Stars' First Grammy Appearances (2024)

They may be big shots in the music industry now, but everyone has to start somewhere — why not the Grammys?From Lady Gaga, who stunned Us in 2009 with her spiky headdress, to Justin Timberlake, who has been attending the award show since his days as a boy-bander (complete with bleach-blond perm), a star’s first Grammys appearance is a special moment never to be forgotten.Some first-time attendees get lucky and win their first Grammy at their inaugural awards show. Billie Eilish won her first five trophies at the 2020 ceremony when she was just 18 years old, breaking several records.The "Bad Guy" singer became the youngest person to be nominated for — as well as win — in all four major categories: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist. She is the only woman to ever win all four in one night, and her album, When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, also scored the Best Pop Vocal Album award.“That s--t was f--king crazy,” Eilish told Vogue days after winning her Grammys. “If anything, it’s an exciting thing for the kids who make music in their bedroom. We’re making progress, I think, in that place — kids who don’t have enough money to use studios.”However, not everyone gets to the Grammys that early in their career. Harry Styles launched his career as a teenager in One Direction in 2010, but he didn't get to music's biggest celebration until 2021. He scored the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance for his song "Watermelon Sugar.""I feel incredibly lucky to get to work in music and make music as my job very day, and this is an incredibly sweet icing on the cake of what I get to do every day, so thank you so much," he told reporters after the show. "I want to thank my fans for evening me an environment to be free to make the music I want to make and supporting me over the last 10 years. ... I feel very, very lucky tonight. Thank you."Other artists have attended long before getting any love from the Recording Academy. Selena Gomez first hit the red carpet at the Grammy Awards in 2011, but she didn't score her first nomination for another decade. Her LP Revelación was nominated for Best Latin Pop Album in 2022.“Are you kidding me!? Revelación is nominated for a GRAMMY!" Gomez wrote via Instagram at the time. "This project is so special to me for so many reasons and I could not have made it happen without this incredible team of people by my side. I am forever grateful to each and every one of you ♥️ and of course MY FANS."Scroll through to see how Hollywood’s hottest musicians have evolved since we first saw them at the Grammys![podcast_block]

They may be big shots in the music industry now, but everyone has to start somewhere — why not the Grammys?From Lady Gaga, who stunned Us in 2009 with her spiky headdress, to Justin Timberlake, who has been attending the award show since his days as a boy-bander (complete with bleach-blond perm), a star’s first Grammys appearance is a special moment never to be forgotten.Some first-time attendees get lucky and win their first Grammy at their inaugural awards show. Billie Eilish won her first five trophies at the 2020 ceremony when she was just 18 years old, breaking several records.The "Bad Guy" singer became the youngest person to be nominated for — as well as win — in all four major categories: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist. She is the only woman to ever win all four in one night, and her album, When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, also scored the Best Pop Vocal Album award.“That s--t was f--king crazy,” Eilish told Vogue days after winning her Grammys. “If anything, it’s an exciting thing for the kids who make music in their bedroom. We’re making progress, I think, in that place — kids who don’t have enough money to use studios.”However, not everyone gets to the Grammys that early in their career. Harry Styles launched his career as a teenager in One Direction in 2010, but he didn't get to music's biggest celebration until 2021. He scored the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance for his song "Watermelon Sugar.""I feel incredibly lucky to get to work in music and make music as my job very day, and this is an incredibly sweet icing on the cake of what I get to do every day, so thank you so much," he told reporters after the show. "I want to thank my fans for evening me an environment to be free to make the music I want to make and supporting me over the last 10 years. ... I feel very, very lucky tonight. Thank you."Other artists have attended long before getting any love from the Recording Academy. Selena Gomez first hit the red carpet at the Grammy Awards in 2011, but she didn't score her first nomination for another decade. Her LP Revelación was nominated for Best Latin Pop Album in 2022.“Are you kidding me!? Revelación is nominated for a GRAMMY!" Gomez wrote via Instagram at the time. "This project is so special to me for so many reasons and I could not have made it happen without this incredible team of people by my side. I am forever grateful to each and every one of you ♥️ and of course MY FANS."Scroll through to see how Hollywood’s hottest musicians have evolved since we first saw them at the Grammys![podcast_block]

After performing her hit "Driver's License," the teen won Best New Artist when she attended her first Grammys in April 2022.

