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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DESK

Kendrick Lamar was the standout star of the 2026 Grammy Awards, leaving the ceremony with five wins after entering with a leading nine nominations. His biggest accolade came with Record of the Year for Luther , his collaboration with SZA.

The Recording Academy presented awards across 95 categories, with 86 trophies handed out during the afternoon premiere ceremony and the final nine announced during the primetime broadcast, which featured live performances and major category highlights.

Despite Lamar’s dominance, the top awards were spread among several artistes. Bad Bunny won Best Música Urbana Album for DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS , using his acceptance speech to make a political statement by opening with “ICE out”. Olivia Dean claimed Best New Artist, a win many considered one of the evening’s most anticipated outcomes.

Lamar had already earned three awards before the televised broadcast, winning Best Rap Song for TV Off , Best Melodic Rap Performance for Luther with SZA, and Best Rap Performance for Chains & Whips , on which he was a featured artiste. During the live show, he added Best Rap Album, becoming the most-awarded rapper in Grammy history, surpassing Jay-Z’s previous record. He capped the night with Record of the Year, bringing his total to five.

Lady Gaga also had a successful evening, winning Best Pop Vocal Performancefor Abracadabra during the telecast, following her Best Dance Pop Recording win earlier in the day. The song earned a third Grammy through Gesaffelstein, who won Best Remixed Recording for his work.

Billie Eilish caused one of the night’s biggest surprises by taking Song of the Year for Wildflower , beating out major contenders including Golden , Manchild , and Bad Bunny’s DtMF . Eilish, like several other artists, used her speech to make a political statement, openly criticising US immigration authorities.

In country music, Jelly Roll took home three Grammys, including Best Country Album for Beautifully Broken during the live telecast. Cirkut won Producer of the Year (Non-Classical) for his work on multiple projects, including Lady Gaga’s Mayhem , while Amy Allen was named Songwriter of the Year.

The ceremony featured standout performances throughout the night. Rosé and Bruno Mars opened with their hit Apt. , immediately energising the audience. Sabrina Carpenter followed with Manchild , turning the stage into an airport terminal as she played a pilot racing through the scene. A segment later showcased all eight Best New Artist nominees performing together.

Justin Bieber returned to the Grammy stage for the first time since 2022, delivering a stripped-down solo rendition of Yukon with minimal accompaniment. Lady Gaga added a heavier rock spin to Abracadabra , while Tyler, the Creator set the stage ablaze with a medley of Thought I Was Dead , Like Him , and Sugar on My Tongue .

A major highlight was Post Malone leading a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, performing alongside Chad Smith, Duff McKagan, Slash, and Andrew Watt.

The In Memoriam segment was especially moving, with Lauryn Hill honouring her friend and collaborator D’Angelo and music legend Roberta Flack, joined by Leon Thomas, Raphael Saadiq, Jon Batiste, Lucky Daye, John Legend, and Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean.

The night also saw historic firsts. His Holiness the Dalai Lama won his first Grammy for Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording, with Rufus Wainwright accepting on his behalf. The Premiere Ceremony saw K-pop act Golden from K-Pop Demon Hunters win Best Song Written for Visual Media, marking the first Grammy for a K-pop artist, with acceptance speeches delivered in both English and Korean.

Finally, Music for John Williams won Best Music Film, earning Steven Spielberg his first Grammy and placing him among the rare EGOT winners, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential creative figures in entertainment history.