Another year and another Grammys telecast. Under Recording Academy president Harvey Mason Jr., the institution is clearly straining to evolve. Since taking over in 2021, Mason has steered the Academy with a measured tact, attempting to recognise both the shifting faces of American pop and the growing global scenes. Yet despite the controlled tone, these awards, like any in the United States, cannot escape the political realities outside the locked doors of the Crypto.com Arena.
Maybe it’s naive to hope for fearless courage on prime time making a dent in the political horrors around the world. Still, the way talent engages with – or avoids – current events is a story that writes itself. Reprisal for insulting the US administration can be steep; but the backlash for staying silent isn’t painless either. So, it was heartening to see artists from Justin Bieber to Carole King wearing anti-ICE pins while others spoke out in their speeches.
Hoping to remain fun, the awards stretched a thin performance across three hours and 40 minutes. A good chunk was devoured by the interminable “In Memoriam” which still found itself having to rush through tributes to icons like Ozzy Osborne, Roberta Flack, D’Angelo, and Brian Wilson.
The “Best New Artist” segment dragged like a forceful shopping channel pitch. Is the Marias’ ‘lonely-dreamscape’ thing not your vibe? Try Addison Rae’s ‘sex-bomb’ thing, or Sombr’s ‘cocky-yet-vulnerable-yet-cocky’ attitude. For a limited time only, you can get Olivia Dean’s classy R&B package by calling the number on the screen.
Other performances were programmed to pace the distribution of awards. Sabrina Carpenter did ‘Manchild’ with her usual high-camp, holding a dove while dressed like a scanty airline pilot, bracing for a message from HR regarding appropriate uniform. Tyler the Creator delivered a double act as the personas from his two most recent records. In complete contrast to their theatrics, Justin Bieber delivered the performance of the night, singing ‘Yukon’ in just a pair of shorts, looking like he’d rolled out of bed at 11am. After such incredible performances, it was disappointing to see these three walk away largely empty-handed.
The top-nominated artist, Kendrick Lamar, took home five awards, becoming the most-decorated rapper in history with 27 Grammys at just 38. Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas, along with Grammys stalwart Lady Gaga, rounded out the televised winners.
But the biggest award did, indeed, go to the favourite: Bad Bunny. So overwhelmed that he sat alone at his table, head in his hands, for a full ten seconds before taking the stage. For someone usually so cool and collected, it was chilling to see him so emotional. He grew up in a small town, worked part-time in a grocery store, used to stress over his university studies. I’d like to think he thought back to these now far-off moments.
DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS is a love letter to Puerto Rico. His 2025 residency injected an estimated $400 million into the island’s economy, and he swore off touring in the continental US to protest ICE raids. The album is deeply political, but its music captures a nostalgia and love for his home that I think will resonate long after Puerto Rico’s current struggles.
Fittingly, he delivered his speech in Spanish, dedicating it to “all the people who had to leave their homeland […] to follow their dreams.” With his Super Bowl performance this Sunday, this win sets a complex stage. Benito shows that music can still function as resistance, and that these award shows still hold a purpose, for as long as they offer a stage for moments like this.
“Bad Bunny 2019 by Glenn Francis” by Toglenn is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.