By Nell Geraets
Taylor Swift has announced a brand-new album, The Tortured Poets Department, just two weeks before kicking off the Australian leg of her Eras Tour.
While accepting a Grammy for best pop vocal album with Midnights – her first prize of the night – the pop megastar thanked her fans and announced her next album would land on April 19.
“I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I have been keeping from you for the last two years,” she said on stage, announcing the new album.
Taylor Swift accepts the award for best pop vocal album for Midnights, taking the opportunity to announce her new album.Credit: Invision
She then quickly uploaded the album cover to X (formerly Twitter) alongside a photo of lyrics that read: “And so I enter into evidence / My tarnished coat of arms / My muses, acquired like bruises / My talismans and charms / The tick, / tick, / tick, / of love bombs, / my veins of pitch-black ink.“
The plug is reminiscent of her acceptance speech at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, where she announced the release of her tenth studio album, Midnights.
The 34-year-old also made history when she won the award for best album of the year with Midnights – her second trophy of the night. She is now the only person to have won the category four times (she previously won for Fearless in 2010, 1989 in 2016, and Folklore in 2021), overtaking Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder.
“I would love to tell you that this is the best moment of my life, but I feel this happy when I finish a song, or when I crack the code to a bridge I love ... Or when I’m rehearsing with my dancers or my band, or getting ready to go to Tokyo to play a show,” Swift said on stage. “For me, the award is the work. All I want to do is keep being able to do this, I love it so much.”
Meanwhile, Kylie Minogue emerged victorious in the battle of the Aussie pop icons. The singer’s catchy hit Padam Padam beat Troye Sivan’s Rush in the pop dance recording category, officially making her a two-time Grammy winner – 20 years after winning her first golden gramophone, which she scooped in 2004 for Come into My World.
Kylie Minogue won the award for best pop dance recording at the 66th Grammy Awards.Credit: AP
The only other Australian to claim a trophy was Tommy Emmanuel, who won his first Grammy for best arrangement, instrumental or a cappella with his acoustic cover of Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison Blues, produced by Cash’s son, John Carter. It was third-time lucky for Emmanuel after having been nominated twice before – once in 1998 and again in 2006.
One of the night’s biggest prizes, song of the year, went to Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O’Connell for their Barbie track What Was I Made For?, pipping the likes of Swift’s Anti-Hero and SZA’s Kill Bill. This was their second victory in this category following Bad Guy in 2020.
Finneas, left, and Billie Eilish accept the award for song of the year for What Was I Made For?.Credit: Invision
Miley Cyrus won record of the year for Flowers. It was her second award of the night after earlier winning the best solo pop performance category to claim her first-ever Grammy. ”This award is amazing, but I hope it doesn’t change anything because my life was beautiful yesterday,” she said.
Another of the night’s coveted awards, best new artist, went to Victoria Monét, who released her soulful hit On My Mama last year.
US rapper Killer Mike swept the rap awards, winning all three categories he was nominated in: best rap song and best rap performance for Scientists & Engineers, and best rap album for Michael. It was his first Grammy win since 2003, when he won best rap performance by a duo or group for his part on OutKast’s The Whole World.
In terms of performances, singer Tracy Chapman made a surprise appearance alongside country superstar Luke Combs, singing a powerful duet of Fast Car, and Miley Cyrus channelled her inner Tina Turner while singing her award-winning single in a shimmering fringe dress. Joni Mitchell also stole hearts, choosing Both Sides, Now for her first-ever Grammy performance.
With Karl Quinn
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