Grammy Awards 2026: Dalai Lama’s First Win, K-pop Breakthrough And Spielberg’s Historic EGOT

The Grammy Awards 2026 opened with a rush of landmark firsts, with the Dalai Lama winning his first Grammy, K-pop securing a historic breakthrough in a major category, and Steven Spielberg completing his EGOT with a Grammy win. Together, these moments set the tone for a night that celebrated global voices, cultural crossover, and enduring creative legacy.

Dalai Lama wins first Grammy

The Dalai Lama secured his first-ever Grammy in the Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording category, surpassing nominees including US Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Rufus Wainwright, who participated in the project, acknowledged the significance of the win while adding a touch of humour during his acceptance speech.

K-pop makes Grammy history

K-pop marked a breakthrough moment as “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters won Best Song Written for Visual Media. It became the first Grammy win for a K-pop act, with songwriters delivering a bilingual acceptance speech that underscored the genre’s global reach.

Steven Spielberg completes EGOT

Steven Spielberg achieved EGOT status after Music for John Williams won Best Music Film. The Grammy marked Spielberg’s first win in the category, completing his collection of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards.

Beyond these milestones, the Premiere Ceremony saw first-time wins for artists including Yungblud, Turnstile and FKA twigs, while Latin music categories honoured Natalia Lafourcade, CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso and Carín León. The ceremony returned its focus fully to music after last year’s relief-centred edition, setting a high-energy tone for the main telecast.