Arts and Entertainment
By Katy Korstange, Staff Writer
This past Sunday marked the 68th annual Grammy Awards ceremony, which not only highlighted this year’s most celebrated music, but also provided a stage for artists to speak out about their views on some of the political issues going on today.
To begin the night, the red-carpet outfits were more tame than usual. Most people were formally dressed in black and white, with the exception of Chappell Roan who appeared topless in a burgundy red dress. Other artists wore “ICE Out” pins in response to recent events, marking the first political statements of the ceremony.
“I liked how a lot of the artists showed awareness towards what has been going on with ICE and immigration,” first-year nursing major Navit Bemnet said.
Bruno Mars and ROSÉ started the ceremony with a rock version of their hit song “APT,” which was popular last year. Their song was nominated for three Grammy awards, but, despite their great performance, did not win any of them.
Next, Sabrina Carpenter performed her popular song “Manchild” from her newest album “Man’s Best Friend.” Following a very successful release and tour of the album, Carpenter was nominated for six Grammys for it, but she also won none of them.
The first award of the broadcast was for the Best Rap Album. There were five nominations, but in the end the Grammy went to Kendrick Lamar for his album “GNX.”
All eight nominees for Best New Artist performed at the ceremony including The Marias, Addison Rae, KATSEYE, Leon Thomas, Alex Warren, Lola Young, Olivia Dean and Sombr. They have 27 billion combined streams and 18 Grammy nominations for their new music. Olivia Dean ended up with the well-deserved win.
“I’m up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant. I’m a product of bravery and I think those people deserve to be celebrated,” Dean said in her acceptance speech. This was the first of many references to the current political climate in an artist’s speech.
The Best Contemporary Country Album award went to Jelly Roll for his album “Beautifully Broken.” In his speech, he thanked his wife and declared that God was for everyone.
Lady Gaga performed her hit song “Abracadabra,” live which won Best Dance Pop Recording. She also won the Best Pop Vocal Album for her album “Mayhem,” giving Gaga her 15th and 16th Grammy awards.
The award for Best Pop Solo Performance went to a very surprised Lola Young. Her song “Messy” won over her fellow nominees Gaga and Carpenter for the song’s raw, emotional and authentic storytelling.
The Song of the Year award went to “Wildflower” by Billie Eilish. This is her third time winning this award in her musical career. At only the age of 24, she won six other Grammy awards, with 34 total Grammy nominations.
The 68th Grammy Awards took place over the weekend with historical wins, memorable moments and political activism.
“No one is illegal on stolen land,” Eilish said in her acceptance speech alongside her brother and fellow songwriter and producer FINNEAS. This is FINNEAS’ 10th Grammy award for his work.
Next, singer Cher announced the Grammy award for Record of the Year. The award went to SZA and Kendrick Lamar for their song “Luther” but, by mistake, Cher presented the award to Luther Vandross, who passed away in 2005. Luckily, the song was inspired by Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s 1982 rendition of “If This World Were Mine.” Both artists paid tribute to the song and its legacy in their speeches.
The final Grammy award for Album of the Year was presented by previous winner Harry Styles. The nominees included albums by Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Tyler, the Creator, Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams and Leon Thomas.
Bad Bunny won the award for his album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.” This is monumental because it marks the first time a Spanish-language album has won this award in Grammy’s history. Earlier in the show, Bad Bunny’s same album also won the award for Best Música Urbana Album.
Overall, the 2026 Grammy awards showcased excellent performances, tributes and music from many talented winners and nominees. Artists used the platform to acknowledge the current political state, signifying how celebration and tension can share the same stage.
The performances, award wins and statements, once again, made this year’s Grammys a notable and historic ceremony.
