Entertainment, Feb 2: The 68th annual Grammy Awards began on a historic note on February 1, as the Premiere Ceremony delivered a string of landmark moments, including first-ever wins for the Dalai Lama and K-pop, and filmmaker Steven Spielberg completing the rare EGOT club.
The Dalai Lama secured his first Grammy in the audiobook, narration and storytelling recording category, emerging ahead of nominees that included US Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. The win marked a significant cultural moment at the awards, with singer Rufus Wainwright, who collaborated on the project, acknowledging the achievement with light-hearted remarks during the acceptance speech.
Another breakthrough came as “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters won the award for song written for visual media, becoming the first Grammy victory for a K-pop act. The songwriters addressed the audience in both English and Korean, highlighting the global reach and bilingual identity of the genre.
Steven Spielberg added a Grammy to his collection after Music for John Williams won best music film, completing his EGOT status — a distinction reserved for artists who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. The achievement placed Spielberg among a select group of creative figures across entertainment history.
Held at the Peacock Theater ahead of the main televised show, the Premiere Ceremony was hosted by Darren Criss and featured the presentation of most of the 86 awards announced before the evening broadcast. The first award of the day, best pop duo or group performance, went to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande for Defying Gravity, though neither artist was present to accept it.
The ceremony also saw a wave of debut Grammy wins. British artist Yungblud won best rock performance for his live rendition of Black Sabbath’s Changes, recorded during Ozzy Osbourne’s final concert. Hardcore band Turnstile claimed best rock album and later best metal performance, with frontman Brendan Yates paying tribute to their hometown of Baltimore. FKA twigs earned her first Grammy for best dance/electronic album for EUSEXUA, becoming only the second Black woman to win in that category. Rapper Lefty Gunplay also picked up his first Grammy for rap performance for his contribution to Kendrick Lamar’s TV Off.
In the Latin music categories, Natalia Lafourcade won best Latin pop album, while CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso claimed best Latin rock or alternative album on their first nomination. Carín León secured best Música Mexicana album, marking his second Grammy win. The Cure won alternative music performance but were unable to attend due to the recent death of longtime band member Perry Archangelo Bamonte.
Political expression also featured prominently during the ceremony. Country duo Shaboozey and Jelly Roll, first-time winners for country duo or group performance, made pro-immigration remarks in their speech. Several artists wore anti-ICE symbols, while Gloria Estefan voiced concerns about the US immigration climate backstage.
The event opened with an energetic performance by Earth, Wind & Fire alongside guest artists. Recording Academy chief executive Harvey Mason Jr. described the opening as a celebration of “joy and resilience.”
The main televised Grammy Awards ceremony will take place at the Crypto.com Arena, hosted by Trevor Noah for the sixth and final time. Kendrick Lamar leads this year’s nominations with nine, followed by Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff and Cirkut with seven each.
