In a night where music spoke louder than speeches, Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny made Grammy history by becoming the first artist to win Album of the Year with a record performed entirely in Spanish. His sixth studio album, Debí Tirar Mas Fotos, a deeply personal journey through Latin musical heritage, triumphed over heavyweights including Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, and Sabrina Carpenter.
The 31-year-old global icon, set to headline next week’s Super Bowl halftime show, dedicated his historic win to immigrants, his voice trembling with emotion. “This is for all the people that had to leave their home, their land, their country, to follow their dreams,” he told a cheering crowd at the Crypto.com Arena, capping a ceremony where artists repeatedly turned the spotlight toward America’s immigration debate.
He also had a word for the “Unholy” ICE agents.
The 68th Annual Grammys unfolded as much as a platform for protest as a celebration of music, with only nine awards presented during the three-hour televised spectacle, the rest having been handed out earlier in a lengthy “premiere ceremony.”
Stars from Olivia Dean to Gloria Estefan and Billie Eilish used their moments onstage to voice support for immigrants, while red-carpet attendees sported “ICE Out” badges in a quiet but visible rebuke of current U.S. policies.
British breakthrough artist Olivia Dean, named Best New Artist, honored her Windrush-generation grandmother Carmen, declaring, “I’m a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated. We’re nothing without each other.”
In other landmark moments, Kendrick Lamar surpassed Jay-Z as the rapper with the most Grammy wins,.scoring his 26th and 27th trophies for Best Rap Album (GNX) and Record of the Year for “Luther,” his collaboration with SZA.
The latter award caused brief confusion when presenter Cher, fresh from receiving a lifetime achievement honor, struggled with the teleprompter and momentarily misread the winner’s name.
On the African front, South Africa’s Tyla claimed the inaugural Best African Music Performance award for her hit “Push 2 Start,” edging out a strong field of Nigerian stars including Burna Boy, Davido, and Ayra Starr, as well as Uganda’s Eddy Kenzo.
The night ignited with a fiery opener from K-pop sensation Rosé and Bruno Mars, who delivered a rock rendition of their viral hit “APT”, a song based on a complex Korean drinking game. Host Trevor Noah quipped, “In America, every time you turn on the news, you drink,” drawing both laughter and knowing nods.
But it was Bad Bunny’s tearful, stunned walk to the stage that captured the evening’s spirit: a landmark victory for Latin music, a bold political statement, and proof that even in an age of performance-heavy spectacles, the Grammys can still deliver moments that resonate far beyond the arena walls.
I wish I had read this sooner!