It was a big night for Billie Eilish at the 2020Grammy Awards.
Host and former best new artist winner Alicia Keys and 2019’s award best new artist Dua Lipa announced the 18-year-old singer as the best new artist winner at this year’s awards show, which celebrates the best in music.
This year was a particularly crowded year in the best new artist category, with eight nominees.Eilish, Black Pumas,Lil Nas X,Lizzo, Maggie Rogers,Rosalía, Tank and the Bangas, and Yola were all up for the coveted award.
“Thank you! Two!” Eilish said during her acceptance speech, referencing that she won earlier in the night forsong of the year. “Okay, I forgot to thank my touring team in the last one so I want to thank you guys for helping me put on a show that I actually like.”
ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty
The “Bad Guy” singer went on to thank her fans — and those of her best new artist competitors.
“I think the fans deserve everything,” she continued at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. “I feel like they have not been talked about tonight because they’re the only reason any of us are here at all so thanks to the fans. I know that … God, this is so crazy. I know that all the other artists that were in this category, I love you all, you guys are amazing. You deserve it just as much as I do. I know your fans are hardcore and they are going to fight for you and they love you.”
Be sure to check out PEOPLE’sfull Grammy Awards coverageto get the latest news on music’s biggest night.
Billie Eilish.Christopher Polk/Shutterstock
Eilish went into the Grammys with six nominations, tying with Lil Nas X.
She made history when at 17, she became the youngest nominee in Grammys history to be nominated in all four general field categories: record of the year, album of the year, song of the year and best new artist.
She was nominated alongside her brother and producer,Finneas O’Connell,in the record of the year, album of the year and song of the year categories for her single “Bad Guy” and her debut album, WhenWe Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?Along with their album of the year and record of the year wins, O’Connell, 22, also earned producer of the year, non-classical.
Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell.Kevin Winter/Getty
That LP debuted last March and topped the Billboard 200 charts. It’s since gone double platinum, becoming the best-performing album of 2019 in the U.S.
In addition, Eilish has a total of 13 platinum single to her name, six of which — “When the Party’s Over”, “Bury a Friend”, “Wish You Were Gay”, “Xanny”, “Everything I Wanted”, and “Bad Guy” — came fromWe Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Earlier this month, it was announced she’d berecording the theme song to Daniel Craig‘s final James Bond film,No Time to Die.
Born and raised in Highland Park, Los Angeles, Eilish began singing at a young age, first gaining fame for her song “Ocean Eyes” on SoundCloud.
Now a household name, Eilish toldVanity Fairin November that she likes being famous, but “used to hate it.”
“I hated doing press and I hated being recognized and I hated kind of everything that had to do with it,” she said. “There’s a lot in fame that’s f—ing gross and horrible and just miserable. But I’m very grateful for it, and it’s really rare and I’m very lucky, so I’m done with complaining about it.”
She went on to admit that she didn’t envision herself becoming as successful as she is now just one year ago.
“Back then, I thought it was the biggest it was ever going to be,” she said. “I thought it was the most I was ever going to be recognized, and it’s the most anyone is going to know me, and it was the most money that I would have, the most clothes I’d have, the most shoes I’d have. And what’s crazy is, it wasn’t.”
LeAnne Rimes, Christina Aguilera and John Legend with their best new artist Grammys.Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage; SGranitz/WireImage; Kevin Winter/Getty Images
A number of notable singers have won in the best new artist category in the past.
Over the past decade alone Alessia Cara, Chance the Rapper, Meghan Trainer, Sam Smith, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Fun, Bon Iver, Esperanza Spalding, and Zac Brown Band all took home the prize. Unchanged: Over the past decade alone, Dua Lipa, Alessia Cara, Chance the Rapper, Meghan Trainer, Sam Smith, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Fun, Bon Iver, Esperanza Spalding, and Zac Brown Band all took home the prize.
The 62ndGrammy Awardsare airing live from Los Angeles’ Staples Center on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.
source: people.com
