Taylor Swift Gives Beyoncé Huge Shock at Grammys

Beyoncé’s surprised reaction became an instant meme on Sunday when Taylor Swift presented her with the history-making Grammy win she clearly hadn’t been expecting.

Beyoncé became the first Black woman to win a Grammy in the Country Music category in over 50 years, with her win for Best Country Album for Cowboy Carter.

Taylor Swift took the stage to present the award, which caused Beyoncé to have a deer in the headlights expression as the Tortured Poets Department singer announced the winner.

Beyoncé called out critics who were slow to embrace her official foray into the genre—or ignored it all together—with her acceptance speech: “I think sometimes genre is a code word to keep us in our place as artists, and I just want to encourage people to do what they’re passionate about,” she said, adding that she was “still in shock” at the win.

Though Black artists have won in the Grammys Country category—The Pointer Sisters won Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1975—Beyoncé is the first Black artist to win Best Country album.

She later won the Grammy for Best Album—her first in the category.

In her second speech of the night, she thanked her collaborators and acknowledged it had taken her “many, many years” to reach the milestone.

She also thanked her “beautiful family,” including husband Jay-Z and daughter Blue Ivy, who each accompanied her to the ceremony.

Jay-Z is still in the midst of a legal battle to clear his name from rape allegations from an anonymous accuser in connection with incarcerated ex-mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. He vehemently denies the allegations, but was trolled following their reveal during his last major appearance alongside his famous wife and daughter, at the 2024 premiere of Mufasa.