11 things we learnt from the 2021 Grammy Awards: Beyonce rules supreme, Taylor Swift and HER win the big ones and BTS are dynamite

The ceremony was held in Los Angeles and hosted by comedian Trevor Noah

Taylor Swift, HER and Beyonce were all big winners of the night. EPA

The Grammy Awards wrapped up the weekend without The Weeknd.

For all the controversy surrounding the singer's snub from the awards and his vow to boycott future ceremonies, the 63rd iteration of the industry's biggest night went ahead smoothly.

Hosted by the affable South African comedian Trevor Noah, the epic three-and-a-half-hour broadcast featured 20 performances, broke new Grammy records and featured guests sporting some seriously fashionable face masks.

Here are 11 things we learnt from the show.

1. Masks On

Ten years ago, Lady Gaga came to the Grammys inside an egg, and now we are talking about matching face masks and gloves.

The ceremony continues to inspire new fashion trends, with more than a dozen celebrities arriving at the show with some next-level colour co-ordination.

To complement the woodland theme of the nominated album Folklore, Taylor Swift wore a matching floral dress and mask.

Harry Styles took it up a notch by adorning a lavender boa over a matching tweed suit and mask.

It was Billie Eilish, however, who stole the show. The Copycat singer wore a four-piece combo of matching grey-pink suit, mask, bucket hat and nails.

Perhaps, correctly sensing Coldplay won’t be winning anything this year, singer Chris Martin fixed himself up with an official Grammy black face mask.

Scroll through our gallery of celebrities matching their outfits with their masks below:

2. A VIP party

To say the ceremony downsized this year is an understatement.

Instead of being held in the sprawling Staples Centre, public safety measures meant the award took place in the smaller Los Angeles Convention Centre nearby.

In a cross between an intimate celebrity soiree and the UK music show Later ... with Jools Holland, selected musicians sat in spaced out tables, sipping beverages while others performed on various stages across the venue.

It didn't exactly scream "awards show", but the relaxed vibe did result in heartfelt winners' speeches.

3. Trevor Noah's dig at the royal family

Noah used the homely vibes to make some caustic comments about the British royal family.

His opening monologue alluded to Oprah Winfrey's recent interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

“The whole thing is going to be pretty different,” he said, referring to the new ceremony format.

“But it’s going to be even more exciting because our nominees will be sitting at those tables for their awards, so right now there’s more tension in that tent than at a family reunion at Buckingham Palace.”

4. Women run the pop music world

With Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa and Beyonce coming into the night with six nominations each, the ceremony was shaping up to be a pop music battle royale.

Swift emerged victorious as she became first artist to win Album of the Year three times, with the latest going to the pandemic-inspired Folklore.

Beyonce set records of her own by becoming the female artist with most Grammys wins with 28 trophies. She picked up three awards in genre-specific categories, including Best RnB Performance for Black Parade.

Meanwhile, Lipa's disco-tastic Future Nostalgia won for Best Pop Vocal Album.

5. BTS wowed from home

BTS took their trademark synchronicity to new heights (literally) with a smashing rendition of their Grammy-nominated hit Dynamite.

To ensure the performance gelled with the ceremony, a set was constructed in Seoul to match the one in Los Angeles.

The seven-piece group – all high kicks, sparkling smiles and smooth vocals – performed the first part of the song there, before wrapping it up on a helicopter pad.

“Wow,” exclaimed host Noah at the end. Indeed.

6. Kanye West and Jay-Z Grammy battle heats up

Recent Kanye West news almost exclusively revolves around his divorce from Kim Kardashian. The Grammy Awards reminded us, however, he still remains a musical force.

With gospel release Jesus Is King winning Contemporary Christian Music Album, West temporarily tied with Jay-Z for the most awarded hip-hop artist in Grammy Awards history, with 22 wins.
Jay-Z wasted no time in getting back on top, however, by winning the Best Rap Song award for Savage.
2022's ceremony is already looking interesting.

7. That Noah Cyrus outfit

Noah Cyrus rolled out of bed, and the bed came along with her to the Grammys.

This is just one of the many memes circulating about the singer, 21, and her, let's just say, "sprawling" Grammys outfit.

Cyrus wore a Schiaparelli couture gown that extended beyond the July singer in various ways. Twitter users understandably had a field day with this and her name began trending promptly. Mission accomplished.

8. Bill Burr puts his foot in his mouth

What did the Grammys expect when hiring an acerbic comedian to present several esoteric awards, including Best Classical Compendium?

In what was a smooth broadcast, the ceremony had its only controversial moment when comic Bill Burr kept mangling Best Regional Mexican Music Album winner Natalia Lafourcade's name.

Burr eventually gave up and said: “I will accept on behalf of her. If I butchered her name, I'm sorry. Natalia, you won."

Viewers expressed outrage on social media.

9. Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak bring the vibe with Silk Sonic

After going on Twitter last week to essentially beg the Grammys to offer him a slot in the ceremony, Bruno Mars repaid the favour with a sparkling debut performance of new side project Silk Sonic.

This was a collaboration with fellow Grammy winner Anderson .Paak, as the duo channelled RnB groups of the 1970s with Leave The Door Open.

One notable fan is American-Filipina soprano Lea Salonga, who tweeted shortly after the group’s set: “Silk Sonic just killed me. Oh my God.”

10. The show goes on without The Weeknd

With all that was said and written about The Weeknd's epic snub from this year's Grammys nominations, not to mention his reported vow to boycott the awards altogether, organisers rightfully feared his no-show would hover over the proceedings.

The committee will breathe a sigh of relief as the ceremony often felt like a high-school reunion.

There was none of the ego and competitive vibes of previous years. Instead, there was a rallying spirit from an industry battered by the pandemic. This led to some truly tender moments.

For example, after accepting the Best Rap Song Grammy for Savage, Beyonce was heard telling joint winner Megan Thee Stallion: "I am so proud of you."

We're not sure anyone really noticed The Weeknd's absence.

11. Winning songs speak of our lives

A quality defining this year's winners list is the work often reflected the times we are living in.

Taylor Swift's Folklore is already viewed as the quintessential pandemic pop album.

In her acknowledgement speech, Dua Lipa explained how the exuberant sounds of album Future Nostalgia was meant to spread much-needed cheer amid this gloomy period.

Meanwhile, the powerful Song of the Year winner I Can't Breathe by HER captured the anger and anguish of injustice that resulted in nationwide Black Lives Matter protests across the US.