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The loudest ovation at the 2026 Grammys came before the night’s biggest award. Accepting Best Música Urbana Album on Sunday (Feb. 1), Bad Bunny opened with a line that set the tone for the ceremony: “Before I say, ‘Thanks to God,’ I’m going to say, ‘ICE out.’”
He didn’t stop there. “The hate gets more powerful with more hate,” he told the room, per Rolling Stone. “The only thing more powerful than hate is love. So, we need to be different. If we fight, we have to do it with love.” Rolling Stone noted that he skipped a U.S. tour out of fear that ICE would target attendees.
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Many in the audience wore “ICE Out” pins, among them Billie Eilish, Finneas, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Brandi Carlile, Jack Antonoff and Margo Price, per Rolling Stone. The pins and the speeches followed January’s immigration-enforcement surge in Minnesota, which Billboard said ended in two fatal shootings of civilians by agents. The Trump administration called both self-defense, Billboard added, though many Americans disagree.
Eilish used her Song of the Year speech for “Wildflower” to say “no one is illegal on stolen land,” then admitted it was hard to know what to say. “I feel like we just need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting, and our voices really do matter, and the people matter,” she said, before closing with a blunt “f–k ICE” (Billboard’s censoring). Carole King, wearing her own pin, presented the award.
Olivia Dean ended her Best New Artist speech by noting that she is the granddaughter of an immigrant. “I’m a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated,” she said. Shaboozey, whose parents are from Nigeria, dedicated his first Grammy, for “Amen” with Jelly Roll, to the “children of immigrants,” and told them: “You give America color.” Earlier, Kehlani had ended her Best R&B Performance speech with her own “f–k ICE,” Rolling Stone reported.
It’s incredibly dystopian that we’re dressed up and able to celebrate accolades in the material world, and people are getting snatched up and shot in the face on the street.
SZA, Rolling Stone
SZA, speaking to reporters backstage after “Luther” won Record of the Year, said it was understandable to feel “rage and hopelessness,” and that her advice was to hold on to morale. Gloria Estefan, after winning Best Tropical Latin Album, told reporters she hoped “our government listens to our plea for humanity.”
It was a pointed turn after a night of wins that made history. A week later, Bad Bunny took the same message to the Super Bowl halftime stage, where it drew a very different response from the White House.
Added to the High Grailed archive on October 12, 2026.
