‘KPop Demon Hunters’ and Steven Spielberg make Grammy history with first wins

The 68th annual Grammy Awards opened on Sunday with a succession of historic milestones, as “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters and filmmaker Steven Spielberg each earned their first Grammy Awards during the Premiere Ceremony in Los Angeles.

Held at the Peacock Theater ahead of the televised broadcast from the Crypto.com Arena, the pre-telecast event marked a decisive shift in tone from last year’s ceremony, which was refocused on wildfire relief. This year, the spotlight returned firmly to musical achievement — and to several long-awaited firsts.

K-pop Breaks New Ground With First-Ever Grammy Win

“Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters won song written for visual media, making history as the first Grammy awarded to a K-pop act. The songwriters accepted the honour with a bilingual speech delivered in both English and Korean, highlighting the global resonance and cultural crossover of the track.

The moment was widely viewed as a breakthrough for K-pop’s presence within the Recording Academy, reflecting the genre’s growing influence beyond mainstream charts and into awards recognition.

Steven Spielberg Completes EGOT With Music Film Win

The award for music film went to “Music for John Williams”, securing Spielberg his first Grammy and completing the prestigious EGOT distinction — an achievement earned by only a small number of artists across entertainment history.

With the win, Spielberg now holds an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award, cementing his status as one of the most decorated figures in modern cultural production.

Darren Criss Opens Ceremony as First Awards Are Handed Out

The Premiere Ceremony began with musician and host Darren Criss presenting the first award of the day. Best pop/duo group performance was awarded to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande for “Defying Gravity”, though neither artist was present to accept the honour.

In total, 86 Grammy Awards are scheduled to be presented before the main broadcast.

First-Time Grammy Wins Across Rock, Dance and Rap Categories

Several artists collected their first-ever Grammys during the ceremony. Yungblud won rock performance for his cover of Black Sabbath’s “Changes (live from Villa Park)”, recorded at Ozzy Osbourne’s final concert.

Hardcore band Turnstile won rock album and later metal performance, marking their first Grammy victories. Frontman Brendan Yates dedicated the win to their hometown, saying: “To Baltimore, thank you, we love you."

The Cure won alternative music performance, but were unable to attend as they were at the funeral of Perry Archangelo Bamonte, the band’s longtime guitarist and keyboardist, who died last month.

FKA twigs, Lefty Gunplay and Latin Music Winners Take Centre Stage

FKA twigs won her first Grammy for best dance/electronic album for “EUSEXUA.” “I didn’t expect to come up here. I was just so happy to be nominated,” she said. “Thank you so much — wow.”

Rapper Lefty Gunplay also earned his first Grammy for rap performance for his role on Kendrick Lamar’s “TV Off.” He told the audience: “All the Latino kids in the hood watching, anything is possible.”

Earlier, songwriter Edgar Barrera presented several Latin categories. Natalia Lafourcade won best Latin pop album for “Cancionera,” while CA7RIEL and Paco Amoroso took best Latin rock or alternative album for “Papota,” their first win on their first nomination. They thanked Argentina and Latin America in a Spanish-language speech.

Carín León won Música Mexicana album (including Tejano) for “Palabra De To’s (Seca),” his second Grammy from two nominations.

Political Statements Emerge Amid Celebrations

Despite the celebratory atmosphere, political commentary surfaced throughout the ceremony, particularly in response to immigration enforcement policies.

Country duo/group performance winners Shaboozey and Jelly Roll both won their first Grammys. Shaboozey accepted through tears, saying:

“I want to thank my mother, who as of today, has retired from her job of 30 years … working as a registered nurse in a psych ward … as an immigrant in this country. Thank you, mom.

‘Immigrants built this country, literally, actually. So, this for them,’ he concluded. ‘Thank you for bring your culture, your music and your stories.’”

Amy Allen, who won songwriter of the year, nonclassical for the second consecutive year, wore an “ICE Out” pin, a message echoed by Kehlani, who won her first Grammy for R&B performance and later a second for R&B song.

“I’ve never won anything before, this is a really crazy feeling,” Kehlani said. “Imma leave this and say, (expletive) ICE.”

Backstage, Gloria Estefan commented on the political climate: “I’m scared. There are hundreds of children in detention centers. … I don’t recognize my country in this moment right now.”

High-Energy Opening and Anticipation for the Main Show

The Premiere Ceremony opened with Earth, Wind & Fire performing “Shining Star”, joined by Israel Houghton, Lila Ike, Grace Potter, Maggie Rose and Trombone Shorty.

Recording Academy CEO and president Harvey Mason Jr. praised the opening, saying: “That's how you start a show! That's a statement. That's joy. That's resilience.”

Comedian Trevor Noah hosting the main broadcast for a sixth and final year, as the industry’s biggest names prepare to compete during Sunday night’s televised ceremony.