In speech after speech, this yr’s Grammy-winning artists returned to at least one message—ICE is a menace that should be stopped.
After dramatic, violent escalations in federal raids on immigrant communities and their supporters in Minneapolis and throughout the nation, People have been shocked into despair and motion. Many artists up for prime Grammys have been vocal about their opposition to those raids, however at Sunday’s Grammys, the subject was entrance and heart for a lot of winners of their speeches.
“I want to dedicate this to all the people who had to leave their home, their country, to follow their dreams,” Unhealthy Bunny stated in his mostly-Spanish acceptance speech for the Grammys prime prize, Album of the Yr.
Earlier within the evening, he joked with host Trevor Noah about Puerto Rico not being an amazing place for Noah ought to flee to, the island nonetheless being an American territory and all. However Unhealthy Bunny made his level clearly even earlier than taking house his greatest prize but. “Ice out,” he stated. “If we fight, we have to do it with love.”
With a Tremendous Bowl halftime present coming subsequent week, he’ll take the stage as a very powerful musician on earth proper now, an pressing message delivered to the center of probably the most aggressively American reside occasion.
As musicians across the nation and the globe use their platforms to prepare and converse out towards the ICE raids, many acts wore pins on the crimson carpet Sunday—from Joni Mitchell and Carole King to Olivia Rodrigo, Brandi Carlile and Justin and Hailey Bieber.
But it was placing simply what number of artists used the acceptance speeches to decry the company’s actions below President Trump.
Billie Eilish, an upset winner with brother Finneas for track for “Wildflower,” was much more direct. “No one is illegal on stolen land,” she stated. “It’s hard to know what to say and what to do, but we need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting. Our voices really do matter.” Then got here a protracted, bleeped second on the CBS broadcast—presumably one thing urgently profane directed at the same goal.
That sentiment spanned genres and cultures. New artist winner, the U.Ok. R&B singer Olivia Dean, acknowledged the presents of being “the granddaughter of an immigrant. I’m a product of bravery and I think these people deserve to be celebrated.”
“Immigrants built this country, literally,” stated nation star Shaboozey, a descendant of Nigerian immigrant dad and mom, profitable for nation duo/group efficiency. “This is also for those who came to this country in search of better opportunity to be part of a nation that promised freedom for all and equal opportunity to everyone willing to work for it. Thank you for bringing your culture your music, your stories and your traditions here.”
Kehlani, a winner for R&B track and efficiency, stated that “Together, we’re stronger in numbers to speak out against all the injustice going on in the world right now. I hope everyone is inspired to come together as a community of artists ad speak out against what’s going on.”
” F— Ice,” Kehlani added, strolling off the stage.
Recording Academy chief Harvey Mason Jr. additionally used his speech to underscore the “uncertainty and real trauma,” of the setting in America now. “It can be easy to feel overwhelmed, even helpless in challenging times. But music never stands still,” he stated. “When we’re exhausted, music restores us. When were grieving, music sits with us.”
Alongside the evening’s phrases of warning and rage, singer SZA provided what amounted to reassurance in her speech after profitable report for “Luther,” her Sizzling 100-dominating collaboration with Kendrick Lamar.
“Please don’t fall into despair,” she stated. “I know algorithms tell us it’s so scary and all is lost. But we can go on, we need each other. We’re not governed by the government, we’re governed by God.”
