Bad Bunny wins Grammy Award

Bad Bunny, the Latin rap star whose upcoming Super Bowl performance has sparked controversy amid the culture wars, has won the top Grammy award - the first time a Spanish-language album has triumphed - with the release of "Debí Tirar Más Fotos," a celebration of his Puerto Rican roots.

The 31-year-old singer and producer beat out fellow megastars Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga in what was essentially a three-way race for his first Grammy Award for Album of the Year, considered the pinnacle of the music industry's highest honors.

"I want to dedicate this award to all the people who had to leave their homeland, their country, to follow their dreams," the Puerto Rican artist said in his acceptance speech, drawing on expressions of solidarity with immigrants, which were visible on stage throughout the evening.

"Debí Tirar Más Fotos," a musical homage to Bad Bunny's Caribbean island homeland, was his sixth studio album and was considered a major favorite after winning Album of the Year at the Latin Grammys in November.

The Grammys recognition for Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, had strong political overtones given his outspoken criticism of the raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump in cities across the country, Reuters reports. The singer and producer has been touring the continental United States on a recent tour, saying he feared federal immigration agents might show up to arrest his fans.

The Grammy awards further solidified his reputation ahead of a wider exposure to mainstream audiences in the English-speaking United States next Sunday, when he is scheduled to headline the National Football League (NFL) halftime show at the Super Bowl.

His choice for one of the most-watched sports and entertainment events on American television angered some traditionalists, including Trump, who called it "absolutely ridiculous" and said he had never heard of Bad Bunny.

Bad Bunny has openly supported Trump's Democratic opponent Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race.

"ICE out," he said from the stage as he accepted the award for best Latin urban music album for "Debí Tirar Más Fotos," one of five awards he won.

Opposition to Trump's deportation policy emerged as a recurring theme during the three-hour (and longer) live broadcast of the Grammy Awards, in which numerous attendees, including Justin Bieber, were seen wearing "ICE Out" badges.

Accepting the award for best new artist, British soul-pop singer Olivia Dean paid tribute to her grandmother, who emigrated to Britain from Guyana as a teenager, in search of a new life.

"I have to say that I'm here as the granddaughter of an immigrant," she said, to a standing ovation from the star-studded audience. "I'm a product of courage and I think people like that should be celebrated. Without each other, we're worth nothing."

Lamar, the chart-topping hip-hop sensation who led the nominations heading into Sunday's show with nine, ended up winning five awards, including best rap album for his latest studio release "GNX," as well as a shared win for record of the year for "Luther," his melancholic duet with R&B singer-songwriter SZA.

The Song of the Year award, which honors songwriters, went to Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell for their hit single "Wildflower."

"Golden," a smash hit from Netflix's (NFLX.O) animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," made history during the non-televised portion of the awards show when it was named best song written for visual media, the first time a K-pop genre has won a Grammy.

The song is performed in the film by the fictional band HUNTR/X, voiced by real-life EJAE singers Audrey Nuna and Rein Ami.

Lady Gaga won Grammys for Best Pop Vocal Album for "Mayhem" and Best Dance-Pop Recording for "Abracadabra."

Trevor Noah returned as host for what he said would be his final Grammy Awards appearance. The program aired live on CBS from the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.

Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg, 79, achieved EGOT status — one of the rarest accolades in the entertainment industry — after winning his first Grammy for best musical film for “Music by John Williams,” which he produced. EGOT is an acronym for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.

Grammy winners are chosen by the roughly 15.000 voting members of the Recording Academy — industry peers including artists, songwriters, producers and engineers — whose membership has been revamped over the past seven years to include greater diversity. About 1.000 Latin Grammy voters became eligible to vote this year, and 73 percent of the members have joined since 2019.