Pop superstar Taylor Swift set another record yesterday, winning the Grammy award for album of the year for an unprecedented fourth time as women dominated the music industry’s top honours.
Swift also announced from the Grammys stage that she would release a new album in April.
The 34-year-old won album of the year for Midnights, eclipsing music legends Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder, who each claimed the prize three times.
Swift said she was thrilled by the honour and gushed about the fulfilment she feels from writing and singing songs. “It makes me so happy,” she said. “All I want to do is keep doing this.”
Earlier, Swift claimed the prize for best pop vocal performance and used the moment to announce that she will release The Tortured Poets Department on April 19.
“I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the last two years,” Swift said as she disclosed the new album, which was made available for pre-sales during the Grammys telecast.
Swift, who is about to jet to Tokyo to resume the world’s highest-grossing concert tour, was among the women who swept the major Grammy awards.
Billie Eilish claimed song of the year for What Was I Made For?, a ballad written for the Barbie movie soundtrack.
“As a woman, it feels a lot of the time like you’re not being seen,” Eilish told reporters backstage. “I feel that this makes me feel very seen. Sometimes it feels really good to have somebody tell you ‘good job.’”
Miley Cyrus, winner of her first two Grammys, landed the record of the year honour for her empowerment anthem Flowers.
“This award is amazing,” Cyrus said, “but I really hope that it doesn’t change anything because my life was beautiful yesterday.”
Best new artist went to R&B and pop singer Victoria Monet, who thanked her mum, “a single mum raising this really bad girl.”
SZA, who went into the night as the most-nominated artist, won three trophies including best R&B song for Snooze.
“I came really, really far,” she said. “I can’t believe this is happening, and it feels very fake.”
Indie rock band boygenius, a band formed by musicians Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, also claimed three awards.