Perhaps no “contest” between two artists says as much about the Grammys than Adele vs Beyoncé. Adele received five nominations, Beyoncé nine. Both were favourites in three of the “top four” categories: record of the year, song of the year, and the biggest hitter, album of the year. To the frustration of many onlookers, including Adele herself, Adele won all three.
Adele and Beyoncé have many things in common. They are two of the most critically acclaimed stars of the contemporary music scene. Both are emotional vocalists who explore romantic vulnerability and motherhood in their lyrics. But they also represent the different kinds of popstar the Grammys must choose to celebrate each year. One is white and conventional; the other, black and genuinely ground-breaking. We even see this in their lyrical differences – Adele looks with heady nostalgia to the past, while Beyoncé uses history as tool to look forward to the future.
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