On the evening of Feb. 1, Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena buzzed with the chatter and hubbub of celebrities, academy members and the press for the 86th annual Grammy Awards show. As with every year, the Grammys saw a wide range of renowned and upcoming artists and producers taking the stage, collecting their awards and stealing audiences’ hearts.
It comes as no surprise that his nonstop output of award-winning work would bear fruit, and of such abundance at that. The beloved Kendrick Lamar swept all four dedicated rap categories as well as Record of the Year, yet again growing his collection of Grammy wins to 27. With albums like “luther” and “GNX” and tracks like “tv off” and “Chains and Whips,” Lamar’s reign continues and shows no signs of stopping.
The unfortunate part of competition, especially with such a stellar lineup of trailblazing musical acts, is that not everyone will be able to win something at the end of the night. It is a difficult pill to swallow for dedicated fans and casual listeners alike, and people made their opinions heard loud and clear on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter).
Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower,” a heartbreaking acoustic ballad about the complexities and messiness of dating friends’ exes, was one of the well-deserved but controversial wins of the night. Many voiced criticism over the song’s 2026 nomination for Song of the Year when it appeared in Eilish’s studio album “Hit Me Hard and Soft” in April of 2024. However, its official release as a single in 2025 and continued popularity among the public kept “Wildflower” in the race.
Furthermore, Eilish’s firm statement during her acceptance speech that “No one is illegal on stolen land” turned viewers’ attention to the growing issue and fear concerning the extreme behavior and severe abuses of power by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) across the country.
Many other artists, like Olivia Dean, the winner of Best New Artist, and Bad Bunny, who took home the Grammy award for Album of the Year alongside two other awards, also made their stances clear during their speeches. Bad Bunny began his speech for Best Música Urbana Album saying, “Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ICE out. We’re not savages, we’re not animals, we are humans, and we are Americans.”
On Feb. 8, he starred as the headline performer for the Super Bowl LX halftime show, carried out almost entirely in Spanish, where he conveyed a powerful message of unity. At the same time, he smashed the record for most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in history.
Their words echoed through the arena, reminding us of the realities of those who are not afforded a voice or the privilege to ignore the ongoing tragedies happening around us.
Though widely debated, art is believed to be closely tied to politics and current circumstances, as are countless aspects of our lives. As long as music stirs something within a listener, it will continue to sway hearts and attune societal shifts.
The arts desk can be reached at arts@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
