Grammy 2026: Olivia Dean, Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga claim early wins

Olivia Dean, Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga each claimed early Grammy wins on Sunday as music’s biggest night got under way in Los Angeles, with dozens of awards handed out ahead of the televised ceremony.

Lamar surged into an early lead with three trophies in the rap categories, while Lady Gaga won best dance pop recording and Bad Bunny picked up a gramophone for best global music performance.

All three artists are vying to make history by winning Album of the Year for the first time.

Bad Bunny won album of the year at the 2026 Grammy Awards, marking the first time a Spanish-language album has taken home the top prize.

The Puerto Rican superstar opened his speech in Spanish, thanking those who believed in him, worked on the album, and his mother.

“I want to dedicate this award to all the people who had to leave their homeland to follow their dreams,” he said in English. The award was presented by Harry Styles, who won the top prize himself in 2023 for Harry’s House.

British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean won the Grammy for best new artist, marking a major milestone in her rising career. Known for her soulful voice, Dean gained acclaim with her sophomore album The Art of Loving, featuring tracks like Man I Need and So Easy (To Fall In Love).

She beat out nominees including KATSEYE, The Marías, Addison Rae and Leon Thomas, joining a prestigious list of past winners such as The Beatles, Adele and Lauryn Hill. The award recognises performers who achieve a “breakthrough into the public consciousness,” and eligibility rules have been updated this year to allow more emerging artists to compete.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper entered the night with nine nominations — the most of any artist — driven by the success of his album GNX.

The 38-year-old California native, who won five Grammys last year for his hit diss track Not Like Us, is also nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year for Luther, featuring R&B singer SZA.

Lady Gaga and Puerto Rico’s Bad Bunny are also competing across all three top categories.

Other Album of the Year nominees include pop star Sabrina Carpenter, R&B singer-songwriter Leon Thomas, Tyler, the Creator, hip-hop duo Clipse (Pusha T and Malice), and pop superstar Justin Bieber, nominated for his first studio album in four years.

Lady Gaga, Bieber, Carpenter and Bruno Mars led a glittering line-up of performers, alongside Lauryn Hill and a tribute to late rocker Ozzy Osbourne featuring Post Malone.

Lady Gaga dominated the 2026 Grammys, winning multiple awards and reinforcing her status as a pop icon. The 39-year-old, who returned to touring with her theatrical pop album Mayhem, entered the night with seven nominations.

She won Best Pop Vocal Album for Mayhem and delivered a rock-infused performance of Abracadabra. Gaga thanked her fiancé Michael Polansky and fellow women in music, reflecting on her long career: “I’ve been making music since I was a little girl, and every time I’m here, I still feel like I need to pinch myself.”

Her nominations included Album of the Year, Record and Song of the Year, Best Dance Pop Recording, Best Pop Solo Performance, and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

The night included a Grammy in memoriam segment celebrating D’Angelo and Roberta Flack. Ms. Lauryn Hill returned to the stage for the first time since 1999, performing tributes alongside Jon Batiste, John Legend, Chaka Khan, and Wyclef Jean.

Tyler, the Creator delivered an avant-garde medley featuring Regina King, while Rose and Bruno Mars opened the show with a high-energy rendition of “APT.” Pop, rock, and R&B hits came fast, including performances from Blackpink, Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Lady Gaga.

Most of the Grammys’ 95 awards are handed out during a pre-gala ceremony before the main broadcast.

Golden from the Netflix animated hit KPop Demon Hunters won best song written for visual media, while Oscar frontrunner Sinners picked up two soundtrack awards.

Folk legend Joni Mitchell won best historical album and was among several attendees wearing “ICE OUT” pins, protesting US President Donald Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown. The main ceremony begins at 5:00 pm local time (0100 GMT Monday).

The Premiere Ceremony featured historic wins and first-time winners:

Artists used the stage to voice political and social messages, with awards speeches featuring pro-immigration and anti-ICE messages from Shaboozey, Jelly Roll, Amy Allen, Kehlani, and Gloria Estefan.

Nominees for Best New Artist include Alex Warren, girl group Katseye, Britain’s Olivia Dean, TikTok star Addison Rae, The Marías, Sombr, Lola Young and Leon Thomas.

Musicologist Lauron Kehrer said the rise of rap, reggaeton and K-pop in top categories reflects shifts within the Recording Academy’s voting body.

More than 3,800 new members have been added, with half aged 39 or younger and 58 per cent people of colour. Invitations were also extended to members of the Latin Recording Academy.

“The Grammys are more reactionary than anything else,” Kehrer told AFP. “These wins reflect the cultural climate rather than an attempt to shape it.”

The ceremony is hosted by comedian Trevor Noah.