Bad Bunny makes history: he is the first Latin artist to win the Grammy for Album of the Year (and with Billie Eilish he lashes out against ICE)

At the 2026 Grammy Awards ceremony, Bad Bunny made history: he won the most prestigious award of the evening, Album of the Year, becoming the first Latin artist and the first with a work almost entirely in Spanish to do so. The awarded album is Debí Tirar Más Fotosa project born from a conscious return to Puerto Rico and research into Latin American musical traditions.

For a few seconds, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio remained seated, with his head in his hands, visibly overwhelmed by emotion. Then he dedicated the recognition to those who live the experience of migration, in a particularly tense historical moment in the United States.

The cultural meaning of “Debí Tirar Más Fotos”

The album’s success is not just symbolic. Debí Tirar Más Fotos represents a precise artistic stance, which puts language, identity and memory at the centre. It is a work that was born far from the logic of the American industry and which is precisely why it took on an even stronger value on the stage of the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Bad Bunny had already shown consistency in his choices, canceling some concerts in the United States in 2025 to avoid exposing fans to Ice operations. The victory at the Grammys therefore comes as an artistic recognition, but also as confirmation of a well-defined personal trajectory.

The speeches against ICE

The reference to Immigration and Customs Enforcement was one of the underlying themes of the evening. Accepting the award for Best Urban Music Album, Bad Bunny said:

Before I thank God, I will say one thing: Ice out. We are not savages, we are not animals, we are not aliens. We are human beings and we are Americans.

The singer’s words are part of a climate of strong protest following the killing of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. Several artists have chosen to use the stage as a space for denunciation, including Billie Eilish, awarded song of the year with Wildflower. The singer said:

No one is illegal on stolen land. We must continue to have our say and protest. Our voices matter.

Olivia Dean, best new artist, also linked the recognition to her family history:

I am the granddaughter of an immigrant. I am the fruit of his courage and I think people like my grandfather should be celebrated.

Many artists, including Billie Eilish, Finneas and Justin Bieber, wore pins with messages like Ice Out, turning the ceremony into a collective stand against the brutality carried out by this branch of agents.

The other protagonists of the evening

The ceremony also saw the success of Kendrick Lamar, who took home five awards, including best rap album for GNX and best recording for Luther with Sza, reaching 27 career Grammys. Lady Gaga won Best Pop Album with Mayhem. Golden Of KPop Demon Hunters it marked the first K-pop win in Grammy history. An award also went to Steven Spielberg as producer of Music for John Williamsconsecrating him in the Egot club.

You might also be interested in: