Taylor Swift Didn’t Say His Name, But This Speech Was Definitely About Kanye

Taylor Swift collected the coveted Album of the Year award at the 2016 Grammys, and in doing so gave a speech that sought to empower women and call out Kanye West. Swift won the prize for her album 1989. "As the first woman to win Album of the Year at the Grammys twice, I want to say to all the young women out there: There are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame, but if you just focus on the work and you don’t let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you’re going, you'll look around and you will know that it was you and the people who love you who put you there, and that will be the greatest feeling in the world," Swift said. "Thank you for this moment." Swift's speech seemed like a pointed response to the lyrics on Kanye West's new song "Famous." In the song West claims, "I made that bitch famous." West also speculates on the track that he and Swift "might still have sex." Though West tweeted that Swift gave the song her "blessings," a representative for Swift "cautioned [West] about releasing a song with such a strong misogynistic message." Swift, who also won Album of the Year back in 2010 for Fearless, savvily used the confluence of events to her advantage. Her speech was decidedly feminist, espousing the girl power message that has become her M.O., but also felt squarely directed at the current controversy. Swift brought her friend Selena Gomez as her date for the evening. During Swift's speech, the camera cut to an emotional-looking Gomez. On her way up to the podium, Swift also hugged category competitor Kendrick Lamar, who was her collaborator on a remix of "Bad Blood."