The most important moments from the 68th Grammy Awards – NBC Los Angeles

An in memoriam section that had your complete room on its ft. A well-known director reaching EGOT standing. And a complete lot of celebrities criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.

The 68th Grammy Awards on Sunday, which comic Trevor Noah helmed for the sixth and last time, had been an extended (just a little over 3½ hours, to be actual) however memorable occasion.

Listed below are our greatest takeaways from music’s greatest night time.

Artists converse out towards ICE

Dangerous Bunny, Billie Eilish and extra winners on the 2026 Grammy Awards spoke out towards ICE amid heated backlash for the company’s ongoing operations in a number of U.S. cities.

The awards present got here simply over one week after the deadly taking pictures of Alex Pretti by the hands of Customs and Border Patrol brokers and weeks after the deadly taking pictures of Renee Good by an ICE officer.

Justin Bieber, Carole King, Teddy Swims, Joni Mitchell, Finneas, Billie Eilish, Samara Pleasure, Lachi and Kehlani had been among the many artists sporting “ICE OUT” pins.

On the pink carpet, artist Bon Iver mentioned he wore a vivid orange whistle on his lapel to honor “observers” in Minneapolis, who he mentioned patrol the streets and blow their whistles when ICE is close to, defending their neighbors and communities.

Kehlani criticized ICE on the pink carpet and as she accepted her first award on the Premiere Ceremony.

“Collectively we’re stronger in numbers to talk towards all of the injustice occurring on the earth proper now,” she mentioned. “So as an alternative of letting or not it’s only a couple few right here and there, I hope everybody’s impressed to affix collectively as a neighborhood of artists.”

Gloria Estefan talked in regards to the a whole lot of kids who “are in detention, in horrible situations,” and inspired viewers to face up and vote.

And whereas he was accepting his preshow award, an emotional Shaboozey thanked his immigrant mom for having labored a number of jobs to supply for him and his siblings.

“Immigrants constructed this nation, actually. So that is for them,” he mentioned. “That is additionally for individuals who got here to this nation searching for higher alternatives and to be a part of a nation that promised freedom for all.”

In her speech accepting the award for finest new artist, Olivia Dean additionally gave a shoutout to immigrants (although she didn’t denounce ICE itself).

“I simply wish to say I’m a granddaughter of an immigrant. I wouldn’t be right here. … I am a product of bravery, and I believe these folks should be celebrated,” she mentioned. “So yeah, we’re nothing with out one another.”

However maybe the most important assertion got here from Dangerous Bunny, who’s headlining the Tremendous Bowl subsequent weekend. The Puerto Rican star didn’t tour within the U.S. for “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” due to immigration insurance policies.

“Earlier than I say due to God, I gotta say: ICE Out,” he started his acceptance speech for finest musica urbana album. “We’re not savage. We’re not animals. We’re not aliens. We’re people, and we’re People.

“The hate get extra highly effective with extra hate. The one factor that’s extra highly effective than hate is love,” he continued. “We have to be totally different. If we combat, we’ve got to do it with love. We do not hate them, we love our folks, we love our household, and that is the way in which to do it. That is the way in which to do it. With love.”

Billie Eilish, identified to get political at awards exhibits, took after Dangerous Bunny and used practically her whole acceptance speech for music of the yr to name out immigration laws.

“Nobody is illegitimate on stolen land,” Eilish mentioned, later encouraging the room to “preserve combating and talking up and protesting.”

“Our voices actually do matter,” she mentioned, “and the folks matter.”

A primary for Okay-pop

They’re going up, up, up, it’s their second.

The fictional band from Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” delivered a primary for the Okay-pop style.

The animated blockbuster, produced by Sony Photos Animation and launched by Netflix in June, was nominated in a number of classes, together with the coveted music of the yr.

“Golden,” a success music from the movie, snagged a win for finest music written for visible media on the Premiere Ceremony.

“Golden,” a observe from the animated movie, acquired three Grammy nominations, together with music of the yr. The music from the fictional band Huntr/x (in actual life, Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami) was written by Ejae and Mark Sonnenblick.

The movie and its voice stars have been in all places this awards season, and most just lately the movie snagged two Oscar noms. Final month, it gained two Golden Globes, together with finest authentic music.

Trevor Noah is again at it. The comic hosted the 68th Annual Grammy Awards for the sixth – and last – time. Throughout his monologue, the 41-year-old threw shade at Nicki Minaj after the rapper aligned herself with and defended President Donald Trump.

A brand-new movie star joins ‘EGOT’ membership

Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg simply bought added to the “EGOT” membership.

The accolade is for individuals who have gained all 4 main awards — Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony — a feat that has been achieved by solely 21 folks.

Spielberg produced the award-winning “Music by John Williams,” which gained the Grammy for finest music movie.

Although he was not onstage to simply accept the award, he was thanked by director Laurent Bouzereau, who accepted the award in the course of the Premiere Ceremony.

In a assertion to Individuals journal, Spielberg thanked Grammy voters.

“This acknowledgment is clearly deeply significant to me as a result of it validates what I’ve identified for over 50 years: John Williams’ affect on tradition and music is immeasurable and his artistry and legacy is unequalled,” he mentioned. “I’m proud to be related to Laurent’s stunning movie.”

Grammys 2026: See one of the best appears from the pink carpet

AI prime of thoughts for some artists

Synthetic intelligence has been within the backdrop of many awards exhibits and large Hollywood occasions since its prominence started exploding in recent times. Sunday night time was no exception.

Nick Waterhouse, a co-producer on Jon Batiste’s “Huge Cash,” accepted the award for finest Americana album on Batiste’s behalf, studying a message from him onstage.

“Jon says: Thank God actual musicians and actual folks taking part in in the identical room collectively is without doubt one of the oldest traditions in humanity and have to be protected,” Waterhouse mentioned.

In what seemed to be a name to guard artists from AI, Waterhouse continued by calling “on [digital service providers], the Academy, firms, the large cash to guard our humanity in music proper now.”

Nate Smith, who gained finest different jazz album for “LIVE-ACTION,” additionally known as on the Recording Academy to make sure AI shouldn’t be a risk to artists.

“This music is about taking part in collectively and human beings taking part in collectively. We live in a time when human beings usually are not taking part in collectively and being featured taking part in collectively. … AI is type of taking on, and I believe it’s incumbent upon the Recording Academy and the recording trade to guard the rights of artists,” he mentioned.

Kendrick Lamar units Grammy document

Lamar grew to become the rapper with essentially the most Grammy wins ever. He now has 27 Grammys, breaking Jay-Z’s document of 25.

“Hip-hop is gonna at all times be proper right here. We’re gonna be in these fits, we’re gonna be trying good, we’re gonna be having our of us with us, we’re gonna be having our tradition with us,” Lamar mentioned as he accepted his fourth Grammy of the night. “So I recognize y’all.”

Lamar was the most-nominated artist on the Grammys this yr, with 9 nods.

He additionally dominated final yr’s Grammy Awards.

Stars introduced their vogue A-game to the 2026 Grammy Awards! Music’s greatest night time kicked off on Feb. 1 with prime artists hitting the pink carpet in a single jaw-dropping take care of one other.

Angela Yang, Nicole Acevedoand Saba Hamedy contributed.