Though he lost to Rodrigo for Best New Artist at his first Grammys in 2022, Allen took the stage to perform his single "Down Home" at the Las Vegas ceremony.

The artist stood out in a bright yellow dress at her first Grammys in 2022, where she was nominated for Best New Artist (but lost to Rodrigo).

Though it was his second year being nominated, Jack Harlow didn't get to attend until the 2022 show. He performed alongside Lil Nas X, who he collaborated with for both his nominations that year. Harlow was an Album of the Year nominee for his work on Montero, and he was nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance for their song "Industry Baby."

The "Watermelon Sugar" singer made his first appearance amid three nominations in 2021, when the ceremony was held outdoors amid the coronavirus pandemic. He took home his first Grammy that evening.

The "Truth Hurts" songstress was the most nominated artist of the 2020 Grammys — and opened the show with a powerful performance that paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant hours after his death made headlines. "Today, all of my little problems that were as big as the world were gone," she said as she accepted the first Grammy award of her career for Best Pop Solo Performance. "Let's continue to reach out and hold each other down."

It's no surprise the "Old Town Road" singer earned six nominations for his first-ever appearance at the 2020 Grammys. The genre-fluid artist gave a show-stopping performance of the smash single alongside BTS, Billy Ray Cyrus and internet sensation Mason Ramsey.

The 18-year-old made Grammys history in 2020 by being the youngest artist to ever be nominated for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist. She scored another two nods and walked away with Best Pop Vocal Album and Song of the Year at the end of the night. Her stripped-down performance of "When the Party's Over" captivated the Staples Center audience.

The "Retrograde" singer blew away the internet when her classroom playback session at NYU with Pharrell Williams went viral in 2016. Since then, she's taken the music world by storm, selling out tour after tour and earning her first-ever Grammy nomination for Best New Artist at the 2020 awards.

The K-pop band appeared at the Grammys for the first time as presenters in 2019.

The former Fifth Harmony crooner gave a rousing speech about dreamers while introducing U2 at the 2018 Grammys awards. One year later, the spotlight was on the “Havana” singer, who opened the show and was nominated for for two awards.

Her only Grammys appearance came in 2017, when she was up for both Album of the Year (Purpose) and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (“Closer”). She made the most of it, rocking the carpet in a pair of silk PJs that harkened back to TLC’s “Crazy Sexy Cool” days.

The “Money” rapper, who performed with Bruno Mars in 2018, didn’t have much luck in the trophy department her first time around, but her chances of taking home a win in 2019 are looking pretty good: She’s up for five nominations.

Mendes was rocking the crowd at the awards show even before being recognized by the Recording Academy with an ensemble performance of “Elton John: I’m Still Standing in 2018. He has since garnered two nominations.

She made her first Grammys appearance in 2017, when she walked the carpet in a stunning purple lace gown with a thigh-high slit. Morris, who has been nominated nine times, also performed and took home the award for Best Country Solo Performance in 2018.

The “Sorry Not Sorry” songstress, who has scored two nominations, strutted her stuff at the 2016 awards, where she also earned Lionel Richie’s approval while performing “Hello.”

Ballerini hasn’t had a Grammys win yet, but she’s no stranger to the circuit, attending the 2017 awards as a first-time nominee for Best New Artist: She ultimately lost out to Chance the Rapper.

The five-time nominated artist performed “Royals” at the 2014 Grammys, where she racked up two awards for the hit song.

Macklemore, who took home four Grammys his first time at the awards show in 2014, performed “Same Love” on stage with Madonna as Queen Latifah officiated 33 marriages of both gay and straight couples standing in the aisles. "I got emotional during rehearsal, and I got emotional during the performance," Macklemore told Ellen DeGeneres after his performance.

Smith made his Grammys debut in 2014, looking dapper in an all-black suit. The following year, the English singer/songwriter cleaned house, taking home four of the six awards he was nominated for, including Record of the Year for "Stay With Me."

