This year, the Grammys were a platform for more than just celebrating art and music. Many performers used the opportunity that the award show provided them with to advocate for causes that they believe in. While award shows have always had a history of live advocacy, this year spotlighted many issues on a different level. One cause prevailed throughout the award acceptance speeches and performances: the removal of ICE from America’s streets. 

Before the award ceremony began, a handful of celebrities wore pins reading “ICE OUT” attached to their designer outfits. Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, and Valentina, all adorned with this important political and social statement. Cameras did not shy away either, capturing celebrities posing with their pins strategically positioned. Singer Becky G even showed off her nails to the press which read  “F*CK ICE.” 

Many singers and songwriters were honored with awards such as Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist, and many more. Many of the artists who received awards highlighted the issue in their acceptance speeches. Notably, Puerto Rican singer and songwriter Bad Bunny called out ICE while accepting what would be his first of three awards of the night in the category of Best Musical Urbana Album. “Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say, ICE out,” said the artist upon entering the stage. “We’re not savages, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans,” he proclaimed. As one of the first awards of the night, Bad Bunny set the tone for the rest of the show by sharing a few last words. “The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love,” he said, encouraging viewers not to give into the contagiously hateful nature of our society and to choose love and positivity instead. Bad Bunny went on to also win the award for Best Global Music Performance and, arguably, the biggest award of the evening, Album of the Year. 

Billie Eilish accepted the award for Song of the Year for her song Wildflower. While accepting the award, Eillish let viewers know that “no one is illegal on stolen land,” referencing America’s history of colonizing Native American land almost 250 years ago. Eilish ended her speech by saying “F*ck ICE”, to which many of the artists, performers, actors, and audience members rose to applaud in agreement. Eillish emphasized in her speech the amount of hope that she felt watching so many similar speeches that night and encouraged viewers at home and in the audience to continue to use their voices. “Our voices really do matter,” she said, urging listeners to keep persisting and to continue to demand the change they wish to see in the world. 

One last artist who advocated against ICE at the Grammys was Olivia Dean after winning the highly coveted award for Best New Artist. “I’m up here as the granddaughter of an immigrant… I’m a product of bravery and I think those people deserve to be celebrated,” Dean declared. “We’re nothing without each other,” she said before exiting the stage with her award, highlighting the absolutely crucial need for viewers to rally with their community and use their voices to fight for each other in this current social and political climate.

While it isn’t entirely out of the ordinary for award shows like the Grammys to become a hub for activism, this year stood out to viewers as extraordinarily impactful due to the extremely widespread nature of the activism. It showed viewers that the removal of ICE might be possible if our nation unites over its frustrations instead of becoming divided. Seeing so many high profile celebrities reiterate the pleas and ideas of viewers everywhere felt unifying in itself. Viewers took to social media to share how sentiments shared at the Grammys made them feel heard and significant in the tides beginning to change in America. 

Besides being a forum for appreciating art, the Grammys this year lit a spark of hope within our nation and showed viewers hope. For the first time in weeks, many people saw a light at the end of the tunnel. The Grammys told us that we are not alone. There are other people with platforms larger than we could imagine fighting for what we believe in and the fight is not over. The only thing more powerful than hate is love and many viewers feel more confident now than ever that they can use this love to abolish injustices.