The 68th Annual Grammy Awards got underway with performances by Ros\u00e9 and Bruno Mars, and then Sabrina Carpenter before Lamar won the first award on the prime-time broadcast.<\/b>
\nBritish singer-songwriter Olivia Dean won the Grammy for best new artist at the 68th annual Grammys on Sunday, while Kendrick Lamar won the first Grammy handed out on the CBS telecast for best rap album for \u201cGNX.\u201d
Dean, who performed live, as did the other seven nominees in the category prior to announcement of the winner, was tearful as she reached the stage to accept the Grammy from Chappell Roan, winner of the best new artist honor in 2025.
\u201cI never really imagined that I\u2019d be up here, let alone nominated, so thank you so much,\u201d said Dean, who performs in a soul-R&B pop style.
\u201cI want to say I\u2019m here as the granddaughter of an immigrant,\u201d said Dean, whose grandmother immigrated to the United Kingdom from Guyana. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t be here. I\u2019m a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated. We\u2019re nothing without each other.\u201dKendrick Lamar, left, accepts the award for best rap album for \u201cGNX\u201d during the 68th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Chris Pizzello)
Lamar, with nine nominations, had the most of any artist nominated this year; he won the Grammy for best rap album for his 2024 release \u201cGNX.\u201d
\u201cYeah, yeah, yeah, what\u2019s up, what\u2019s up, what\u2019s up?\u201d Lamar said as he reached the stage after live performances by Ros\u00e9 of Blackpink and Bruno Mars, and then Sabrina Carpenter.
\u201cI\u2019m not good at talking for myself, but I express it through my music,\u201d he continued. \u201cEvery time I tell you this hip-hop is going to be right here. We gonna be in these suits, we gonna be looking good. We\u2019re going to have the culture with us, so I appreciate you all.\u201d
The win was the fourth Grammy for Lamar at that time. He\u2019d picked up three Grammys in the pre-show portion of the ceremony, which is not broadcast on CBS as part of the main show.
The majority of the Grammys are handed out before the broadcast begins, allowing more room for the biggest categories and live performances once the three-and-a-half-hour telecast starts.
Among the preshow Grammys handed out on Sunday were several significant wins and winners.
Filmmaker Steven Spielberg completed his EGOT \u2013 adding a Grammy to the Emmy, Oscar and Tony he\u2019d already won \u2013 as one of the winners of the Grammy for best music film for \u201cMusic By John Williams.\u201d
\u201cGolden,\u201d from the soundtrack to \u201cK-pop Demon Hunters,\u201d became the first-ever K-pop song to win a Grammy, with songwriters Ejae and Mark Sonnenblick and singers Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami.
The Dalai Lama won his first-ever Grammy for best heavy metal album, wait, no, that\u2019s not right, excuse us. He won for best audio book, narration, & storytelling recording for his book, \u201cMeditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.\u201d<\/p>\n