Karol G is "200 percent" sure that women are gaining visibility in reggaeton.

An urban Latin artist, the 28-year-old is undeniably one of the brightest stars in her genre, with more than 15 million followers on Instagram, four million followers on Spotify, 600k-plus followers (and 183 million lifetime streams) on Pandora, and placement on Apple Music's Dale Play! Latin urban playlist for International Women's Day. And that’s not counting her three No.1 hits on the Latin Airplay Chart and a Best New Artist award at the 19th Annual Latin GRAMMYs in 2018.

There’s little doubt that Karol G is thriving. Her take on reggaeton, a genre that generally borrows from dancehall, reggae and hip-hop, features a pop fusion and empowering lyrics directed toward a female audience. But her success didn’t happen overnight; it’s been years in the making.

"A lot of people may know me for my music now," Karol G says during a stop in Mexico for the tour she's doing with fellow urban artist and boyfriend, Anuel AA. "It took me almost 14 years to get where I am, and it was really hard."

REGGAETON’S HISTORY OF GENDER IMBALANCE

Research supports that female artists in Latin music are scarce. According to Dr. Stacy Smith and USC's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, who analyzed the top 150 songs from the Billboard Hot Latin Songs Chart between 2015–2917, the ratio for every 10 male artists was one female artist. In 2015, six percent of artists were women in the top 150 songs of the chart, while 2017 saw a rise to 13 percent. In terms of songwriting, women represented 3.8 percent during the three years analyzed.  

"Female artists are few and far in between… I think that is a problem in Latin [that's] always been there," says Head of Latin Music at Pandora Marcos Juárez.

WOMEN DON’T SELL(?)

According to female reggaeton artists, the roadblocks they face have everything to do with gender.

“From the moment I decided to go by ‘Karol G,’ I began doing reggaeton or urban Latin music, and because there were no women, they would say [that] women couldn't do it or because ‘You're a woman,’ this or that,” says Karol. “Because you're a woman they think your values and your dignity, become interchangeable, and they offer you things at the cost of other things.”

Reggaeton has been a male-dominated genre for years. And Latin trap, the Spanish-language version of the South's trap music and another rising sub-genre of urban Latin music, is not much different.

In Puerto Rico, reggaeton began as an underground scene (many attribute the birth of reggaeton to Panama and artists like El General) in the early and mid-2000s. Eventually, what is now known as “classic reggaeton,” expanded outside of the island to other parts of Latin America and parts of the mainland U.S., where there were more young Latino-Americans.

But a recent resurgence of the genre, led by artists like J Balvin and Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's 2017 Latin-pop smash "Despacito," which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 100 with a version featuring Justin Bieber, has taken the genre to a new global level. And thanks to the viral nature of the internet, people in many more parts of the U.S. and world, English speaking or not, are listening to reggaeton's more "marketable" version of itself.

How powerful has the genre become? In 2018, only two of YouTube's top 10 most-watched videos were in English. The rest were in Spanish, and each had at least one urban music artist attached to it. With over 1.5 billion users, the platform is the most popular to stream music, according to Forbes. Only one of those eight songs featured women, "Sin Pijama" by Natti Natasha and Becky G.

As Remezcla points out, women have been instrumental in the Latin Urban genre, one of those artists being Puerto Rico's Ivy Queen who has been a trailblazer for women empowerment with anthems like "Quiero Bailar," which tackles women's rights and objectification. So why has it been so tricky for women to gain visibility in the market?

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Natti Natasha, a Latin urban singer/songwriter who had her first hit alongside reggaeton icon Don Omar in 2012 with "Dutty Love," was initially told by label executives that women simply don’t sell in her genre.

"Any [female] artist that is trying to make it out there is probably struggling right now,” she says. “And then being a woman is like, I had to go places and show what I had and they were like, 'We like it. It's good music, but women don't sell. They're not going to listen to you. So us investing our time and investing all we have in you, it's probably not gonna come back.’”

While "Dutty Love" peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's Latin Pop Songs Chart, the success was short-lived for Natasha. But things turned around years later; Natti Natasha is YouTube's most watched female artist and overall one of the top ten most-watched acts on the platform of 2018.

BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING BY BANDING TOGETHER

With a growing interest in Latin urban music, labels are closing in on the imbalance. Universal, home to Karol G, and Sony, who distributes Natti Natasha and where Becky G and Jennifer Lopez are signed, recently told Billboard that things are beginning to look different for women in urban Latin.

“There was definitely an opening for women [in 2018], ”Executive Vice President Latin America/Iberian Peninsula for Universal Music Angel Kaminsky said. "There has been a surge like we’ve never seen before of female acts from many different countries with lots of attitude and potential. These girls are writing at a younger age, and the material reflects their stories and their lives, leading to bigger engagement.”

"We made a commitment to bring diversity to the Latin music landscape, and this year we’ve had a record number of hits by female acts,” says Nir Seroussi, President of Sony Music U.S. Latin also told Billboard.

While the industry may be more welcoming women now, there was a time where Natti Natasha says women felt pitted against each other.

"They used to want women to compete,” she says. “Don't know why, but it was just like an automatic thing. Once you understand that is not the way to go, you understand why that happens, why they do it. You do all the opposite, and you get together and you make this happen. You prove to people that it's not a competing thing. It's a collaborating situation.”

RELATED: Latin Pop Performer Natti Natasha Takes Center Stage On 'IlumiNATTI'

Collaboration among Latin urban women is absolutely on the rise, agrees Latin Curator at Pandora Leticia Ramirez, which has helped them gain visibility. "I think there is definitely a sense within the music community with female artists that there needs to be a level of support for one another versus a comparison of one another. I think that is allowing more experiences and opportunities with amongst themselves to do things."

Cross-promotion among Latin artists is already a widely utilized practice. During a tribute to Daddy Yankee at Premios Lo Nuestro this past year, the reggaeton figurehead thanked his male colleagues for supporting each other. According to Juárez, public support, like the sort offered by Yankee, is precisely what helps Puerto Rican performers be successful.

"I think what's really unique about Puerto Rican artists is the way they've all put each other on … Puerto Ricans have set the template for collaborating and co-signing artists, and helping bring people up. You see that over and over and over."

Dr. Stacy Smith found in her research that many Laitn chart-toppers are Puerto Rican.

COMBATING "MACHISMO" IN LATIN CULTURE

But, as Juarez points out, there may be more subtle, industry-wide obstacles that deter women’s success in this arena. He notes that listeners on Pandora, which allows users to thumb up or thumb down artists, are not always receptive to female artists.

"I think part of it is probably culture … machismo is real, and I think that is definitely part of it," he says. "I'll tell you what, on [the] Reggaeton de Hoy [station,] it's really hard to put women in there, because people just don't ... number one, there's not a ton of [female] artists [out there]. It's not to say that there is none, I mean, there definitely are some artists who are killing it. But there's not a ton, and people react adversely to it still."

Ramirez sees the industry's recent push for female artists and believes that it may be listeners who need to become more supportive of female artists.

"They are publicists. They're pushing. They're communicators. They're making s**t happen. So I don't think it's something that's dictated from the industry. I think it could be cultural, quite frankly," she says. "I think that for some reason the consumer isn't as easily supportive of a female artist as they are a man. There's still that negative comparison to women … With men, a lot of things are excused. You know?  … I do think there is that part of it. I think that that could kind of impact women and how far they can go in the music industry."

RELATED: Ozuna, J Balvin & More Pay Tribute To Daddy Yankee At Premio Lo Nuestro

MORE WOMEN IN THE STREAMING MIX

Juarez says digital streaming platforms, along with labels, could be doing more. Dr. Stacy Smith agrees. At a panel called Women In The Lead, held during Billboard Latin Week 2018, asserted that it’s ultimately up to streaming platforms to create desire for an audience. "It's not about what the audience wants, it’s what these companies are willing to supply to create the desire amongst listeners."