The “Work” rapper stunned at the 2014 Grammys in a white Elie Saab dress. Just one year later, Azalea was up for four nominations. She has yet to win.

Swift’s pal first attended the Grammys in 2013, where he was nominated for Song of the Year for "Love Yourself." He didn’t score his first win until 2016, however, when he took home the Best Pop Solo Performance and Song of the Year for “Thinking Out Loud.” The U.K.-born crooner added to his collection in 2017 with two more awards for “Shape of You,” which took home Best Pop Solo Performance, and ÷ (Divide), which won for Best Pop Vocal Album.

Grande has been appearing on the Grammys carpet since 2011, when she stepped out in a white minidress and a red low pony that rendered her practically unrecognizable. Though she has subsequently racked up six nominations, including two for 2019, she nabbed her first big win for Sweetener in 2019.

Minaj made a splash in the wardrobe department, donning head-to-toe leopard and sky-high hair at the 2011 Grammys one year after the release of her debut album, Pink Friday. She was nominated for "My Chick Bad" with Ludacris for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. A year later, she was nominated for Best New Artist but lost to alternative folk artist Bon Iver. Minaj has never won a Grammy.

The “Nothin’ on You” singer hit his first Grammys red carpet clad in a black tux in 2011. During the show, the crooner won an award — his first of 11 — for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for “Just the Way You Are.”

Though Gomez has never been nominated for a Grammy, the former Disney star attended the 2011 awards when her then-boyfriend Bieber was nominated for Best New Artist. The couple made their red carpet debut later that month at the Vanity Fair Oscars party.

Famously snubbed for a 2013 Grammy nomination, Bieber's first appearance at the music show was in 2011, where he earned his first nominations for Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album for My World 2.0. Bieber, who performed a medley of hits during that year's show, was beat out in the Best New Artist category by Esperanza Spalding.

10 years after making her first appearance at the Grammys, the Hidden Figures actress, who has yet to win, is still going strong — her LP Dirty Computer is a contender for 2019’s Best Album of the Year.

Drake was shocked to learn he had been nominated for two Grammys in 2009. During the nominations concert, the “God’s Plan” rapper admitted he thought they played clips of everyone’s songs. “Then my road manager tapped me and said, ’No, you’re nominated!’” he shared at the time. The “Best I Ever Had” singer, who now boasts 42 nominations, scored wins in 2013 for his Best Rap Album, Take Care, and in 2017 for “Hotline Bling," which won Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Rap Song.

The A Star is Born actress first hit the Grammys in 2009, when she was nominated for her single "Just Dance.” Gaga, who now has eight wins, earned her first gramophone trophy in 2010 when the Academy honored her disc The Fame as the Best Electronic Dance Album. She won two in 2019, one of which was for her work on her duet with Bradley Cooper, “Shallow,” in the Oscar-nominated film.

Nominated 13 times for her hits including "I Kissed a Girl" and "Teenage Dream," Perry — who first attended the show in 2009 when she was up for Best Pop Vocal Performance — has yet to snag a trophy.

The British singer-songwriter appeared at the Grammys for the first time to accept her win for Best New Artist in 2009. In 2012, Adele became the second female artist to snag six trophies in one night. She earned five more in 2017, bringing her total to 15.

She made her first Grammy appearance in 2008, when she was nominated for Best New Artist. Two years later, Swift snagged her first Grammy award — Female Country Vocal Performance — for "White Horse." "I live in awe of the people I was nominated against in this category," she said during her acceptance speech. "Thank you to anyone who was a Grammy voter and decided it might be a good idea to vote for me for this, because I am so happy!"

It wasn’t until 2015 that the former child star was finally nominated for a Grammy Award, but that didn’t stop the Hannah Montana alum from making several visits to the show prior: She attended for the first time in 2008 and in 2009 she performed "Fifteen" with Swift.

Now a Grammys vet, the Fenty designer’s first appearance was in 2007 and her first win came one year later, when she was awarded a trophy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Umbrella."

Brown first attended the show in 2006 at the age of 16. He’s been up for 17 Grammys since then, but won his first and only award, Best R&B album for F.A.M.E., in 2012.

