Harry Styles had a big Grammys night on Sunday, receiving two awards including the big one for Album of the Year. But he also received backlash for part of his acceptance speech that left people scratching their heads.
Styles took the stage to accept his award for his album Harry's House and shared his own surprise at beating out Beyoncé—who was favored to win—as well as Adele, Bad Bunny and Kendrick Lamar.
Styles, in obvious disbelief began:
"Well, sh*t."
He reflected on fellow category nominees and shared his appreciation and the ways they inspired him.
Styles then thoughtfully shared:
"I think on nights like tonight, it's important for us to remember there is no such things as 'best' in music."
"I don't think any of us sit in the studio making decisions on what is going to get us one of these."
As members in the audience nodded and cheered, Styles finished:
"I'm just so... This doesn't happen to people like me very often, and this is so, so nice."
...which left a lot of people baffled for many reasons.
You can witness that last sentence below.
Since Styles didn't elaborate many are filling in the blanks.
The conclusions being drawn made Styles—a cisgender White male—to appear very unaware. A majority of past Album of the Year winners have been White males.
Most entertainment industry awards have gone to White males for decades before women and minorities finally received recognition.
People of color and openly LGBTQ+ people have been underrepresented in nominations and wins.
Beyoncé has lost many times for Album of the Year despite being expected to win.
She lost out to Adele in 2017, Beck in 2015 and Taylor Swift in 2010.
And this doesn't happen to black female artists for this category as well... since 1999!!!
— 🙂😵😌 (@vianorae) February 6, 2023
So people are speaking out about his choice of words.
…. It happens to people like him more than any other people…
— Get a life (@Getalifeweirdo_) February 6, 2023
sir you’re a white man- I
— 𝔭. BLACK LIVES MATTER (@radiativejustin) February 6, 2023
what does a white man mean by "people like me"??? is it because he's wearing a crop top?
— •Camilo SS• (@TianSalgar) February 6, 2023
…. It happens to people like him more than any other people…
— Get a life (@Getalifeweirdo_) February 6, 2023
Actually it happens all the time 😩🙄
— Jamie Ro (@JamieRo14) February 6, 2023
Some fans of the "Watermelon Sugar" singer came to his defense.
They guessed "people like me" referred to his past struggles as a member of a boy band.
Or something else unrelated to the music industry's racial, gender and sexuality biases.
He's from a single-parent working-class background, that's what he meant. chill
— Jay Richards (@jaykrichards) February 6, 2023
he's talking about being from a boyband not being white😭
— rachel (@rachellynnman) February 6, 2023
Everyone in the comments just stop. You obviously have never been to Harry Styles show to understand what he means by that
— Tasha Siera 🎆🍾🥂🎉 (@TashaSiera) February 6, 2023
Perhaps in the future Styles will clarify what he means.
It would be really helpful if he could explain what he means by 'people like me' ...I genuinely want to know 👍
— Alex (@AlexArn29655846) February 6, 2023
But for now, we bet he's rethinking that sentence altogether.
At least we hope he is.
@joehas/X