But what does that look like? An all-female playlist or radio station? Juarez says "all-female" content may not be the best solution.

"I think you run the risk of making [women] ‘other,’” he says. “It's much more beneficial to integrate [women] and have it seem natural as part of just a listening experience. I think more and more, we're getting to that," he says. 

“We have a station, an effort called El Pulso on Pandora, which we launched last year, sort of like a franchise Latin effort. The idea there was to really embrace this popular Latin movement that our listeners are showing us that is important and impactful for them. But then we're also trying to be predictive and trying to include up-and-coming artists, and a lot of those artists are females."

One thing streaming platforms can do, Juarez says, is keep women artists in front of audiences in an organic way.

"I think within that branded listening experience, there're opportunities to just keep ... Not force-feeding people, but just keep trying, you know? Keep putting it in front of people," he says. 

While Apple Music, Spotify and Pandora are all establishing ways to organically integrate women into their Latin music playlists and stations, Karol G says another way females need support is through the acceptance of their lyrics.

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"The only limit I see at the moment is people accepting our lyrics … We have songs about love, about falling out of love … I want to be able to talk about anything and everything because I am human … I think there needs to be a little more equality in that aspect," say says.

But despite the challenges, Karol G believes this moment for women in reggaeton is more than a trend; it’s a genuine movement that’s showing no signs of slowing down.

"There was a time in which there weren’t feminine faces,” she says. “Now that door is open, and we're coming in. Not one, not two, but many of us. That makes people's curiosity grow. People now want to hear our side of the story. They want to know where we've been and how we did it.”

"On Location: Miami": Lary Over Talks About Latin Trap Origins 

When Mañana Será Bonito, the fourth studio album by Karol G, came out in February 2023, its release had been preceded by two momentous hit singles that changed the face of Latin music. 

Panoramic in scope, slick and airy, but also imbued with an intense and lyrical emotional depth, the songs "Provenza" and "Cairo" combined pop, reggaetón and an alternative edge with panache, and confirmed the Colombian singer/songwriter as one of the biggest pop stars in the planet. Mañana Será Bonito would go on to win Latin GRAMMYs for Album Of The Year and Best Urban Music Album, as well as her first-ever GRAMMY for Best Música Urbana Album in 2024.

Karol G wasn’t alone in these accomplishments. Most of the songs on the album were helmed by her longtime producer, Ovy on the Drums. Like Karol herself, 33 year-old Daniel Echavarría Oviedo hails from Medellín. The pair started working together at the very beginning of their careers, and Ovy was behind the haute couture sonics of "Tusa," the 2019 collaboration with Nicki Minaj that first established Karol as a major contender in Latin pop.

"There is a chemistry when we work together that I cannot quite describe with words,"  Ovy says over Zoom from his home in Florida. It’s a weekday morning, and he sits by his keyboard producing station; from time to time, he will play imaginary chords as he searches for the right words for an answer. His attitude remains humble throughout the conversation — even after significant success and a triumphant world tour, where he accompanied Karol on most concert dates.

"I still remember the specific moment when I asked her if she would let me do production work with her," he tells GRAMMY.com. "We keep talking whenever we’re in the studio. She is very clear in her direction; ‘I want this song to sound like that,’ or, ‘Give it another spin and see if we can make it better.’"

Ovy has since been inspired to branch out into different challenges. The latest one is Cassette 01,  a six-song EP with Puerto Rican A-list rapper Myke Towers. The EP is the first in a series of cassette-themed mixtapes that will include a different collaborator on each new installment. "The concept of releasing cassette-themed EPs in the year 2024 is really exciting to me," Ovy says. "It’s linked to the history of pop music, and the way we consume songs."

