Yes, Beyoncé Arrived Late to 2025 Grammys — but It Was Just in Time for Her Award, Says Exec Producer (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Beyoncé and Blue Ivy at the Grammys in Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2025.Photo:Kevin Winter/Getty

Kevin Winter/Getty

Beyoncé’s arrival at the2025 Grammy Awardscouldn’t have been timed better.

The Grammys executive producer Raj Kapoor told PEOPLE exclusively about the awards show highlights and how Beyoncé’s late arrival just before her winning category didn’t delay the run of show — and her Grammy wins.

“Sometimes we don’t know when [Beyoncé is] going to show up,” he explained. “Obviously our talent teams work and we tell everybody what the start of the showtime is and everybody knows when their nominations are going to fall within the show, but we never dictate when artists can actually show up to the show,” Kapoor said, noting that last year, protests caused traffic delays for multiple guests, includingTaylor Swift.

Beyoncé at the Grammys in Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2025.Sonja Flemming/CBS

Sonja Flemming/CBS

Though Kapoor couldn’t pinpoint exactly when Beyoncé, 43, her husbandJay-Zand their daughterBlue Ivyarrived, “I know at the beginning of the show she was not there when we started,” he told PEOPLE.

“So we start the show, a whole other talent team takes over. They constantly gauge where everybody is in the building, who still has to arrive — all of that stuff,” Kapoor added. “So that’s a completely different team than the people that are putting on the show.”

The executive producer noted that there is a talent management team during the awards show that focuses on placing people where they need to be during the live Grammys broadcast.

“When we’re in show mode, there is a talent management team that just deals with that and getting people re-sat after their awards and pulling them before performances,” he said. “And it’s this huge puzzle that constantly evolves through the evening.”

Queen Bey missed the red carpet and materialized during the show right on time to accept her second Grammy of the night, this one for best country album. Beyoncé also wonalbum of the yearforCowboy Carteralong with best country duo/group performance with Miley Cyrusfor “II MOST WANTED” during the pre-telecast.

Jay-Z, Blue Ivy and Beyoncé at the Grammys in Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2025.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

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“Wow, I want to thank God that I’m able to still do what I love after so many years,” Beyoncé said, accepting her Grammy. “Oh, my God, I’d like to thank all of the incredible country artists that accepted this album. We worked so hard on it.”

“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 this,” she continued, adding, “Stay persistent.”

“Wow, I like to thank my beautiful family, all of the artists that were collaborators. Thank you. This wouldn’t have been this album without you. Like to thank God again and my fans. And I still am in shock, thank you so much for this honor.”

Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Blue Ivy at the Grammys in Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2025.Francis Specker/CBS via Getty

Francis Specker/CBS via Getty

Kapoor also says that one of his favorite highlights from the evening was how theRecording Academy paid tributeto Los Angeles following thedevastating wildfires.

“One of the highlights for sure was how we addressed the L.A. fires and the charitable aspect of our show,” he said. “We really shone a light on this city and the devastation that happened.”

The Recording Academy and MusiCares launched theLos Angeles Fire Relief Effortahead of the show, raising $24 million for charitable activities, with almost $9 million being raised on Sunday alone.

source: people.com