The 2026 Grammys: This Year's Awards Show Was a Triumph of Diversity and a Political Manifesto

The 68th Annual , held on February 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, made history not only for its musical milestones but also as an unprecedented platform for political protest. While the stage sparkled with the glamour of the awards, the theme of the evening was artists’ open defiance of the policies of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Trump administration.

A Historic Victory and a Call for Love: The Bad Bunny Phenomenon

The Puerto Rican singer was the star of the evening Bad Bunny (Benito Martínez Ocasio). His album "I Should Have Taken More Photos" won the most prestigious award — "Album of the Year", becoming the first Spanish-language album in history to receive this award. As he accepted the award, the artist delivered his acceptance speech entirely in Spanish, emphasizing that Puerto Rico is not just a small island, but a great power capable of any achievement.

However, his speech upon receiving the award for Best Música Urbana Album generated the most buzz. Right from the stage, Bad Bunny proclaimed the slogan "ICE Out". “We are not savages, we are not animals, we are not aliens—we are human beings, and we are Americans,” he declared to thunderous applause from the audience. The musician called for fighting hatred with love, noting that “hatred only grows stronger when met with more hatred.” It’s worth noting that the artist did not perform at the ceremony itself due to the terms of his contract with the NFL—next Sunday, he will headline the halftime show at the Super Bowl.

Billie Eilish: Records and Harsh Criticism

Billie Eilish ...also cemented her status as a legend by winning in the category "Song of the Year" with the composition "Wildflower". This is her third win in this category (following “Bad Guy” and “What Was I Made For?”), which is an all-time record in Grammy history.

Eilish, like many other celebrities, attended the ceremony wearing clothing featuring the “ICE Out” logo. In her emotional speech, she said: "There can be no undocumented people on stolen land."... adding that in these times, it is extremely important to continue protesting and speaking out. At the end of her performance, the CBS broadcast was interrupted by a beep when the singer apparently said, “F*ck ICE.” Earlier in January 2026, Eilish had already criticized the administration for its attacks on peaceful protesters.

Donald Trump's Rage and Trevor Noah's Humor

The ceremony, which organizers and critics called a celebration of inclusivity, sparked sharp discontent among conservative circles and, personally, among the president Donald Trump. The show's host, a comedian Trevor Noah, who last hosted the Grammys, made a few jokes at the president's expense.

Noah wryly remarked that every artist dreams of a “Grammy” almost as much as “Trump dreams of Greenland,” and mentioned Jeffrey Epstein’s island, linking it to Bill Clinton.

Trump’s response came immediately on his social media platform, TruthSocial. The president called the awards show “the worst” and “practically unwatchable,” and described Trevor Noah as a “total loser,” promising to send lawyers to file a lawsuit over “defamatory statements.” Trump emphasized that he had never been to Epstein’s island and accused CBS of airing “trash.”

Other Notable Moments and Records

The 2026 ceremony was also marked by other historic achievements.

Kendrick Lamar...by winning three awards (including “Record of the Year” for the track “Luther”), he brought his total number of awards to 27, officially surpassing Jay-Z in that category. In his acceptance speech, Lamar paid tribute to the late Luther Vandross, a queer soul icon.

Olivia Dean After receiving the award for “Best New Artist,” she emphasized that she is the granddaughter of an immigrant and “a product of courage.”

The 8-year-old daughter of musician Fyütch Aura Vi became the youngest Grammy winner in history, winning in the “Best Children’s Album” category (the previous record was held by Blue Ivy Carter).

The “ICE Out” badges showed solidarity among all artists on the red carpet. They also wore pins protesting ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) Justin Bieber, Kelani and the legendary Carole King, who presented the award to Eilish.

Even those artists who chose not to make any direct statements could sense the general atmosphere. For example, the performer Jelly Roll In the press room, he dodged questions about ICE, which journalists interpreted as a sign that supporters of right-wing policies felt they were in a clear minority at this celebration of liberal values.

What's going to happen at the Super Bowl?

The “2026 Grammys” demonstrated that the modern U.S. music industry is inextricably linked to the fight for human rights and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The victories of Black artists, Latinos, and members of the LGBTQ+ community have become a “nightmare” for the anti-DEI movement backed by Republicans.

While conservatives are voicing their outrage, the industry is gearing up for the next major event—the Super Bowl—whose commercial featuring Bad Bunny is already shaping up to be one of the most inclusive and “bold” in history. The 2026 Grammy Awards clearly signaled the cultural elite’s stance: in the struggle between hate and love, music chooses love, but isn’t afraid to use the microphone to defend those who need it.