Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX Shine at 2025 Grammy Premiere Ceremony

At the Grammy Awards' premiere ceremony, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX took home prestigious early accolades, reflecting a night dedicated to recognizing musical talent and community resilience in light of recent tragedies.

Sabrina Carpenter has been awarded the first Grammy of 2025, capturing Best Pop Solo Performance for her upbeat summer hit, "Espresso." British artist Charli XCX also secured multiple early honors, including Best Dance/Pop Album for her cutting-edge record "Brat" and Best Dance/Pop Song for its lead single, "Von Dutch." These wins mark Charli's first Grammys as a solo performer.

The awards were revealed at the "premiere ceremony" ahead of the main event taking place later that evening in Los Angeles. The show commenced with a heartfelt rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” which was dedicated to the victims of recent wildfires in the LA area. Artists such as Yolanda Adams and Angelique Kidjo brought an emotional, gospel-infused performance to honor first responders who showed extraordinary bravery during the crisis.

Grammys CEO Harvey Mason Jr emphasized the award show's theme of celebrating music's ability to inspire and heal, while also acknowledging the resilience of the LA community affected by the fires. He conveyed that the event aims to uplift Los Angeles amid its struggles.

Leading the nominations this year is Beyoncé, who is vying for 11 awards with her genre-blending album "Cowboy Carter." She has already claimed the award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group, alongside Miley Cyrus for their collaboration “II Most Wanted.” Nevertheless, Beyoncé missed out on Best Country Song as that prize went to Kacey Musgraves for her poignant track “The Architect,” which contemplates the existence of God following a school shooting. Musgraves expressed her desire to combat darkness through music, referring to the challenging times the world is currently facing.

In addition to Carpenter and XCX, high-profile nominees for Album of the Year include Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, and rapper André 3000 with his spiritual jazz album "New Blue Sun." The early accolades won by Carpenter and XCX may enhance their chances for the evening's top honors, sparking speculation among fans.

Neither Carpenter nor XCX participated in receiving their awards in person, as they were scheduled to perform later in the evening. However, Charli's producer, Finn Keane, accepted the award for "Von Dutch," praising her unique artistry and expressing that the music world is only now catching up to her innovative style after ten years of hard work.