Known for high-voltage, sexed-up urbano anthems like "La Playa" (2020) and "LALA" (2023), Towers adds his imprint to the songs, but Ovy’s futuristic aesthetic is all over the EP. "It’s true that the loop in the beginning has my personal touch," Ovy says with a laugh when I point out that the intro to "AMOR NARCÓTICO" is trademark Ovy. "Sometimes people tell me that a song has that unique touch of mine, and it really seems unbelievable to me when I hear it."

On "BELLAQUERÍA," he mixes synth patches with real riffs performed by his longtime guitar player; the contrast between organic and digitized is prevalent in his stylistic panoply. And his trademark battle call — the almost dub-like cry of "O-O-O-vy on the Drumsss" is the seal of distinction that pops up in every single production.

Ovy on the Drums and Myke Towers┃SEBA

Musically speaking, Colombia sits on a highly strategic place: next door to the fertile Caribbean islands where reggae, salsa, merengue and calypso originated — but also close enough to the airwaves of mainstream American pop. Growing up, Ovy listened to a bit of everything, and gravitated naturally to lush records with majestic grooves.

"I loved Bob Marley as a kid," he says. "At home, of course, they would play a lot of salsa at parties, and hits of the time like 'Mayonesa' [a tropi-pop smash by Uruguayan band Chocolate.] I was also crazy about Modern Talking’s ‘Brother Louie’ and the Pet Shop Boys’ ‘Go West.’ Those are the songs that defined my childhood."

In the meantime, he continues employing FL Studio — the same producing software that he used at the very beginning of his journey.

"I’ll never stop using it," he promises. "I just can’t see myself on another platform. I used to dream about meeting the software creators, and now they follow me on Instagram and gave me every available plug-in. I’ve been producing music for the past 11 years, and I think I only know a good half of everything there is to learn on FL."

Collaborating with other high-profile artists and finishing up a promised solo album are high on Ovy's priority list.

"At the beginning, I was trying to turn my solo project into a conceptual work — but that’s easier said than done," he admits. "In the end, I realized that I just wanted to make some good music with a well chosen set of guest artists, and let the beats speak for themselves. I’d say my solo album is about 50 percent done at this point."

Karol G recently released "CONTIGO," a Euro-leaning, pop-EDM single with Tiësto. It remains to be seen if the diva will rely as tightly on her usual partner in crime as she begins work on her upcoming fifth album.

"When she had some free time off touring, I happened to be busy with the CASSETTE project," Ovy says. "Since then, we connected again and have been recording a bunch of songs. But I can’t really tell what will happen on the next album. And I think it’s good that Karol is collaborating with other producers and composers, searching for different avenues and sounds. We’re definitely on the same page in allowing things to happen the way they are supposed to."

He pauses for a moment, then adds with an extra wave of enthusiasm:

"I will always be there for her. Our common objective hasn’t really changed. We must always work hard, and come up with cool new songs." 

Mañana Y Siempre: How Karol G Has Made The World Mas Bonito

The 2023 Latin GRAMMYs may have occurred months ago and thousands of miles away, but the leading lights in Latin music also shined at the 66th GRAMMY Awards. From historic wins and meaningful nominations, to electric performances and interesting installations, Latin music excellence was everywhere. 

In anticipation of the 25th anniversary of the Latin GRAMMYs in 2024, the exclusive GRAMMY House — the site of multiple GRAMMY Week events — included a significant installation dedicated to the Biggest Night In Latin Music.

The cylindrical display showcased some of the biggest moments in Latin GRAMMY history, including images, facts, and even a real Latin GRAMMY award. 

The celebration of Latin music continued throughout GRAMMY Week, with several Latin GRAMMY-winning artists also winning on the GRAMMY stage. Among the major moments at the 2024 GRAMMYs, Karol G won her first golden gramophone for her 2023 LP Mañana Será Bonito. "This is my first time at GRAMMYs, and this is my first time holding my own GRAMMY," the Colombian songstress exclaimed during her acceptance speech. 

