underwear.”

In the pre-telecast, Eilish was startled to receive the prize for best song for visual media for “What Was I Made For” from “Barbie.”

“This is shocking to me,” she declared, standing next to her brother and writing partner Finneas. “Making this song saved me a little bit.”

And the Queen of Everything lately, Swift, certainly proved that she’s an enthusiastic if not giddy audience. During Grammy performances, she was up dancing to “Flowers” as well as singing along to Rodrigo’s “Vampire” and the “Fast Car” duet, among other numbers.

When she accepted her prize for best pop vocal album for “Midnights,” Swift pointed out it was her 13th Grammy and then, as only Taylor can, she announced a new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” dropping on April 19. Then she promised to go backstage to immediately post the album cover on social media. Nothing like cracking open an Easter egg.

Killer Mike dominated with three trophies in the rap categories. “To all the people who tell you you’re too old to rap, [expletive],” said the 48-year-old rapper. “If you’re 78, you can rap about how many girls you get in the nursing home.” Then the music industry was shocked to learn that Killer Mike was later escorted out of the awards venue in handcuffs by police for an apparent altercation.

Best new artist went to R&B singer Victoria Monet, who has been a prominent songwriter working with Ariana Grande, Travis Scott, Chris Brown and others. Her “Jaguar II” album led to three Grammys last night. She called her big win part of a 15-year pursuit when she planted a seed and she’s finally sprouting. At age 34, she is the oldest solo performer to be named best new artist.

The winners were determined by 12,000 members of the Record Academy, 38% of whom identify as persons of color. The eligibility period was for projects released between Oct. 1, 2022 and Sept. 15, 2023.

Other takeaways from Sunday’s Grammys:

The night’s most emotional moment was when Joni Mitchell, who had a brain aneurysm 10 years ago, gave her first Grammy performance ever. Her deep-voiced version, part talking, part singing, of “Both Sides Now” was both heartening and sad at the same time. But she defused thoughts when she sang, “They shake their heads and say Joni you’ve changed / Something’s lost and something’s gained.” She also won a Grammy for best folk album “Joni Mitchell at Newport.”

The much ballyhooed return of Rock Hall of Famer Billy Joel, performing his first new song in three decades, was a downtempo opus called “Turn the Lights Back On,” his voice deeper and raspier. He was much more convincing on the night’s closing “You May Be Right.”

Speaking of Rock Hall of Famers, during an in-memoriam segment, seldom-seen Annie Lennox reminded us of her powerfully emotional voice delivering Prince’s “Nothing Compares to You,” accompanied by pianist Lisa Coleman and guitarist Wendy Melvoin, both of Prince & the Revolution.

The night’s most spirited acceptance speech came from SZA, the leading nominee who picked up an award for best R&B song for “Snooze.” The exuberant singer spoke of how far she’d come in her career and then gave a shout out to her fans, with an aside — “Hi, Taylor!” — before sharing, “I’m not an attractive crier. Have a good evening.”

While accepting the special Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, Jay-Z got on his soap box as he stood with his daughter Blue Ivy. He recapped the Grammys’ relationship with hip-hop and called out the Recording Academy for not giving album of the year to Beyoncé, his wife, who holds the record for the most Grammys ever but the top prize has eluded her in five finals.

Throughout the 3½-hour Premiere Ceremony, aka the pre-telecast, victors echoed the importance of woman making music, whether it was Säje, a female vocal quartet that triumphed for best arrangement for instruments and voices, or one of the recipients for best instrumental arrangement who declared, “Girls can play guitars. Don’t let them say, ‘You’re good for a girl.’ You’re good for a guitar player.”

After performing Saturday night at the Woman’s Club in Minneapolis, Dan Wilson, the St. Louis Park musician who fronts the rock band Semisonic, proved his versatility, winning a Grammy for best country song, for co-writing “White Horse,” with Chris Stapleton. Now based in Los Angeles, he previously collected Grammys for co-writing with the Chicks (formerly the Dixie Chicks) and Adele. He gave shout outs to both his Minneapolis family and L.A. family.

Speaking of local connections, Christian Reif, music director of the Brainerd-based Lakes Area Music Festival, with his wife, singer Julia Bullock, were recognized for best classical vocal solo, for their album “Walking in the Dark.” Rock Hall of Famers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis joined Ann Nesby, former lead singer with Sounds of Blackness, to jam with Jon Batiste on a performance of “Optimistic.” And the Premiere segment opened with Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” performed by poet J. Ivy and musicians Pentatonix, Larkin Poe, Jordin Sparks and Sheila E.

Grammys are making up for not recognizing David Bowie and the Beatles much when they were active. Bowie, who has earned his first five Grammys since he died in 2016, was honored with a trophy for best music film, and the Beatles, who collected six when they were active, have now picked up another seven since disbanding, including one Sunday for best video for “I’m Only Sleeping.”

Speaking of groups that somehow create forever, the Count Basie Orchestra won for best jazz ensemble album. The group has been around for 89 years, and Basie won his first Grammy in 1958. He died in 1984. Same goes for the Blind Boys of Alabama, a vocal group founded in 1939; they picked up their sixth Grammy, this time for best American roots performance.