Chrissy Teigen’s husband has 10 Grammys to his name, but in 2005, he was just getting started, making his first red carpet appearance. The following year, Legend took home his first wins for Best New Artist and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Ordinary People."

Winning 21 Grammys out of 69 nominations so far, the rapper — who is now married to Kim Kardashian — was given a Best Rap Album trophy for College Dropout and was awarded Best Rap Song ("Jesus Walks") at his first Grammys show in 2005.

"I think tonight kind of proved that American Idol can transcend the talent show stereotype it has," Idol's 2005 champ told the Los Angeles Times after snagging two trophies — Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance — in 2007. "It's just great talent on the show that couldn't get discovered doing what they were doing. It certainly worked for me."

The Maroon 5 frontman made his first appearance at the 2005 Grammy Awards where the group took home the Best New Artist Award in a shocking upset over future Yeezus rapper West. The group has won a total of three Grammys.

Fergie, will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo made their Grammy debut in 2004, when the former Wild Orchid songstress showed some serious skin in a risqué white cutout dress. The group then went on to claim six Grammys during their time together.

Williams first appeared at the Grammys in 2004, where he performed The Beatles “I Saw Her Standing There” with country artist Vince Gill. He was awarded with two Grammys that night, including Producer of the Year. Fifteen years later, he has 11 awards under his belt.

The rebellious pop rocker only attended the Grammys twice — in 2003 and 2004. She's been nominated for a total of eight Grammys, but has never won.

Pink has been wowing Grammys audiences since 2002, when she took home the first of three wins for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals thanks to “Lady Marmalade.”

Honored as 2002's Best New Artist, Keys won five of the six awards she was nominated for that year. "I'd like to dedicate this to just thinking outside the box and not being afraid of who you are no matter what you do," Keys said during the 44th annual show.

Two years after her 2002 American Idol victory, the Texas native attended the show to celebrate her Best Female Pop Vocal Performance nomination for "Miss Independent." She won her first trophies — for the single "Since U Been Gone" and album Breakaway — in 2006.

The track "U Remind Me" snagged the R&B star his first trophy in 2002 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. In the years since, the Moesha alum has earned seven other Grammys and has been nominated for 22.

Nowawadays, Queen B is the most-honored woman in Grammys history with 22 trophies to her name and a whopping 63 noms, but Beyoncé was a Grammys virgin in 2001 when she first made a splash with Destiny's Child. The prior year, the group was lauded for their hit "Say My Name," winning Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance.

Timberlake first walked the show’s red carpet (and subsequently enjoyed 10 nominations!) as a member of 'NSync in 2000, but he didn't actually win a Grammy until 2004, when he had gone solo, with his album Justified and his tune "Cry Me a River".

Spears’ first Grammy Awards in 2000 ended in a bit of upset when her Mouseketeer rival, Christina Aguilera, snagged the Best New Artist award. Luckily, she got her own win in 2005 for the Best Dance Recording of “Toxic.”

Finding her 1999 debut album an international success, the "Genie in a Bottle" singer accepted her first Grammy for Best New Artist in 2000. "Oh my God! I seriously do not have a speech prepared," a flustered and shaky Aguilera said after beating out Spears, Kid Rock and Macy Gray for the honor.

Kid Rock had a hot date for his first Grammy Awards in 2000 in actress Jaime King, but not a win: Though he's been nominated for five Grammys, but has never won.

It was 20 years ago that AJ Mclean, Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Howie Dorough attended the 1999 Grammys together, and they’re still earning nominations — the group is up for 2019’s best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

Nominated twice for Best Dance Recording in 2000 and 2001 (for "Waiting for Tonight" and "Let's Get Loud"), Lopez first attended the Grammy Awards in 1999 to present a trophy alongside Jerry Seinfeld.

Stefani, who first hit the Grammys carpet in a floral Dolce and Gabbana getup with her band No Doubt in 1997, now has nine Grammy nominations and two wins with the group, but her first trophy was the result of her collaboration with Eve, "Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” in 2002.

The Grammys staple has been appearing at the awards show for nearly three decades: She took home her first trophy in 1991 for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Vision of Love." Carey has won five Grammys.

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