Beyoncé Knowles is known for breaking records, and at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, she did just that. With 28 Grammy awards, Beyoncé became the highest award winner for a female artist in Grammy history. In addition to her record-shattering wins, she is also the most nominated female artist to date, receiving nine nominations this year.

The Houston native completely dominated this year despite not releasing an album in the previous year and not performing at the awards show. However, the admired artist did release a few chart-topping singles that scored her a plethora of nominations. Beyoncé’s recent single “Black Parade” received the nomination for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance. Her viral song “Savage” featuring Megan Thee Stallion was up for Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song and Record of the Year. Her high anticipated Disney+ movie “Black is King” was nominated for Best Music Film. The last of nine nominations went to Best Music Video for her song “Brown Skin Girl.”

Sunday evening’s Grammy pre-show began with Beyoncé’s receiving most of her awards which initially tied her with country artist Alison Krauss for top Grammy wins for a female artist. Her Best Music Video win also made Blue Ivy the second-youngest winner of a Grammy award at nine. It was not until she obtained Best R&B Performance that Beyoncé finally broke the tie with Krauss, and the record for most female artist wins, after which she gave a heartfelt acceptance speech.

In this sentimental speech, the singer explained what kind of legacy she wants to leave, “I wanted to uplift, encourage, and celebrate all of the beautiful Black queens and kings that continue to inspire me and inspire the whole world,” she expressed. “This is so overwhelming. I’ve been working my whole life since nine years old. I can’t believe this happened. This is such a magical night. Thank you so much.”

Beyoncé’s award record is particularly significant because the Grammy’s have scarcely awarded Black artists in the main categories. Typically, the wins for black artists are in the R&B categories. Many artists such as Justin Bieber, Jay-Z (Beyoncé’s husband), Zayn Malik and Halsey have expressed their distaste for the disappointing trend. Pop Artist The Weeknd even publicly announced he was boycotting all future Grammy ceremonies because of the discrepancy.

Despite her historic number of wins, the mother of three stated, “Success looks different to me now. I learned that all pain and loss is in fact, a gift,” she told “Elle” magazine in 2019. “Having miscarriages taught me that I had to mother myself before I could be a mother to someone else. Then I had Blue, and the quest for my purpose became so much deeper. I died and was reborn in my relationship, and the quest for self became even stronger. It’s difficult for me to go backward. Being ‘number one’ was no longer my priority. My true win is creating art and a legacy that will live far beyond me. That’s fulfilling.”

The household name singer is looked up to by many. Her wins are a historic moment for women and African Americans in music. Beyoncé has always expressed her goal of amplifying black voices and encouraging everyone to do great things through her platform. Her ongoing celebration of black culture and accomplishments when it is sometimes overlooked is very inspiring.