Last Updated on March 14, 2021 by Scott Shetler
Nine-year-old Blue Ivy Carter made Grammy history on Sunday when Beyonce’s “Brown Skin Girl” claimed the award for Best Music Video. The daughter of Beyonce and Jay-Z was a featured artist on the track, along with WizKid, and therefore shared in the win.
Blue Ivy is the youngest individual artist ever to win a Grammy in the show’s 63-year history. She smashes the previous record held by LeAnn Rimes, who was 14 when she took home Best New Artist in 1997. Luis Miguel was also 14 when he won in 1985. The next youngest Grammy winners in history were Lorde (17), Billie Eilish (18), Daya (18), and Monica (18).
Blue Ivy’s record comes with a caveat, though. Technically, there was one Grammy winner who was younger. In 2002, when the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack won Album of the Year, among the many featured artists who shared in the prize were the Peasall Sisters, consisting of Sarah (14), Hannah (11), and Leah (8.) That means Leah Peasall can still claim to be the youngest Grammy winner in history, albeit as part of a trio.
Blue Ivy already held the record of youngest artist to appear on a charting single. Back in 2012, when she was a mere 14 days old, she was credited on Jay-Z’s song “Glory.”
Beyonce’s “Brown Skin Girl” was written as a celebration of women of color and was the most public expression of love from Beyonce to her daughter, who sang with her mother on the track. The song appeared on The Lion King: The Gift and won awards at both the Soul Train Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and the BET Awards. It was not actively promoted as a single but still reached #76 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Grammy win was the 25th of Beyonce’s career, leaving her behind only Alison Krauss (27) among female artists. Beyonce has 79 career Grammy nominations, just one behind her husband and Quincy Jones for the all-time record.
Updated list of the youngest Grammy winners in history:
8 Leah Peasall
9 Blue Ivy Carter
11 Hannah Peasall
14 Sarah Peasall
14 Leann Rimes
14 Luis Miguel
17 Lorde
18 Billie Eilish
18 Daya
18 Monica
Check out more of our 2021 Grammy Awards coverage. And read our early 2022 Grammy predictions!
