The stars who rebuked Trump in their Grammy speeches
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Trevor Noah at The 67th Annual Grammy Awards. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images
Celebrity A-listers took not-so-subtle jabs at President Trump's controversial policies during the 67th annual Grammy Awards Sunday night.
Why it matters: The Grammys marked the first award show to air since Trump's inauguration last month, and the first since deadly wildfires upended life in the Los Angeles area.
- The performance-packed show was produced to honor California's first responders and raise money for fire relief efforts.
- While the mood throughout the night was mostly energetic and festive, a few speakers took aim at Trump's policies.
Zoom in: "There's been a few changes in Washington. So I'm gonna enjoy tonight because this may be my last time I get to host anything in this country," South African comedian and Grammy host Trevor Noah told an audience of thousands at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.
- He later joked that the Recording Academy cast votes from "13,000 members" and "20 million illegal immigrants."
- Shakira, who performed Sunday night, dedicated her Grammy win for best Latin pop album "to all my immigrant brothers and sisters in this country."
Other artists expressed support for LGTBQ+ rights and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives — a frequent Trump target — in their speeches.
- "It's such an honor to sing for all of you. I just want to say tonight that trans people are not invisible," Lady Gaga said in her acceptance speech for best pop duo/group performance. "Trans people deserve love. The queer community deserves to be lifted up."
- "This is not the time to shut down a diversity of voices," said Alicia Keys, while accepting a global impact award. "We've seen on this stage talented, hard-working people from different backgrounds with different points of view, and it changes the game. DEI is not a threat — it's a gift."
Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment on Sunday,
The big picture: Award shows became overwhelmingly political during the pandemic era, isolating some viewers.
- Grammy viewership bounced back significantly last year to a 24-year high after falling to a record low in 2021.
