Harry Styles took home the biggest prize at the 2023 Grammys, scoring album of the year for Harry’s House. However, what began as a celebratory moment for the artist — who also won best pop vocal performance for As It Was — put a bad taste in many viewers’ mouths.
On February 5, Harry was up against some pretty stiff competition for the coveted award, which many predicted would go to Grammy record-breaker Beyoncé for her album Renaissance. Out of the category’s 10 nominees, Lizzo and Adele were also major contenders. “I’ve been so inspired by every artist in this category with me. A lot of different times in my life, I’ve listened to everyone in this category when I’m alone,” Harry said in his acceptance speech. “On nights like tonight, it’s so important to remember there is no such thing as ‘best’ in music.” So far, so good.
Then he added, “This is really, really kind. I’m so grateful. This doesn’t happen to people like me very often.” People like who, exactly?
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Viewers were quick to question what Harry, a cis white man, was trying to convey. “Saying ‘this doesn’t happen to people like me very often’ when a Black woman hasn’t won that award since 1999 is crazy,” one user tweeted, referencing Lauryn Hill’s 1999 win for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Only two other Black women have ever won the award: Natalie Cole for Unforgettable…With Love in 1992 and Whitney Houston for The Bodyguard soundtrack in 1994. In 64 years of Grammys history, only 11 Black artists have won album of the year.
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Another user wrote, “Harry Styles said ‘this doesn’t happen to people like me very often’ and I gotta be honest I can’t think of a type of people this happens for more.”
Valid criticism aside, many Harry Styles fans and viewers were upset to hear audience members boo the Don’t Worry Darling star and yell “Beyoncé” as he accepted his award. “This makes me so sad that people just can’t respect who won and move on instead of trying to ruin people’s moment,” wrote one TikTok user who shared a clip of the heckling, which began before Harry's controversial statement. In the comments, many were reminded of the 2009 VMAs Kanye moment as Taylor Swift gave Harry a standing ovation.
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Whether or not Harry Styles deserved to win is irrelevant. Two things can be true at once: It’s disrespectful and unproductive to lift someone up by tearing someone else down, and it’s completely fair — and even necessary — to call out artists on their blind spots and privilege, particularly when discussing historically racist institutions. I think Harry “Treat People With Kindness” Styles would agree.
This article originally appeared on GLAMOUR's US site.
She made history during the evening.