Música Mexicana star Peso Pluma also took home his first GRAMMY; his album GÉNESIS won in the Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano) Category.

Premiere Ceremony presenter Natalia Lafourcade — whose Todas Las Flores won big at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs — also took home the GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album. She tied in the Category with Juanes. 

Premiere Ceremony performer Gabby Moreno also took home a GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Pop Album for her album X Mí (Vol. 1). 

Beyond the stage, Latin artists graced the red carpet and the nominations list. For example, producer and songwriter Edgar Barrera was the only Latino nominated in the Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical Category.

10 Must-See Moments From The 2024 GRAMMYs: Taylor Swift Makes History, Billy Joel & Tracy Chapman Return, Boygenius Manifest Childhood Dreams

After Dua Lipa kicked off the 2024 GRAMMYs with an awe-inspiring medley of her two new songs, country star Luke Combs followed with a performance that spawned one of the most memorable moments of the night — and one that exemplified the magic of the 66th GRAMMY Awards.

Combs was joined by Tracy Chapman, whose return to the stage marked her first public performance in 15 years. The two teamed up for her GRAMMY-winning hit "Fast Car," which earned another GRAMMY nomination this year thanks to Combs' true-to-form cover that was up for Best Country Solo Performance. The audience went wild upon seeing a resplendent, smiling Chapman strum her guitar, and it was evident that Combs felt the same excitement singing along beside her.

Chapman and Combs' duet was a powerful display of what the 2024 GRAMMYs offered: veteran musicians being honored and new stars being born.

Another celebrated musician who made a triumphant return was Joni Mitchell. Though the folk icon had won 10 GRAMMYs to date — including one for Best Folk Album at this year's Premiere Ceremony — she had never performed on the GRAMMYs stage until the 2024 GRAMMYs. Backed by a band that included Brandi Carlile, Allison Russell, Blake Mills, Jacob Collier, and other accomplished musicians, the 80-year-old singer/songwriter delivered a stirring (and tear-inducing) rendition of her classic song "Both Sides Now," singing from an ornate chair that added an element of regality.

Later in the show, Billy Joel, the legendary rock star who began his GRAMMY career in 1979 when "Just the Way You Are" won Record and Song Of The Year, used the evening to publicly debut his first single in 17 years, "Turn the Lights Back On." (He also closed out the show with his 1980 classic, "You May Be Right.") It was the latest event in Joel's long history at the show; past performances range from a 1994 rendition of "River of Dreams" to a 2022 duet of "New York State of Mind" with Tony Bennett. The crooner, who died in 2023, was featured in the telecast's In Memoriam section, where Stevie Wonder dueted with archival footage of Bennett. And Annie Lennox, currently in semi-retirement, paid tribute to Sinéad O'Connor, singing "Nothing Compares 2 You" and calling for peace.

Career-peak stars also furthered their own legends, none more so than Taylor Swift. The pop star made history at the 2024 GRAMMYs, claiming the record for most Album Of The Year wins by a single artist. The historic moment also marked another icon's return, as Celine Dion made an ovation-prompting surprise appearance to present the award. (Earlier in the night, Swift also won Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights, announcing a new album in her acceptance speech. To date, Swift has 14 GRAMMYs and 52 nominations.)

24-time GRAMMY winner Jay-Z expanded his dominance by taking home the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, which he accepted alongside daughter Blue Ivy. And just before Miley Cyrus took the stage to perform "Flowers," the smash single helped the pop star earn her first-ever GRAMMY, which also later nabbed Record Of The Year.

Alongside the longtime and current legends, brand-new talents emerged as well. Victoria Monét took home two GRAMMYs before triumphing in the Best New Artist category, delivering a tearful speech in which she looked back on 15 years working her way up through the industry. Last year's Best New Artist winner, Samara Joy, continued to show her promise in the jazz world, as she won Best Jazz Performance for "Tight"; she's now 3 for 3, after also taking home Best Jazz Vocal Album for Linger Awhile last year.

