Miley Cyrus has won her first Grammy for her viral summer hit Flowers at the 66th annual award show.
The US singer’s track picked up best pop solo performance at the start of the ceremony, which is being held at the Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles.
The song, which dominated the US and UK charts last year, is also nominated for the coveted song of the year and record of the year gongs.
Currently: Waiting for @MileyCyrus to drop Flowers: “The GRAMMYs Edit.” 💿✨ pic.twitter.com/GO7FjiYMYF
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) February 5, 2024
Collecting her first award from pop star Mariah Carey, Cyrus said: “This MC is going to stand next to that MC.
“This is just too iconic, I just got stuck in the rain and traffic and thought I was going to miss this moment.”
Cyrus said she got sat in her lucky number three seat, before telling a story about a boy who could not capture a butterfly, but once he stopped trying, the butterfly landed on his nose.
“This song Flowers is my butterfly,” she added.
Later in the show, she performed the hit track on stage in a silver sparkly dress which featured a bedazzled bra and stomach cut-out.
During her performance, she encouraged the audience to sing along, saying: “Why you acting like you don’t know this song?”
Cyrus also celebrated her win, changing the lyrics in her song, saying: “Then I remember, I just won my first Grammy.”
US singer Tracy Chapman, 59, also stunned the audience with a rendition of her hit song Fast Car, which she performed with US country singer Luke Combs, whose cover of the track went viral last year.
While SZA, who is the most nominated artist of the night with nine nods, delivered a theatrical performance of her hit song Kill Bill.
She opened the performance by singing her song Snooze amid an elaborate set, which featured burning bins and constructed rooms, before transitioning into Kill Bill by removing her trench coat and rimmed hat to reveal a military style outfit.
During the Grammy pre-telecast ceremony, the US singer won the best pop duo prize with Phoebe Bridgers for their track Ghost In The Machine.
Bridgers also landed three more Grammys with her supergroup Boygenius during the premiere ceremony ahead of the main show.
The trio – comprising Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus – were sporting matching white suits as they picked up best rock song and best rock performance for their hit Not Strong Enough, and best alternative music album for their debut The Record.
US indie musician Bridgers exclaimed “what the hell” after collecting their third award in quick succession.
Congrats Best Rock Song winners – "Not Strong Enough" @xboygeniusx. #GRAMMYs 🎶
WATCH NOW https://t.co/OuKk34kvdu pic.twitter.com/dVBgzlZ7rX
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) February 4, 2024
“This is so incredible, we’re just screaming backstage – it’s just been a constant scream,” she said.
“I owe these boys everything, I love you guys so much, you’re the best.”
After scoring best rock song, Baker added: “All I ever wanted to do was be in a band. I feel like music is the language I used to find my family.”
Among the other early winners was US star Billie Eilish and her songwriting brother Finneas O’Connell, who appeared onstage to accept the best song written for visual media for their hit track What Was I Made For? from the Barbie album.
Congrats Best Song Written For Visual Media winner – "What Was I Made For? [From "Barbie The Album"]" (@billieeilish). #GRAMMYs 🎶
WATCH NOW https://t.co/OuKk34kvdu pic.twitter.com/5JeMffWz3s
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) February 4, 2024
She said she is “just in awe” and “grateful every second of my life” for the recognition she has received over the years, adding “I am shocked”.
The 22-year-old also thanked Barbie director Greta Gerwig and producer-turned-star Margot Robbie for allowing her to make the song, which “saved me a little bit”.
O’Connell also thanked their father who worked as a construction worker at Mattel Corporation “to keep food on the table” for most of their childhood.
Eilish added: “Mum, you are my idol, inspiration and I would not be anything without you.”
Later on during the main ceremony, Eilish performed the track dressed as the 1965 Barbie Poodle Parade doll.
She wore black sunglasses and a pink head scarf for the performance while O’Connell played the piano.
Meanwhile Australian singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue was honoured with the inaugural best pop dance recording for hit Padam Padam, which went viral last summer, and marks her second Grammy award.
The 55-year-old was not present in person to collect the gong, but the song’s British producer Peter Rycroft, known professionally as Lostboy, appeared on stage and in the winners’ room after the win.
He said: “This is such a unique process on this song, it started as an idea with a friend who I wrote it with originally and we built up a fairly rough demo and it got into the hands of Kylie.
“She is such a powerhouse, she recorded her own vocals in her hotel room and sent me the project – she is very hands on and very collaborative.”
The Grammy pre-telecast ceremony also kicked off with a win for SZA and Bridgers.
The US musicians won the Grammy for best pop duo for track Ghost In The Machine, while British star Fred Again was awarded best dance/electronic music album for Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022).
Congrats Best Pop Dance Recording winner – 'Padam Padam' @kylieminogue. #GRAMMYs
WATCH NOW: https://t.co/OuKk34kvdu pic.twitter.com/TWlmij53jF
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) February 4, 2024
The best music video Grammy was awarded to a project created for The Beatles song I’m Only Sleeping, which featured 1,300 oil paintings by British filmmaker and animator Em Cooper.
Cooper thanked the Fab Four as she accepted the prize at the premiere ceremony.
While a documentary on the late David Bowie, titled Moonage Daydream, has taken home the best music film prize.
Filmmaker Brett Morgen hailed the Heroes singer as the “single greatest artist who has walked the face of this Earth” as he accepted the gong.
Later in the winners’ room, Morgen said: “Most of what I am right now in my career… has come from David Bowie.
“David’s appreciation for life, the idea that every day, every moment is an opportunity for growth and to never waste a moment is something that has been deeply inspiring.”
US rapper Killer Mike also stormed the rap category at the 2024 Grammy awards, taking home two major awards for the genre.
His sixth studio album, Michael, picked up best rap album – while his track Scientists And Engineers featuring Andre 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane won best rap song.
On stage he said: “This is for all the people who think you’re too old to rap…. we keep hip hop alive. Never ever stop doing what you do.”
He later added: “You cannot tell me dreams do not come true.”
The 2024 Grammy Awards ceremony is airing live on CBS and Paramount+.