Grammys 2021: H.E.R. wins Song of the Year for 'I Can't Breathe', protest anthem inspired by George Floyd's death

Accepting the Grammys, H.E.R. recalled how they'd written the song "over FaceTime" in summer 2020. (File image: Reuters)

R&B singer H.E.R. has won ‘Song of the Year’ at Grammys 2021 for her protest anthem inspired by George Floyd's death and the Black Lives Matter movement “I Can't Breathe”, and it became one of the rare R&B songs to win the top prize.

H.E.R. beat out competition from Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Roddy Ricch, Post Malone, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, and JP Saxe to win the award.

The song was released in 2020 and quotes Floyd's last words, as he died in police custody in Minneapolis.

In her acceptance speech, the singer, whose real name is Gabriella Wilson, said she never imagined "that my fear and my pain would turn into impact".

"That's why I write music," she added, "and I'm so, so grateful," according to a BBC report.

The star was accompanied by her co-writer Tiara Thomas. Accepting the award, she recalled how they'd written the song "over FaceTime" in summer 2020.

"I recorded this song by myself in my bedroom at my mom's house. And I want to thank my dad - he cried, he was in tears when I wrote the song and I played it for him. He was the first person I played it for," stated the report quoting H.E.R.

"But remember, we are the change that we wish to see and you know that fight that we had in us the summer of 2020, keep that same energy. Thank you," she said to conclude her speech.