Michelle Obama: Grammy Award for ‘The Light We Carry’ is a right thing

On Sunday, Michelle Obama won her second Grammy Award, triumphing over strong competition in the storytelling category.

At this year’s pre-telecast ceremony, the award for the best audiobook, narration, and storytelling recording was won by the former first lady, aged 60. She received the award for her voiceover work on her latest book, The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times.

Arising from the world’s ongoing political unrest and uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic, Obama’s nonfiction project combines elements of a memoir and a self-help book. Before the book’s release, she granted an exclusive interview to PEOPLE magazine where she revealed her coping mechanisms and lessons learned from reflecting on her life during the turbulent years of 2020-2021.

Obama also revealed in the interview that there are a couple of things she tells herself when she needs to pick herself up. “To stay visible in a world where being a tall Black woman might not be immediately noticed, I employ certain strategies. When I’m attacked, this is how I stay armored up,” she shared.

Also nominated in the Grammy’s best audiobook, narration, and storytelling recording category was Sen. Bernie Sanders for his audiobook It’s OK to Be Angry About Capitalism, Meryl Streep for narrating Brian Selznick’s Big Tree, William Shatner for Boldly Go: Reflections on a Life of Awe and Wonder, and record producer Rick Rubin for The Creative Act: A Way of Being.