First-time nominee Tyla became a first-time winner — and surprised everyone, including herself — when the South African starlet won the first-ever Best African Music Performance GRAMMY for her hit "Water." boygenius, Karol G and Lainey Wilson were among the many other first-time GRAMMY winners that capped off major years with a golden gramophone (or three, in boygenius' case).

All throughout GRAMMY Week 2024, rising and emerging artists were even more of a theme in the lead-up to the show. GRAMMY House 2024 hosted performances from future stars, including Teezo Touchdown and Tiana Major9 at the Beats and Blooms Emerging Artist Showcase and Blaqbonez and Romy at the #GRAMMYsNextGen Party.

Gatherings such as A Celebration of Women in the Mix, Academy Proud: Celebrating LGBTQIA+ Voices, and the Growing Wild Independent Music Community Panel showcased traditionally marginalized voices and communities, while Halle Bailey delivered a GRAMMY U Masterclass for aspiring artists. And Clive Davis hosted his Pre-2024 GRAMMYs Gala, where stars new and old mingled ahead of the main event. 

From established, veteran artists to aspiring up-and-comers, the 2024 GRAMMYs were a night of gold and glory that honored the breadth of talent and creativity throughout the music industry, perfectly exemplifying the Recording Academy's goal to "honor music's past while investing in its future." If this year's proceedings were any indication, the future of the music industry is bright indeed. 

10 Must-See Moments From The 2024 GRAMMYs: Taylor Swift Makes History, Billy Joel & Tracy Chapman Return, Boygenius Manifest Childhood Dreams

That's a wrap for Music's Biggest Night! The 2024 GRAMMYs were extraordinarily stuffed with incredible moments, from performances to historic wins to unforgettable surprises.

Several of the most memorable moments came from first-time winners. In fact, there were 126 at the 66th GRAMMY Awards, spanning a wide array of talent across genres. From Colombian songstress Karol G to indie rock supergroup boygenius and country singer Brandy Clark, take a look at some of the biggest acts that took home their very first golden gramophones.

Miley Cyrus Celebrated Her First Wins With A Pumped-Up Performance

Miley Cyrus may have taken home the coveted Record Of The Year for "Flowers," but a different Category may have been the biggest achievement. Just before her performance on the GRAMMY stage, Cyrus won her first-ever golden gramophone for Best Pop Solo Performance.

"This award is amazing, but I really hope it doesn't change anything, because my life was beautiful yesterday," Cyrus said while accepting her first award.

"Flowers" is featured on Cyrus' 2023 album Endless Summer Vacation. "Flowers" was also nominated for GRAMMYs for Song Of The Year.

Karol G's First GRAMMYs Resulted In Her First GRAMMY

Karol G has had a meteoric rise over the past several years, and that continued unabated at Music's Biggest Night.

At the 2024 GRAMMYs Premiere Ceremony, Karol G won the GRAMMY for Best Música Urbana Album, for her 2023 LP Mañana Será Bonito. (She'd previously been nominated at the 2022 GRAMMYs, for the same category, for KG0516.

"Hello everybody, my name is Karol G. I am from Medellín, Colombia. This is my first time at the GRAMMYs, and this is my first time holding my own GRAMMY," she said, utterly concisely.

Victoria Monét Completed A Lifelong Goal…

Victoria Monét won big at the GRAMMYs, including taking home the award for Best New Artist. The singer also took home golden gramophones for Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for Jaguar II.

Monét has been nominated for 10 GRAMMYs over her career as both a solo act and songwriter. When accepting the GRAMMY Award for Best New Artist, Monét compared herself to a plant growing from soil. 

"My roots have been growing underneath ground, unseen, for so long, and I feel like today I'm sprouting, finally above ground," she said.

…And So Did Coco Jones

Monét’s fellow R&B nominee — and one-time collaborator — Coco Jones also turned a nearly 15-year journey into GRAMMY success, winning Best R&B Performance for her song "ICU."

Tyla, Me'shell NdegeOcello & Kylie Minogue Won In First-Time Categories

At the 2024 GRAMMYs, there were three new Categories — which meant three inaugural winners. South African singer/songwriter Tyla took home her first GRAMMY with her win for Best African Music Performance for her smash hit "Water," while Me'shell NdegeOcello and Kylie Minogue notched their second wins each, in the new Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Pop Dance Recording Categories, respectively.

After 16 Years, Paramore Got GRAMMY Gold 

Myspace-era alt wizards Paramore enjoyed a stunning resurgence with their 2023 album This Is Why. They'd been nominated in past ceremonies — their first nominations coming in 2008 — but at the 2024 GRAMMYs, they nabbed the trophy for the prestigious Best Rock Album Category. And with their first win, they made GRAMMY history: Paramore is the first female-fronted rock band to win Best Rock Album.

Lainey Wilson Continued A Massive Year With A GRAMMY

Much like Tyla, country star Lainey Wilson nailed it on the first try — as far as the Recording Academy goes. She was nominated twice at the 2024 GRAMMYs, and took home a golden gramophone for Best Country Album, for Bell Bottom Country.

Clearly, the phenomenon of a first-time GRAMMY nominee taking it home transcends genres and continents.

Second Time Was A Charm For Zach Bryan

Country great Zach Bryan's been nominated before — at the 2023 GRAMMYs, for Best Country Solo Performance, for "Something in the Orange."

This time, he brought home the golden gramophone for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, for "I Remember Everything." Bryan was also nominated for Best Country Album (Zach Bryan) and Best Country Song, also for "I Remember Everything."

First-Time Nominees Boygenius Won Three Times

Women dominated the 2024 GRAMMYs, which certainly applies to boygenius — who consist of three women, and cleaned up at the ceremony. And, they too were first-time nominees

Boygenius took home three GRAMMYs revolving around 2023's the record, including Best Alternative Music Album, Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance — both for the stirring, gender-flipped "Not Strong Enough."

Peso Pluma Went From First-Time Nominee To First-Time Winner

Música Mexicana, stand up! Upstart Peso Pluma took home the GRAMMY for Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano), for his tremendous album GÉNESIS.

As the status of Mexico on the global stage continues to swell, take Pluma's win as a sign to keep your ear to the ground.

Brandy Clark Left A Winner

Roots-heavy singer Brandy Clark's been nominated for 17 GRAMMYs over the years, but never gave up.

At the 2024 GRAMMYs, she won for Best Americana Performance for "Dear Insecurity" — and she played a corker of a version at the Premiere Ceremony with the string duo SistaStrings.

Fred again.. Proved To Be Dance Music’s Latest Hero

2022 saw Fred again.. rise as one of dance music's most promising new stars with the release of his compilation album, USB, and his third studio album, Actual Life 3 — and both helped him win his first pair of GRAMMYs in 2024. USB's "Rumble" (a collaboration with Skrillex and Four Tet) scored Best Dance/Electronic Recording, and Actual Life 3 took home Best Dance/Electronic Music Album.

Taylor Swift & Kacey Musgraves Celebrated Historic Firsts

While winning a GRAMMY was nothing new to 2024 winners Taylor Swift and Kacey Musgraves, they both had feats that marked big firsts in GRAMMY history. Swift became the first artist to be awarded Album Of The Year four times with her win for Midnights, while Musgraves' win for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for her Zach Bryan collaboration "I Remember Everything" made her the first artist to win in all four Country Field Categories.

Keep checking GRAMMY.com for stories about the 2024 GRAMMYs — and the Recording Academy thanks you for tuning into Music's Biggest Night! If you missed it, stream it on Paramount+ for maximum musical glory.

2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Winners & Nominees List