Music Critic Lucy Warom provides a round-up of the 68th Annual Grammys
The categories for the ‘big four’ awards (Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Best New Artist) were stacked with big names and deserving nominees this year.
Song of the Year – Billie Eilish, ‘Wildflower’
Billie Eilish won Song of the Year for her 2024 song ‘Wildflower’ in one of the most surprising wins of the night, beating (among others) Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Manchild’ and the incredibly popular ‘Golden’ from KPop Demon Hunters. ‘Wildflower’ was not among favourites to win but has become Eilish and her brother Finneas’s third Song of the Year award.
Record of the Year – Kendrick Lamar and SZA, ‘Luther’
Kendrick Lamar and SZA won Record of the Year for their duet ‘Luther’, which samples Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s ‘If This World Were Mine’. In one of the most memorable moments of the night, Cher (who was announcing the award) announced the winner as “Luther Vandross” before she corrected herself. “This is what music is about,” said Lamar in his acceptance speech. “Luther Vandross. This is special. I gotta take my time cause it’s one of my favourite artists of all time, and they granted us the privilege to do our version of it.” The win has established Lamar as one of the very few artists to secure a back-to-back win at the Grammy’s, after his 2025 Record of the Year win for ‘Not Like Us’.
Album of the Year – Bad Bunny, DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS
Bad Bunny’s Album of the Year win for DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS was undoubtedly one of my favourite wins of the night. The win makes Grammy history as the first Album of the Year sung entirely in Spanish. He dedicated the award to immigrants who “leave their home, land, their country, to follow their dreams,” and begun his speech with “Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ICE out,” a powerful moment in response to the recent tensions in America related to Trump’s new immigration policies and the murder of two civilians by ICE agents.
Best New Artist – Olivia Dean
Many artists that evening had messages surrounding ICE and the increasing tensions in the U.S., including Best New Artist winner Olivia Dean. She won the award over fellow big-name nominees including Addison Rae, Katseye and Sombr. The award marks her first ever Grammy win, propelled by her increasing commercial success in both the U.K. and the U.S. In her acceptance speech, Dean said “I’m up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant. I’m a product of bravery and I think those people deserve to be celebrated. We’re nothing without each other.”
Best Pop Solo Performance – Lola Young, ‘Messy’
In other awards, Lola Young accepted the award for Best Pop Solo Performance for her single, ‘Messy’. The award came just four months after Young collapsed on stage at All Things Go festival, which led to her cancelling all upcoming performances. When announcer Charli XCX read Young’s name, Young first jumped from her seat and ran away from her table before heading up to the stage to accept the award. In her speech, she said “I don’t have any speech prepared. Obviously, I don’t. It’s ‘Messy,’ do you know what I mean?”, followed by “I’m very, very grateful for this… Mom. I love you.”
Performances
Addison Rae and Katseye
Both big contenders for the Best New Artist category, Addison Rae and Katseye performed as part of a medley among others. Rae’s performance of ‘Fame is a Gun’ was conceptually strong, riding on the back of a truck before heading backstage, but the choreography-heavy performance left a little to be desired with breathy, unsteady vocals. Katseye took over straight after with their song ‘Gnarly’, which felt very intense but also quite shallow. Shoving six members into a small segment in a medley inevitably leaves much to be desired, especially with such a performance heavy song.
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter rarely misses the mark, and her performance of her hit song ‘Manchild’ was no exception. Her concept was campy and fun, taking flight with ‘Sabrina Carpenter Airlines’ and turning a baggage claim carousel into a catwalk. Her vocals were strong, steady and a treat to listen to, as always with Sabrina.
Alex Warren
Despite the audio issues he was having (he later shared a clip on Instagram simulating what he was hearing in his in-ear, with the same song playing in a disjointed sequence), Alex Warren’s vocals were incredibly impressive on his performance of his breakout hit ‘Ordinary’. He seemed incredibly moved by the experience, as did the audience. Despite the technological issues, it felt like a nice reminder of the beauty of live music, errors and all. It felt deeply human in a way that resonated beautifully with the song.
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