Prepare to Daydream About Ariana Grande and More Stars’ First Grammys

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Baby’s first Grammys is always worth looking back on.

Even though the most famous musicians appear confident and polished at the Grammys, they all remember the excitement – and nerves – of attending the awards show for the first time.

Consider Taylor Swift, for example. Before she became a 14-time Grammy winner, she first walked the Grammys red carpet in 2008 wearing a flowing purple dress. Although she was nominated for Best New Artist that year, she didn’t win her first Grammys until 2010, when her album Fearless earned her both Album of the Year and Best Country Album awards.

Even Beyoncé, who has won more Grammy Awards than any other artist, was once a newcomer. Back in 2001, before she had collected her impressive 35 Grammys, she attended the awards show with her Destiny’s Child bandmates, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. The group, all dressed in matching green outfits, won Record of the Year and Best R&B Performance for their song “Say My Name.”

At the time, the then-19-year-old couldn’t believe she was being honored with the achievement. 

As a mom myself, I was so touched watching Beyoncé accept her Grammy! She and Jay-Z have such a beautiful family – Blue Ivy, who’s 14, and their adorable 8-year-old twins, Rumi and Sir. During their acceptance speech for Best Performance, she was genuinely thrilled, saying how excited they all were and that she couldn’t believe they were actually winning!

And she couldn’t leave the stage without thanking her bandmates-turned-family.

She continued, thanking Michelle and Kelly for all they brought to Destiny’s Child, and expressing her deep affection for them both. She also thanked the Grammys.

Oh my gosh, can we talk about Ariana at the Grammys? I seriously remember when she first showed up in 2011 with Frankie – she was so new and exciting! And then, just a few years later, in 2015, she was actually nominated! I was screaming! ‘My Everything’ for Best Pop Vocal Album and ‘Bang Bang’ with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj? Iconic! I’ve been a fan since day one, and seeing her get that recognition was everything. It feels like yesterday, honestly!

Despite releasing several albums, the singer known for “we can’t be friends” didn’t win a Grammy Award until 2019, when Sweetener was named Best Pop Vocal Album.

Although she couldn’t be there in person, Ariana expressed her thanks on Instagram, saying it was “wild and beautiful” and thanking everyone involved.

For a look back at more stars’ first Grammys, read on…

At the 2001 Grammy Awards, Destiny’s Child was frequently mentioned as they won both Record of the Year and Best R&B Performance. It was the first time attending the awards show for the group members—Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams—and they celebrated in coordinated outfits.

Before Taylor Swift began her streak of four Album of the Year wins in 2010, she first attended the awards ceremony in 2008 as a nominee for Best New Artist. At that time, she was just months away from releasing her album Fearless. However, the award ultimately went to the late Amy Winehouse.

The singer had a particularly memorable first experience at the Grammys in 2009, when she was nominated for her song “I Kissed A Girl.”

Even before her album Art Pop was released, Lady Gaga made a splash at the 2010 Grammys, receiving a warm welcome from the audience. She had already been nominated once in 2009 for “Just Dance,” but this time she received five nominations thanks to The Fame and won two awards.

Bruno Mars first showed the world his talent at the 2011 Grammys, where he received six nominations and won the award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his song, “Just The Way You Are.”

Ariana Grande first went to the Grammys in 2011 with her brother, Frankie, just after her show Victorious started airing on Nickelodeon. She didn’t receive her own nomination until 2015.

Frank Ocean is famously private, but he did attend the 2013 Grammy Awards to accept his two wins.

Kendrick Lamar, the artist behind “Not Like Us,” has now received a total of 57 Grammy nominations. He first earned seven nominations in 2014 for his album, good kid, m.A.A.d city, when he attended the Grammy Awards for the very first time.

Before her recent album received eight nominations, Charli XCX was nominated twice at the 2015 awards show for her hit song “Fancy” with Iggy Azalea.

You might be hearing a lot about this artist now with her hit “Cowboys Cry Too,” but I want you to know she’s been on the industry’s radar for a while! In fact, she received a Best New Artist nomination from the Recording Academy way back in 2017 – a real sign of her potential even then.

Billie Eilish had a fantastic first Grammys in 2019! She won both Best New Artist and Album of the Year, the latter of which she shared with her brother, a frequent musical partner.

It’s her! The rapper won awards for Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Best New Artist after becoming famous with her song “Savage.”

Things have changed for the former One Direction singer. While he didn’t win Album of the Year until 2022, he did win Best Pop Solo Performance for “Watermelon Sugar” at his first awards ceremony in 2021.

As a lifestyle observer, I’ve been so impressed watching Olivia Rodrigo’s rise! After her incredible hit “Drivers License” launched her into the spotlight, she and her producer, Dan Nigro, absolutely crushed it at the Grammys. They earned an amazing seven nominations and took home three wins – a fantastic achievement for such a young artist!

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2026-02-01 19:17