On Sunday, Feb. 1, the 68th Annual Grammy Awards celebrated the accomplishments in the music industry, honoring works from various artists in 95 award categories. The ceremony was hosted by Trevor Noah for the sixth and final time at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.
The show featured performances by artists such as Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Dean, Lady Gaga, and Justin Bieber, highlighting a wide range of musical styles.
Several major awards were received along with many historic memories made. Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican rapper, won Album of the Year for DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, becoming the first artist in Grammy history to win the award with a fully Spanish album. Other nominees in the category included Man’s Best Friend by Sabrina Carpenter, SWAG by Justin Bieber, and CHROMAKOPIA by Tyler, The Creator.
Olivia Dean won Best New Artist, earning her first Grammy. While accepting the award, she spoke about her family’s immigration background.
“I’m up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant,” Dean said. “I am a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated.”
Billie Eilish received the Grammy for Song of the Year for “Wildflower,” while the Record of the Year went to Kendrick Lamar and SZA for “Luther”. Other nominees across these categories include Chappell Roan, Doechii, Bruno Mars, and Rosé.
As the night continued, the ceremony shifted beyond music as several artists used their speeches to address immigration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE is a federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws, including detention and deportation.
Bad Bunny directly addresses ICE during his remake sayings, “ICE out,” before emphasizing the humanity of immigrants.
“We’re not savages, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens,” Bunny said. “We are humans and we are Americans.” His comments drew strong reactions both in the area and in the media.
Immigration continued to be a recurring theme throughout the night. Billie Eilish also made a statement during her acceptance speech saying, “No one is illegal on stolen land.” Together, these moments showed how the Grammys became a platform for artists to speak on social and political issues.
The ceremony later drew criticism from President Donald Trump, who made negative remarks about the Grammys and host Trevor Noah. Trump stated that he planned to file a lawsuit related to the comments made during the broadcasting though no official legal action had been confirmed at the time.
Overall, the 68th Grammy Awards were marked not only by musical achievements and historic wins, but also by speeches that sparked conversation about immigration, ICE, and the role of artists in public discourse.
