Grammys: Female Composers, ‘Encanto’ Win Big in Visual Media Categories

Female composers are shining bright at the 2023 Grammys.

Germaine Franco won best score soundtrack for visual media for composing Encantotelling the audience she believes she’s the first woman of color to take home the honor.

That was followed by Stephanie Economou’s win for best score soundtrack for video games and other interactive media — a new award at the Grammys. Economou earned the honor for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok.

Franco and Economou were the solo female nominees in their categories.

Franco beat out Hans Zimmer (No Time to Die), Jonny Greenwood (The Power of the Dog), Nicholas Britell (Succession: Season 3) and Michael Giacchino (The Batman). Economou edged out Bear McCreary (Call of Duty: Vanguard), Richard Jacques (Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy), Austin Wintory (Aliens: Fireteam Elite) and Christopher Tin (Old World).

The Encanto The soundtrack — which topped the charts, became a platinum success and launched multiple hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, including the inescapable No. 1 hit “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” — won three honors. It earned best compilation soundtrack for visual media, beating out Elvis, Top Gun: Maverick, Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4 (Vol 2) and West Side Story. And “Bruno” and Lin-Manuel Miranda won best song written for visual media, best film songs by Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and more.

Swift didn’t walk away empty-handed though: Her All Too Well: The Short Filmwhich was submitted to the Academy Awards but didn’t make the shortlist for best live-action short film, won best music video. Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story won best music film.