Music, politics and outstanding moments took stage at this year’s Grammy Awards. This year, many record- breaking achievements were set with a wide variety of artists. As well as many taking home awards for the very first time. This ceremony emphasized not only amazing performances, but emotional speeches that spread awareness about political issues in today’s world.
Viewers enjoyed various performances by artists: Bruno Mars, Alex Warren, Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, The Marias, and more. Beyond just the music, many recognized the increase of women in historically male-dominated categories.
“Everyone deserved to win, but it was extremely powerful to see more women nominated as they take over the literature world and the music industry,” said Kate Cavanagh, a senior at Saint Ignatius. She connects this moment to her English class, a senior elective English class called Voices of Women, commenting how the Grammys highlighted hows women are breaking barriers previously placed on them throughout history. She said “It highlights optimism for younger generations.”
Many artists decided to use their platform to bring awareness to the political climate, especially surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This drew strong reactions from the audience and viewers.
“Watching both Bad Bunny and Billie Ellish speak out against ICE was powerful, the speeches represented the political climate very well,” said Katie Lannon, a high school student at Saint Ignatius.
Many artists took their moment onstage to acknowledge the tense political moment to cheers from the crowd, but what caught the crowd by surprise was Bad Bunnys standing ovation after receiving backlash for his appearance at the Super Bowl, according to People News.
“It caught me off guard but I was happy Billie Ellish and Bad Bunny used their platforms to speak out,” adds Riley Schneider, senior at Saint Ignatius. She also shared that “Celebrities should have more time to give speeches as many were rushed.”
While the Grammys sparked meaningful conversations, viewers also shared that the Grammys should take place on a Saturday. Many people felt that having the Grammys on a Sunday night made it hard to really enjoy the award show. Moving the show to a Saturday would allow fans to watch till the end and are even able to host watch parties without worrying about work or school the next morning. “ I couldn’t watch all of it as I had to go to bed for school the next morning,” shared Kate Cavagnah.
The 68th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony took place Sunday, February 2, 2026.
