Hello everyone! I hope you are having a lovely week. This past Sunday the 2025 Grammys took place, and it was one for the history books. The performances, looks, and speeches all were memorable for their own reasons, but I was struck by the energy in the room that night. There were many first time winners and they all had similar things in common: they worked and manifested for years.
The Grammys venue this year was filled with so many artists that have put in tremendous amounts of work to get to where they are today. Below I’ll be detailing a couple of stories I found really inspiring and admirable.
Doechii
We all know Doechii as the artist behind “What It Is (Block Boy)” and her debut album Alligator Bites Never Heal. What we don’t know is that she has been working for years. On January 12, 2020, Doechii posted such an honest video on her Youtube Channel. In the video, she mentions she’s been fired and makes a plan to go to a bunch of record labels and studios to ask if they have any internships open. It’s quite obvious Doechii is so tired and discouraged, but, nonetheless, she maintains some hope.
Doechii spent years recording music in her room and chasing her dream in LA before she won the Grammy for Best Rap Album. She never got a record deal or any award handed to her. In her Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe, Doechii expresses her hunger for her work and dedication. Even is she has two days, or 24 hours, Doechii will work her “hardest to make the best performance because [she] wants to be the best”. It’s so refreshing to see a woman be honest about her work ethic, and not diminish her efforts.
Sabrina Carpenter
Some of you all may know Sabrina Carpenter from her albums Short n’ Sweet or emails i can’t send, but the OGs know her from her debut album Eyes Wide Open. Not including her deluxe albums, Sabrina Carpenter has released six albums in her career. Even with this incredible body of work, she’s only just receiving her flowers. When Sabrina Carpenter was 14 she entered into a five album record deal with Disney Music Group’s Hollywood Records. Because of that deal, she wasn’t given much creative freedom and room to grow. She was able to build a strong fanbase that has grown alongside her though.
Sabrina Carpenter deserved to win to Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance at the 2025 Grammys because she has put in the work. She spent years under Disney’s thumb, and when she was finally given the opportunity to break out, and she did. Carpenter created her own unique sound, image, and energy that’s hers. Some may say Sabrina Carpenter is an industry plant, but that’s absolutely not true. This woman has been releasing music for years. She’s just finally been given a spotlight.
Beyoncé
We all know Queen Bey as one of the baddest and most revered artists of all time. She has sold over 200 million records, won 35 Grammys, but she has never let her success plateau. Even with all of her achievements, she continuously finds different sides of her self to express in music. Recently, with the Cowboy Carter album, we were able to hear Beyonce’s Texas and country roots personified through music. In the US, many Black individuals have been overlooked for their contributions to American culture, and this album helps to rectify that. The lyrics tell the stories of Black southerners that not many have been given the opportunity to learn about.
This year was the first time Beyoncé has ever won Album of the Year which is shocking, but also a testament to her unending work ethic. She didn’t let the disappointment of losing each year hold her back. She instead let it fuel her work and push her to continue making music that creates culture shifts. I don’t want to say that Beyoncé was solely working all these years for this award. To say that, would be a bit demeaning. I will say though that Beyoncé manifested this award through all of her years of putting out exceptional work and asserting herself in the music industry.
The 2025 Grammys was such an empowering award show to watch, because it’s encouraged me to keep working. I want to be a maternal fetal medicine specialist. I want to start my own clothing line. Every goal or dream I’ve ever had will be achieved. It may take years, but I’m going to do it.
Thank you all for reading this week’s post. I hope you enjoyed it. Make sure to subscribe to be notified of new posts. Stay sharp 😉