Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny made history at the Grammy Awards as the first artist to win Album of the Year with an album sung entirely in Spanish. His sixth album, Debí Tirar Mas Fotos, deeply reflects Latin identity, music, and history. He dedicated the award to immigrants amid a climate where many artists voiced opposition to U.S. immigration policies.
At the 68th Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, Bad Bunny, or Benito Ocasio, the 31-year-old artist from Puerto Rico, made history by winning the top honor, Album of the Year, for his sixth album Debí Tirar Mas Fotos. He beat strong contenders such as Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, and Sabrina Carpenter. This marks the first time a fully Spanish-language album has received this award.
Bad Bunny was visibly surprised when Harry Styles announced his name. He accepted the award with tears and dedicated it to "everyone who has had to leave their hometown, land, and country to follow their dreams."
This year’s event was marked by political expressions, especially regarding the crackdown on immigrants in the U.S. Many artists, including Bad Bunny, wore "ICE out" pins (referencing U.S. immigration enforcement) to protest the government's actions.
Olivia Dean, who won Best New Artist, said she is the granddaughter of immigrants and a product of courage, while Billie Eilishwon Song of the Year for "Wildflower" and called on everyone to keep fighting and raising their voices, emphasizing that the voice of the people is the most important.
Skilled rapper Kendrick Lamar set a new record by winning a total of 27 Grammy Awards, surpassing Jay-Z to become the rapper with the most Grammy wins in history. This year, he won Best Rap Album for GNX and Record of the Year for "Luther" alongside SZA.
However, during the announcement of Record of the Year, confusion arose when legend Cher forgot to read the nominees and almost announced the wrong winner, leading the audience to briefly believe it was a posthumous award for Luther Vandross. Kendrick Lamar managed the situation well by honoring Vandross live on stage instead.
The evening opened excitingly with performances by Rosé from Blackpink and Bruno Mars performing a rock version of their hit "APT." Notable highlights included Justin Bieber performing "Yukon" wearing only boxer shorts and socks with a single guitar, and Lady Gaga appearing in a spectacular birdcage headpiece for the song "Abracadabra."
Summary of major awards at the 68th Grammy Awards
Album of the Year: "Debí Tirar Mas Fotos" – Bad Bunny
Record of the Year: "Luther" – Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA
Song of the Year (songwriting honored): "Wildflower" – Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell (songwriters) (Billie Eilish)
Best New Artist: Olivia Dean
Best Pop Solo Performance: "Messy" – Lola Young
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: "Defying Gravity" – Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande
Best Pop Album: "Mayhem" – Lady Gaga
Best Rap Album: "GNX" – Kendrick Lamar
Best Rap Performance: "Chains & Whips" – Clipse (Pusha T & Malice) featuring Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams
Best Music Video: "Anxiety" – Doechii
Best Urban Music Album: Bad Bunny – "Debí Tirar Mas Fotos"
Best Global Music Performance: Bad Bunny – "Eoo"
Best Global Music Album: "Caetano e Bethania Ao Vivo" – Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethania
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: "Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters"
SourceBBC