The Grammy Awards are music’s biggest night. This year, they were also a night when music’s biggest stars made pointed political statements.
As President Trump’s immigration crackdown rages on amid nationwide protests, musicians used their time on the Grammy stage to make their feelings known.
The biggest moment of the night came when Bad Bunny used his acceptance speech to directly criticize Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ICE out,” the Puerto Rican singer said while accepting the award for best música urbana album for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” the second all-Spanish album in history to be nominated for album of the year. (The first was Bad Bunny’s own “Un Verano Sin Ti.”)
The chart-topping superstar, who’s also set to headline the Super Bowl halftime show next week, continued his speech by emphasizing the humanity of his fellow Puerto Ricans.
“We’re not savage,” he said. “We’re not animals. We’re not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans.”
“The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love,” he added.
Earlier in the evening, during an in-audience bit with Grammys host Trevor Noah, Bad Bunny clarified that Puerto Ricans are Americans.
“If things keep getting bad here in America, can I come live with you in Puerto Rico?” Noah joked.
“Trevor, I have news for you,” Bad Bunny replied. “Puerto Rico is part of America.”
Bad Bunny previously told i-D magazine that he decided to skip the mainland on his latest tour because he didn’t want ICE agents waiting outside his concerts.
“There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the US, and none of them were out of hate — I’ve performed there many times,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed connecting with Latinos who have been living in the US. But specifically, for a residency here in Puerto Rico, when we are an unincorporated territory of the US… People from the US could come here to see the show. Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world. But there was the issue of — like, fucking ICE could be outside. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”
Other winners echoed Bad Bunny’s message at the ceremony on Sunday, including London native and “Nice to Each Other” singer Olivia Dean, who spoke about her immigrant roots while accepting the award for best new artist.
“I’m up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant,” Dean said. “I’m a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated.”
Later in the evening, Billie Eilish followed suit when she accepted song of the year for “Wildflower,” a ballad from her latest album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft.”
“No one is illegal on stolen land,” Eilish said onstage.
“It’s just really hard to know what to say and what to do right now,” she added. “I feel like we just need to keep fighting and protesting. Our voices really do matter, and the people do matter.”
Even more Grammy attendees wore “ICE out” pins to the ceremony, including Eilish, her brother and producer Finneas O’Connell, Carole King, Justin Bieber, Hailey Bieber, and Kehlani, who won best R&B performance during the Grammys premiere ceremony.
“I really wanted to say fuck ICE,” Kehlani told The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet. “We’re too powerful of a group to all be in a room at the same time and not make some kind of statement in our country. It’s brainless to me.”
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