Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar and British artist Olivia Dean were among the big winners at a politically charged Grammys ceremony, which saw several winners using speeches to hit out at the immigration operation in the US.
Anti-ICE messages were shared on stage by Billie Eilish, Dean and Bad Bunny while other stars including Justin and Hailey Bieber wore badges – all in opposition to the heightened presence of federal agents particularly in Minneapolis, which has become a flashpoint city.
Wiping away tears as she walked to the stage to accept the best new artist award, Dean told the audience: “I guess I want to say I’m up 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 has had huge success over the past year following the release of her chart-topping smash hit, Man I Need.
Her sentiment was echoed by Eilish, who accepted the award for song of the year, for Wildflower.
“No one is illegal on stolen land,” Eilish said. “It’s really hard to know what to say and what to do now… our voices really do matter and the people matter…”
Public backlash against the ICE operation has grown since a Border Patrol officer shot and killed 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti – just weeks after Renee Good was shot dead in her car, less than a mile away.
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Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny, who became the first Spanish-language artist to win album of the year, and also took home the best musica urbana album prize, started his first speech with the words, “ICE out”.
He continued: “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans.”
The night saw Lamar become the most awarded hip-hop artist in Grammys history, with several prizes 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 gave performances during the show, along with a medley from Dean and her fellow best new artist nominees.
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With more than 90 awards to hand out and only a few hours for the broadcast, history was made even before the televised show had started – as Golden, from KPop Demon Hunters, became the first ever K-Pop song to win a Grammy.
And in taking home the best pop solo performance for her hit song Messy, Lola Young ensured there was another big British win.
Elsewhere, Cher received a standing ovation as she picked up a lifetime achievement award – and provided a moment of levity with a mix-up as 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 first appeared to say.
During an emotional In 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 followed with her own tribute to D’Angelo and Roberta Flack, joined by musicians including Jon Batiste and her Fugees bandmate, Wyclef Jean.
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