68th Grammy Awards Marked by Musical Triumphs, Political Controversy
Los Angeles, CA – The 68th Grammy Awards, held Sunday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, celebrated the biggest names in music, but also became a stage for political statements and controversies. Billie Eilish's "Wildflower" won Song of the Year, Kendrick Lamar and SZA's "Luther" took Record of the Year, Olivia Dean was named Best New Artist, and Bad Bunny's "DeBI TiRAR MaS FOToS" won Album of the Year, according to ABC News.
The awards show, however, was overshadowed by several controversies. Trevor Noah, the host, drew the ire of former US President Donald Trump after making a joke referencing Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. "Song of the Year - that is a Grammy that every artist wants almost as much as Trump wants Greenland, which makes sense because Epstein's island is gone, he needs a new one to hang out with Bill Clinton," Noah said, according to BBC World. Trump, who was an associate of Epstein for years, threatened to sue the comedian over the joke. Trump has stated he had no knowledge of Epstein's crimes and that they fell out around 2004, according to BBC World.
Adding to the political undertones, the Dalai Lama won in the audiobook category for "Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama." Beijing reacted angrily to the award, calling it "anti-China political manipulation," according to BBC World. China's foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian stated, "We firmly oppose relevant parties using art awards as a tool for anti-China political manipulation, and this position is consistent." The Dalai Lama, who has lived in exile from his Tibetan homeland since 1959, accepted the award with "gratitude and humility," according to BBC World.
Going into the 2026 Grammys, Kendrick Lamar led the list of nominees with nine nominations, followed by Lady Gaga, Cirkut, and Jack Antonoff with seven nominations each, according to ABC News.
Outside of the Grammys, Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, apologized to British football fans after making a joke about arrests during the World Cup. "For the first time in history... no Brit was arrested during a World Cup. Imagine!" Infantino said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, according to Sky News. The Football Supporters' Association criticized the comment as a "cheap joke." Infantino also insisted that Trump deserved a peace prize, according to Sky News.
In other news, Laura Fernández of the Sovereign People party won Costa Rica's presidential election in a landslide, steering Latin America further to the right, according to The Guardian. Fernández promised to crack down on rising violence linked to the cocaine trade. Her nearest rival, centre-right economist Álvaro Ramos, conceded defeat.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment