WATCH: Beyoncé Ties for Most Grammy Wins Ever But Misses the Big Moment — Trevor Noah Jokes She’s Stuck in Traffic
Beyoncé scored another win at the Grammys Sunday night, tying for the most Grammy wins ever — but Queen Bey wasn’t there for her big moment.
She racked up nine Grammy nominations with her seventh studio album, 2022’s Renaissance, being nominated for both Album of the Year and Best Dance/Electronic Album and song “Break My Soul” up for both Record and Song of the Year.
As the award presentation for Best R&B song kicked off, Beyoncé was one away from tying the record for most Grammy awards won by an individual, currently held by conductor Georg Solti with 31 wins.
Beyoncé is also currently tied with her husband Jay-Z for most Grammy nominations with 88 each.
Viola Davis — who earlier in the evening achieved the rarified EGOT status — read off the list of Best R&B song nominees, and then announced Beyoncé’s “Cuff It” as the winner.
The audience rose for a standing ovation as Beyoncé’s song played, but she was nowhere in sight. Lizzo was one of many wondering, “Where’s Beyoncé?”
Host Trevor Noah strode up the stairs to the stage. “Alright, alright, alright. So, for real, Beyoncé is on her way. But you know the upside of hosting the Grammys in L.A. is that everyone can be here. The downside of hosting in L.A. is the traffic. Beyoncé is on her way.”
“Just for reference, Beyoncé has now equalled the record for most Grammys of an individual of all time,” said Noah, before introducing Niles Rodgers, who contributed additional writing to the song.
Rodgers described contributing to the song as “the most organic thing that ever happened to me,” and that he did his part in “one take,” it was “just what I felt in my heart.”
Later in the show, Beyoncé joined Jay-Z at their table, and Noah carried the gramophone trophy over to her.
“You know, when you equal a record,” said Noah, “there’s no way you don’t get to hold your Grammy in your hand and celebrate that. And the Queen is officially in — ladies and gentlemen, Beyoncé Knowles!”
“I was shocked to find out that traffic could stop you,” he quipped. “I thought you traveled through space and time, but I’m glad that you could be with us right now.”
Whether or not Beyoncé was actually stuck in L.A. gridlock is not clear — her husband had made it there on time, for starters — and many social media users were skeptical, suspecting instead that the Queen was preparing for her performance later in the show or wanted to save the fanfare for the big moment if/when she managed to actually beat Solti’s record instead of just tying it.
Watch the video above, via CBS.
