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Vallejo Artist H.E.R. Wins Song of the Year Grammy for 'I Can't Breathe'

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Vallejo artist H.E.R. has won song of the year at the Grammys for "I Can't Breathe."

The song with its Black Lives Matter themes won the songwriter's award Sunday night over songs by superstars including Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Billie Eillish.

H.E.R. shared the award with co-writers Dernst Emile II and Tiare Thomas.

As she accepted she said, "I've never been so proud to be an artist. We wrote this song over FaceTime, and I didn't imagine that my fear and my pain would turn into impact and it would possibly turn into change."

She noted that she penned the song while at her mom's house during the pandemic.

Trevor Noah opened the pandemic-altered 63rd annual Grammy Awards on an outdoor stage in front of a sparse crowd outside the Los Angeles Convention Center, with the Grammy's usual home, the Staples Center, as a backdrop.

"We have made the decision to socially distance from the Staples Center," the host said. "This is not a Zoom background."

Noah walked inside the Convention Center during his presentation, where the show's performances, many of them pre-recorded, were broadcast from.

© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report

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