Ricky Gervais appeared to snicker at this yr’s crop of Grammy winners for his or her politically-charged speeches, taking to X after the 2026 ceremony to share an excerpt from his 2020 Golden Globes monologue by which he instructed the actors within the room to not flip their acceptance speeches into political calls to motion. Gervias used a crying emoji after the Grammys and wrote: “They’re nonetheless not listening.”
“For those who do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a political platform to make a political speech,” Gervais suggested in 2020. “You’re in no place to lecture the general public about something. nothing about the true world. Most of you spent much less time in class than Greta Thunberg.”
Gervais posted after which took down the identical actual message final September after the 2025 Emmys. At that ceremony, “Hacks” star Hannah Einbender notably gained for excellent supporting actress in a comedy sequence and used her acceptance speech to say “fuck ICE” and “free Palestine.”
The 2026 Grammys have been largely outlined by politically-charged speeches. Billie Eilish, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, Jack Antonoff and extra musicians wore “ICE Out” pins to the ceremony. Eilish gained track of the yr for “Wildflower” and stated “fuck ICE” throughout her speech, including: “Nobody is illegitimate on stolen land. And, yeah, it’s simply actually arduous to know what to say and what to do proper now, and I really feel actually hopeful on this room, and I really feel like we simply must maintain preventing and talking up and protesting, and our voices actually do matter, and the folks matter.”
Dangerous Bunny, who gained album of the yr and finest música urbana album through the stay Grammys telecast, stated “ICE out!” throughout his speech and added: “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We’re people and we’re Individuals…. hate will get extra highly effective with extra hate. The one factor that’s extra highly effective than hate is love. So please, we have to be totally different. If we combat, we’ve got to do it with love.”
Even some winners who didn’t essentially name out ICE straight nonetheless championed immigrants throughout their politically-minded acceptance speeches. Olivia Dean gained finest new artist and stated: “I wish to say I’m up right here as a granddaughter of an immigrant. I wouldn’t be right here… I’m a product of bravery, and I feel these folks need to be celebrated. We’re nothing with out one another.”
Shaboozey gained his first Grammy award by taking residence the prize for finest nation duo/group efficiency (“Amen” with Jelly Roll) and stated in his speech: “Immigrants constructed this nation, actually. So that is for them, for all kids of immigrants. That is additionally for many who got here to this nation seeking a greater alternative to be a part of a nation that promised freedom for all and equal alternative to everybody keen to work for it. Thanks for bringing your tradition, your music, your tales and your traditions right here. You give America shade. I really like y’all a lot.”
