‘We’re not barbarians’: Stars take aim at ICE on the Grammys stage
Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar and British artist Olivia Dean were among the big winners at the politically charged Grammy ceremony, in which several winners used speeches to attack the immigration campaign in the US.
Billie Eilish shared anti-ICE messages on the platform.
Dean and Bad Bunny, while other stars also joined in. Justin and Hailey Bieber wore badges—all in protest of the increased presence of federal agents, particularly in Minneapolis, which has become a flashpoint city.
Wiping away tears as she took the stage to accept the Best New Artist award, Dean told the audience, “I guess I want to say that I’m here as the granddaughter of an immigrant… I’m a product of bravery and I think those people deserve to be celebrated.”
The 26-year-old enjoyed huge success last year following the release of her chart-topping smash hit, Man I Need, and now she has one of the “big four” Grammys – which also includes song, record and album of the year.
His sentiment was echoed by Eilish, who accepted the award for Song of the Year for Wildflowers.
“No one is illegal on stolen land,” Eilish said, standing on stage with her brother and collaborator, Finneas. The 24-year-old, who features the winning track on her album Hit Me Hard and Soft, encouraged individuals to persist in their protests.
“It’s really hard right now to know what to say and what to do, and I just, I feel really hopeful in this room, and I think we just need to keep fighting and speaking out and protesting, and our voices really matter, and people matter.”
Finneas, left, and Billie Eilish accept the Song of the Year award for Wildflowers at the Grammys. Photo: AP/Chris Pizzello
Public backlash against the ICE operation, which is part of Donald Trump’s mass deportation initiative, has grown since a Border Patrol officer 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretty – just a few weeks later, Renee Good. He was shot and killed in his car less than a mile away.
Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny, whose Debbie Tire Mas Photos became the first Spanish-language album to be named Album of the Year, began his speech for the first award with the words “ICE OUT.”.
He added, “We are not savages, we are not animals, we are not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans.”
For the main award, he gave most of his speech in Spanish before saying in English that he wanted to dedicate the award “to all the people who had to leave their homeland, their country, to follow their dreams”.
Kendrick Lamar is also among the artists who created Grammy history.
Kendrick Lamar accepted the award for Best Rap Album for GNX. Photo: AP/Chris Pizzello
saw the night Lamar became the most awarded hip-hop artist in Grammy history, with a total of five awards, including the final of the “Big Four” – Record of the Year for Luther, his song with SZA.
Stars including Bieber, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Tyler, the Creator, and Sabrina Carpenter performed during the show, as well as a medley of Dean and his fellow Best New Artist nominees.
Sabrina Carpenter transformed the Grammys stage into an airport setting for her performance of “Manchild.”
…while Justin Bieber took a more stripped-back approach. Photos: AP/Chris Pizzello
Lady Gaga was among the winners of the night, taking home the awards for Best Pop Vocal Album as well as Best Dance Pop Recording for Mayhem and Best Remix Recording for Abracadabra and its Gesaffelstein Remix.
The pop vocal star became emotional as her win was announced and used her speech to support fellow female artists and other women in the industry.
She added, “I just want to say to women in music, I know sometimes when you’re in the studio with a bunch of people, it can be tough, so I urge you to always listen to yourself and always fight for your ideas, fight for your songs, and fight for yourself as a producer. Make sure you’re heard loudly, and thank you so much for supporting me.”
This Grammy Ceremony Was Less About Songs, More About Speeches
It was a night of anger erupting from the Grammy stage.
Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny was passionate about the immigration campaign in Minnesota, while British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean also used her Grammy win – her first – to make her point.
In the audience, stars including Justin and Hailey Bieber and Joni Mitchell took a slightly more subtle approach, wearing ICE Out badges.
Away from the anti-ICE protest, it was Bieber who delivered one of the night’s awkward moments – inexplicably removing his shorts and socks to perform Yukon from his album, Swag.
The ceremony also included a tribute performance to the late Ozzy Osbourne led by Post Malone – which was watched by the rocker’s wife, Sharon, and their children.
It was a star-studded show, but really, it felt less about the songs and more about the speeches. There is a lot of anger over America’s current stance on immigration, and celebrities are not holding back.
Another British victory was celebrated, along with a Cher medley.
Carpenter, Bieber, Sir Elton John, Bruno Mars and last year’s best new artist, Chappelle Rhone, were among the nominated stars who missed out on the award this year.
With over 90 awards handed out and only a few hours left to air, history was made before the television show had even started – Netflix mega-hit K-pop Demon Hunters’ Golden became the first K-pop song to win a Grammy.
And by taking home Best Pop Solo Performance for her hit song Messy, Lola Young ensured another big British win. It was televised – and Young maintained the spirit of the song as he told the crowd that he had “obviously” not prepared the speech and apologised for swearing.
Lola Young accepts the award for Best Pop Solo Performance for Macy at the Grammys. Photo: AP/Chris Pizzello
Other British winners included FKA Twigs, who won Best Dance/Electronic Album for her record Caprisongs, and Cynthia Erivo, who won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for Defying Gravity, her duet with Wicked co-star Ariana Grande.
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Elsewhere, Cher received a standing ovation when she picked up a Lifetime Achievement award and provided a moment of levity with a medley when she presented the Record of the Year award, which went to Lamar and SZA’s Luther – not, in fact, to the late Luther Vandross, as she appeared to say for the first time.
In fairness, the song does sample the late soul star’s 1982 version of If This World Were Mine, which featured Cheryl Lynn and Lamar and SZA sharing a laugh with Cher on stage.
“That’s what music is about,” he said. “Luther Vandross.”
Duff McKagan, Andrew Watt, Chad Smith, Post Malone and Slash perform War Pigs at the Grammy tribute to Ozzy Osbourne. Photo: AP/Chris Pizzello
During an emotional In the Memoriam section, artists including Post Malone and Slash performed War Pigs in tribute to heavy metal pioneer Ozzy Osbourne, who died last year. Lauryn Hill led her tribute to D’Angelo and Roberta Flack, joined by musicians including Jon Batiste and her Fugees bandmate, Wyclef Jean.
Earlier in the evening, British star Yungblud won Best Rock Performance for his cover of Black Sabbath’s Changes, which he performed at the band’s farewell show, Back to the Beginning, a few weeks before Osbourne’s death.
And director Steven Spielberg becomes the newest member of the select EGOT group – creatives who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony – after winning Best Musical Film for the musical by John Williams.
In a statement after the win he said, “Thank you to all the Grammy voters, whose recognition of John Williams’ music means so much to me.”
