Gay 2024 Grammys feature image: art by Autostraddle, photos by Michael Buckner/Billboard and John Shearer for The Recording Academy via Getty Images
Before we get into the many official gay winners of the 2024 Grammys, we have to start with the Grammys performance that won Most Exciting Lesbian Moment by a landslide. I may be a 42 year old lesbian, but no one can deny the gay glory of Tracy Chapman (59) gently caressing our hearts, hopes, and dreams when she performed with Luke Combs, the country star nominated for his cover of Chapman’s 1988 hit “Fast Car,” one of our culture’s most enduring (and, apparently, re-mixable?) songs. As a community, we may never recover from that close-up of Chapman’s fingers.
If you weren’t watching live, you should just watch the video. If you were watching live, watch it again.
In case you didn’t get to see it, here is the full video of Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs singing “Fast Car” at the Grammys
pic.twitter.com/4RyBSFgjsW— EZ Rider🌻 (@EZRideryoyall) February 5, 2024
And now join the rest of the world in buying or streaming the original “Fast Car” as you read about all the gay winners from last night…
All the Gay Winners of 2024 Grammys
Bisexual artist Meshell Ndegeocello (55) won the inaugural Best Alternative Jazz Album award for “The Omnichord Real Book.”
Best Americana Performance went to “Dear Insecurity,” by lesbian singer-songwriter Brandy Clark (48) and featuring lesbian country star Brandi Carlile (42). Carlile brought the house down when she performed with Joni Mitchell, 50 years after Mitchell’s first Grammy win — and Mitchell’s first-ever performance at the Grammys. (Mitchell won Best Folk Album “Joni Mitchell at Newport (Live).’)
(Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Local legend Victoria Monét (34) won Best New Artist. She also snagged Best R&B Album for “Jaguar II.” Surpassing Sheryl Crow, who won the award at 33, as the oldest Best New Artist winner, Monét said anyone that has ever had a dream should look at this Grammy as an example and an inspiration. (Also you could look at this.) “I moved to LA in 2009 and I like to liken myself to a plant, who was planted and you can look at the music industry as soil,” Monét told the misty crowd. “It can be looked at as dirty or it can be looked at as a source of nutrients and water. My roots have been growing underneath ground, unseen for so long. I feel like today, I’m sprouting, finally above ground.”
(Photo by Michael Buckner/Billboard via Getty Images)
Pansexual wild card Miley Cyrus (31) won Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Flowers,” and delivered a triumphant performance of the same.
Boygenius — Phoebe Bridgers (29), Julien Baker (28), and Lucy Dacus (28) arrived looking absolutely dashing in matching white silk moire tuxedos made by noted dresser-of-lesbians Thom Browne, replete with pink carnations boutonnieres, a tribute to the dearly departed musician Elliot Smith. Under their boutonnieres were red pins representing “Artists for Ceasefire.” Boygenius won “Best Rock Performance” award for “Not Strong Enough”, the “Best Rock Song” award for “Not Strong Enough,” and the “Best Alternative Music Album” award for “The Record.”
(Photo by Kayla Oaddams/WireImage)
Furthermore, Phoebe Bridgers shared a Grammy with SZA for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Ghost in the Machine.” SZA (34) also won Best R&B Song for “Snooze” and while she has been vague about her sexuality, fellow Senior Editor Drew (30) is telling me she should still have her name bolded.
And, finally, queer artist Billie Eilish (22) won Song of the Year for “What Was I Made For?” from the motion picture Barbie. She also won “Best Song Written For Visual Media.”
More Gay 2024 Grammys Moments
A Fitting Tribute for a Queer Legend
The incomparable Annie Lennox performed a tribute to Sinead O’Connor, ending the performance just as O’Connor would’ve wanted her to: saying “artists for ceasefire, peace in the world” and raising her fist in the air.
The broadcast quickly cut away — some things don’t change — but it was a necessary message in honor of a queer artist who always chose her values over fame and assimilation.
Janelle Monáe Looked Great Don’t Worry
They may not have won any awards, but they win every time they walk on a red carpet…
(Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
This photo of Lucy Dacus
I came here for the Grammy coverage and was sad it wasn’t up yet, and then bam! I read something else and come back to the homepage and it was posted 37 seconds ago. (and then my heartfelt comment was eaten by my laptop and I’m recreating it now).
Tracy Chapman! OMG. I had tears in my eyes during her song! Her first album, along with the Indigo Girls and Sinead O’Conner, was the sound track to my senior year of college. To see her beautiful face and hear her beautiful voice – Truly the highlight of the evening. I was impressed with Luke Combs too – he was so thrilled to be singing with his idol.
Billie Eilish won my personal award for most fun acceptance speech when she and her brother won the songwriting award.
Trevor Noah really killed it as emcee.
Brandie Carlise introducing and singing with Joni Mitchell was another highlight.
I thought the same thing that I’ve thought at every Sinead O’Conner tribute this year – I wish they’d played a different song than boring old Nothing Compares 2 U.
I know it was her biggest hit, but she wrote so many amazing songs, it just bugs me that all of the tributes use the one song written by someone else. My personal tribute song is The Emperor’s New Clothes, from the same album as NC2U. (with lyrics like “they laugh because they know they’re untouchable, not because what I said was wrong” and “he thinks I just became famous and that kind of messed me up, but he’s wrong”)
I went to bed before Boy Genius won. I’m assuming they didn’t make out on stage.
I agree 100% re: Sinead O’Connor. She wrote so many amazing songs!
Tracy Chapman and the Indigo Girls and Sinead O’Conner are so core for me too!!! RIP Lilith Fair
What an era it was!!
The combination of Tracy’s voice and smile is almost too powerful to behold
truly
It’s like her voice is amber. Unreal.
I was following Grammy’s coverage for boygenius and was caught off guard by how moved I was by this. I loved this song as a pre/teen and vividly remember playing it loudly in the car and singing along with my dad (who also took me at 13 and some of my friends to lilith fair, shout out to the parents who love music and take their kids to music). he died some years ago following almost a decade of disappearing into early onset dementia and this performance resurfaced my memories of him so vividly. how I wish he were here watching it with me and marveling at Chapman. even at the end, when his memory was eradicated, this would have made him laugh and weep.
Brandy Clark’s name should be bolded, too — she’s openly gay. :)
And if you want to highlight another moment of Gaza/ceasefire advocacy, the red pins that Boygenius had on their lapels under the pink carnations were for “Artists for Ceasefire,” FYI!
thank you very much for this note!
Hamas rejected a ceasefire agreement just a few hours before the ceremony, but okay.
Also, you are aware of the leader of Hamas’ comments on gay people, right? Might wanna look that up.
Brandy Clark is also a lesbian!
Janelle Monae was robbed for AOTY.
and truly giving taylor swift another album of the year award was simply unnecessary!
Went to watch Tracy Chapman’s performance on the Recording Academy’s website and it’s such a wonderful, moving performance.