Grammys 2025 Predictions: 5 Outcomes We Would Like To See

It is almost time. The 67th annual Grammy Awards will return to our screens next week. Set to unfold at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, the music’s biggest event promises a night of triumph and tension, just going by the sheer quality of its nominations this year. Female musicians dominated the top categories, filling 22 of 32 slots in the Big Four categories—Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.

Beyoncé leads the nomination tally with 11 nominations—the most for any artist this year—for her country album Cowboy Carter. This remarkable feat also lands her in the league of legends, if she hasn’t already, as she becomes the most-nominated artist in the Grammys’ history with 99 nominations. Billie Eilish and Charli XCX trail closely behind with seven nominations, while Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Taylor Swift are tied with six.

Those of us who are gearing up for our annual watch party, with Grammys ballots all printed out and bottles of bubbly already in the fridge, must now be contemplating last-minute changes in our predictions. The race, after all, looks open in almost every category. Album of the Year, especially, is ripe for a surprise. So maybe our ‘hopedicting’ can be of assistance until the envelopes are ripped open on Monday, 9am (Malaysia time).

HIT ME HARD AND SOFT TAKES ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Beyoncé, sweetie, we’re so sorry. We know that the tides are changing in favour of the queen after the Grammys’ constant tomfoolery—justice for Lemonade!—but Cowboy Carter just didn’t do it for us. Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft, on the other hand, is a gift that keeps on giving with every replay. There are no skips on this album. From Eilish’s wistful delivery in ‘Skinny’ (what an intro) to the subtle textures and sonic details in ‘Blue’, this record is, simply put, hauntingly beautiful.

NOTHING FOR THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT

Listen, we may not be a Swiftie but we have thoroughly enjoyed Taylor Swift’s discography. We’re still humming the tunes from Reputation and Folklore. But sitting through The Tortured Poets Department was, well, torture. With repetitive melodies and nonsensical lyrics—we’re still scarred by “Touch me while your bros play Grand Theft Auto”—we were stunned by its nomination tally. At least “Now I’m down bad, cryin’ at the gym” still gives us a good chuckle on the treadmill.

SABRINA SUPREMACY SHALL PREVAIL

There is no arguing that 2024 was the year of Sabrina Carpenter. Going from opening Taylor Swift’s Eras tour to releasing Short n’ Sweet and embarking on her sold-out tour, Carpenter was unstoppable. Her breezy pop album is laden with certified bangers. Its smooth beats and witty lyricism unravel the complexities of relationships in a twisty, cheeky style. So with six Grammy nods under her belt, the fun-size singer has got to walk away with something. Right?

BRAT SUMMER IS OVER

The only musician that came close to matching the cultural impact Carpenter had was Charli XCX. From its chartreuse cover—blurry text and all—being meme’d to death to the scandalous Sweat tour moments, Brat had the internet in a chokehold. But the internet is an echo chamber that doesn’t always reflect the consensus. The only category it is win-competitive in is Best Dance/Electronic Album, unless ‘Von Dutch’ upsets ‘Yes, And?’ in Best Dance Pop Recording.

RAYE SURPRISE WIN FOR BEST NEW ARTIST

While the race is realistically between Carpenter and Chappell Roan, our fingers are still crossed for Raye. Like many others, our introduction to the British singer-songwriter was through her 2022 chart-topper ‘Escapism’. But it wasn’t until we stumbled across her performance of ‘Oscar Winning Tears’ at the Royal Albert Hall that we realised the powerhouse that she is. The combination of emotive vocals and musical versatility makes her a lethal force that commands your attention.

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