Chinese pianist Wang Yujia, or Yuja Wang, won a Grammy at the 66th awards ceremony on Feb. 4 in Los Angeles, becoming the first Chinese musician to win in the best classical instrumental solo category.

The cover art of Wang Yujia's album, "The American Project." [Image courtesy of Universal Music Group]

Wang received the award in this prestigious classical category for "The American Project," alongside conductor Teddy Abrams. Upon accepting the award, Teddy Abrams said, "A huge congratulations to the incredible Wang Yujia, who soloed on this extraordinary album. Yujia is one of the most talented musicians on the face of the earth right now."

The Grammy Awards recognize outstanding artistic and technical achievement and are the record industry's highest honor. "The whole team here at Deutsche Grammophon is thrilled about Wang Yujia's first Grammy success, and we extend our warmest wishes and congratulations to her," said Dr. Clemens Trautmann, president of Deutsche Grammophon, Wang's record label. "We have collaborated with Yujia for more than a decade, and it's a particular joy and honor to see her work recognized by the Recording Academy."

"Yujia's performances on 'The American Project,' including the world premiere recording of Teddy Abrams' Piano Concerto with the Louisville Orchestra, are truly exceptional in their virtuosity and genre-defying expressivity," Trautmann added.

Wang was born into a musical family in Beijing in 1987. Her father, Wang Jianguo, is a percussionist, and her mother, Zhai Jieming, is a dancer. After studying piano in China during her childhood, she received advanced training in Canada and at the Curtis Institute of Music under Gary Graffman. Her international breakthrough came in 2007 when she replaced Martha Argerich as a soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Two years later, she signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon and has since established herself as one of the world's leading artists, earning critical acclaim for her performances and recordings.

Meanwhile, Icelandic-Chinese artist Laufey, known as Lin Bing in China, also won her first Grammy for best traditional pop vocal album for "Bewitched."

"I never in a million years thought that this would happen," Laufey said in her acceptance speech at the awards ceremony. She thanked her team, parents, grandparents, and the classical and jazz communities worldwide, reserving the "biggest thanks" for her twin sister Junia, whom she called her "biggest supporter."

Laufey comes from a musical family. Her maternal grandfather, Lin Yaoji, was known as the legendary "godfather" of violin education in China, and her maternal grandmother, Hu Shixi, was a proficient pianist who served as a professor at the Central Conservatory of Music. Her mother, Lin Wei, originally from Guangzhou, is the principal classical violinist for the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

Female artists dominated the 2024 Grammys. Taylor Swift's "Midnights" clinched album of the year, marking Swift's record-breaking fourth career win in this category. Miley Cyrus's "Flowers" was awarded record of the year. Billie Eilish's "What Was I Made For?" took home song of the year, and Victoria Monét was named best new artist. The industry's current standout, Swift, also revealed at the Grammy ceremony that her new album, "The Tortured Poets Department," will be released on April 19.

The annual Grammy Awards brought in an average of 16.9 million viewers, with a show that featured several high-profile performances and surprises. This was a 34% increase from last year across CBS, Paramount+, and other digital platforms.

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