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Home • Celebrity

50 Female Grammy Winners We Love

The Grammys are here again, and as we wait at the edge of our seats to see which of our favorite divas will walk away with the grand prize this year, we're taking a look at the fabulous Black women who have won the prestigious award in years past, from Rihanna and Ella Fitzgerald to Beyoncé and Diana Ross. Take a look back in Black history with our favorite female Grammy winners.
By Essence · Updated October 29, 2020
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01
Rihanna

The Bajan singer is a eight-time Grammy winner. Her last win came in 2014 for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “The Monster” with Eminem.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Kevin Mazur/ Getty
02
Beyonce

Beyonce has taken home 20 Grammys, including “Song of the Year” for 2009’s “Single Ladies.” In 2013 she is nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Love on Top.” During the 2014 Grammys, Queen Bey took home 3 awards for Best Surround Sound for her album Beyoncé, Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for “Drunk in Love.”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Kevin Mazur/WireImage
03
Sade

Sade has won four Grammys, including “Best New Artist” in 1986, and “Best R&B Performance” for “Soldier of Love” in 2011.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
04
Alicia Keys

Keys has won 15 Grammys, including “Best R&B Song” for “Fallin’” in 2002, Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Empire State Of Mind,” with Jay-Z in 2011 and Best R&B Album for Girl on Fire

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Scott Gries
05
India.Arie

India.Arie has won four Grammys, including “Best R&B Album” for 2003’s “Voyage to India” and Best Pop Collaboration” for 2011’s “Imagine.”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Larry Busacca/Getty Images
06
Jill Scott
Modern soul sister and poet Jill Scott won a Best Urban/Alternative Performance Grammy for her song, “Cross My Mind.” She added two more Grammys to her collection in 2005 for the George Benson & Al Jarreau collaboration “God Bless The Child” and in 2008 for Lupe Fiasco’s “Daydream.”
50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
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07
Janet Jackson

Miss Jackson has won five Grammys, including “Best Music Video – Long Form” for “Rhythm Nation 1814” and “Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist” in 2001.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
08
Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson won a Best R&B Album Grammy for her self-titled debut album in 2009.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images
09
Mary J Blige

The Queen of Hip Hop Soul has won nine Grammys, including “Best R&B Album Grammy” for her 2006 album, “The Breakthrough” and “Best Contemporary Album” for 2009’s “Growing Pains.”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Mychal Watts/WireImage
10
Brandy and Monica
Brandy and Monica’s 1998 hit, “The Boy Is Mine” earned them a Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal Grammy.
50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Fred Lee/ABC via Getty Images
11
Betty Wright

A 14-time nominee, Wright won for “Best Rhythm & Blues Song” in 1975 for the song “Where Is The Love?”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
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12
TLC

The 90s supergroup won two Grammys, including Best R&B Album for 1995’s “CrazySexyCool”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
13
Chaka Khan
Legendary songstress Chaka Khan is joining us again to shut down the Main Stage as only she can.
50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
14
Ella Fitzgerald

The legendary singer has won 14 Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement award in 1967.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
15
Dinah Washington

Washington won a “Best Rhythm & Blues Performance” Grammy in 1959 for “What A Diff’rence A Day Makes”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
16
Leontyne Price

Opera singer Leontyne Price has won 18 Grammys, including “Best Classical Performance – Vocal Soloist.”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
17
Mahalia Jackson

Gospel great Mahalia Jackson won four Grammys, including “Best Gospel Performance” in 1976.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
18
A Queen Among The Greats
She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990.
50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
19
Dionne Warwick

Warwick has won five Grammys in her illustrious career.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
20
Aretha Franklin

The Queen of Soul has won 18 Grammys in her 50-year career.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
21
Whitney Houston

Whitney has received six Grammy awards, including 1987’s “Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female” for “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
22
Shirley Caesar

The Gospel great has won 11 Grammys, including Best Soul Gospel Performance for “Put Your Hand In The Hand Of The Man From Galilee”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
23
Roberta Flack

Following her father’s sudden death, Flack took a teaching job at 19, performing at night clubs in the evening and on weekends. 

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
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24
Gladys Knight And The Pips

The soul band won seven Grammys, including Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus for “Midnight Train To Georgia”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
25
Natalie Cole

Cole has won 9 Grammys, including “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album” for her album, “Unforgettable,” featuring her father, Nat King Cole.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
26
Lena Horne

Horne won two Grammys in her legendary career.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
27
Queen Latifah

The Queen won a Best Rap Solo Performance Grammy for her classic, “U.N.I.T.Y.”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
28
Tina Turner

Turner has won eight Grammys.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
29
Deniece Williams

The singer has received 4 Grammy wins.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
30
Mariah Carey

The Pop songstress has won five Grammys, including Best Pop Vocal Performance for her debut album, “Vision Of Love”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
31
Donna Summer

The legendary singer has 5 Grammy Awards

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage
32
Patti LaBelle

Lady Marmalade herself has taken home two Grammys.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
33
Toni Braxton

The “Another Sad Love Song” singer has won seven Grammys.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
34
Erykah Badu

Badu has won four Grammys, including “Best R&B Album” for her debut album, “Baduizm”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
35
Lauryn Hill

Hill made a splash with her debut album, “The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill,” which earned her five Grammys.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
36
Anita Baker

“The Songtress” has taken home 8 Grammy Awards.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage
37
CeCe Winans

CeCe has taken home 10 Grammys including three with her brother BeBe.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Christopher Polk/WireImage
38
Ciara

CiCi has one Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video for “Lose Control.”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Michael Tran/FilmMagic
39
Yolanda Adams

Gospel singer Yolanda Adams has won a total of four Grammys, including Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album for her album, Mountain High…Valley Low.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
40
Mary Mary

The Gospel singing sister duo has four Grammys to call their very own! As a solo artist, Erica Campbell (left) has two Grammys.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
41
Eve

Eve’s 2001 hit “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” featuring Gwen Stefani won the female rapper her first Grammy award, although it is argued that Eve should have been credited on the Grammy for the Roots’ “You Got Me,” which she contributed vocals to.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
42
Ashanti

Ashanti took home the Best Contemporary R&B Album for her debut project Ashanti in 2002.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Giovanni Rufino/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
43
Lil’ Kim & Mya

in 2001 Lil’ Kim and Mya won their first Grammy award for their collaboration with Christina Aguilera and Pink on “Lady Marmalade.”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
44
Missy Elliott

Missy Elliott currently holds four Grammy awards for “Get Ur Freak On,” “Scream a.k.a. Itchin,” “Work It” and “Lose Control.”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
45
Etta James

In 2008 Etta James won the “Grammy Hall of Fame” award for “The Wallflower” and “At Last.” The legendary blues and soul singer has also received a “Lifetime Achievement” award and an award for her album “Blues To The Bone.”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
46
Cissy Houston

The mother of the late Whitney Houston has two Best Traditional Gospel Album Grammys.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
47
Irma Thomas

Surprisingly R&B singer Irma Thomas has only earned one Grammy in her 45-year-spanning career. In 2007 she was recognized with the “Best Contemporary Blues Album” award for her record “After the Rain.”

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
48
Fantasia
50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Ethan Miller/BET/Getty Images for BET
49
Lalah Hathaway

The daughter of Donny Hathaway has scored two Grammy wins including Best R&B Performance and Best Traditional R&B Performance in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

50 Black Female Grammy Winners We Love
Earl Gibson III/WireImage