10 Times Women KILLED IT at the Grammys

If you watched the Grammys last night, you know that female empowerment was in full force. From ridiculously powerful performances by talented female artists to a strongly worded and spoken message about domestic violence from a woman who experienced it firsthand, it was hard not to notice all the girl power in the Staples Center. And it was awesome. Here, all the Grammys moments that made you happy to be a grow-ass woman:

1. When Miranda Lambert Got Feisty
The former WH cover star was taking names, kicking ass, and wearing those leather pants as she performed “Little Red Wagon.” We especially enjoyed her delivery of the lyric, “I love my apron, but I’m not your mama.” Boom.

 

2. When Mary J. Blige Made Musical Magic with Sam Smith
This diva’s smooth voice perfectly complimented Sam Smith’s during their performance of “Stay with Me.” The duet made you feel things—so many things. We missed you, Mary J.

 

3. When Joan Rivers Took One Home
The lady who carved a path for female comedians got her first Grammy posthumously for Best Spoken Word Album for her audiobook, Diary of a Mad Diva. We love that she was honored for a book about her life as a kickass lady. RIP, Joan.

 

4. When Kristen Wiig and Maddie Ziegler Danced Their Costumes Off. But Actually.
In her emotional performance of “Chandelier” with Sia and 12-year-old Maddie Ziegler, Kristen proved that she’s not limited to being the funny girl we know and love, showing off her seriously impressive dance skills. And Maddie, the dance prodigy who also nailed her part in the performance, made us wish we had a third as much talent at triple her age. 

 

5. When Lady Gaga Held Her Own with a Legend
It takes a ton of talent to get “Cheek to Cheek” with Tony Bennett—and Lady Gaga clearly has it in spades. The silver-haired Lady sang beautifully during their classy duet.

 

6. When Rihanna Sang With the Boys
Her performance with Kanye and Paul McCartney in matching black suits was everything. Is it possible for anyone to look as badass in diamonds and a jacket as this woman? No. Just, no.

 

7. When Madonna TURNED UP the Sexiness Factor
The Queen of Pop is back and as amazing as ever. Madonna worked the stage in a super saucy red and black number. Oh, and girl is 56.

 

8. When Beyoncé Looked and Sounded Like an Angel
She might not have won Best Album (as Kanye pointed out in a passionate post-Grammy interview—déjà vu?), but Bey’s performance of “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” won our hearts. She absolutely crushed that beautiful ballad from Selma.

 

9. When Annie Lennox Came Back into Our Lives
We will be having sweet dreams made of Annie’s voice for the next month after her jaw-dropping duet with Hozier. No offense to the man—who is crazy talented in his own right—but Annie totally dominated that performance. #MorePlease

 

10. When Brooke Axtell and Katy Perry Took a Stand Against Domestic Violence
Brooke, a domestic abuse survivor and spoken-word artist, shared her story in a moving speech that was arguably the most empowering part of the entire night. “Authentic love does not devalue another human being,” Brooke said onstage. “Authentic love does not silence, shame, or abuse. If you are in a relationship with someone who does not honor and respect you, I want you to know that you are worthy of love. Please reach out for help. Your voice will save you.” That speech, followed by Katy’s “By the Grace of God,” got us feeling powerful and proud. 

All gifs courtesy of giphy.com

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