Prominent music industry figures including legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell and R&B artist Kehlani made a powerful political statement at the 2026 Grammy Awards ceremony. The artists were seen wearing distinctive 'Ice Out' and 'Be Good' pins as a direct protest against the policies of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly known as Ice.
Vocal Opposition on Music's Biggest Night
The protest pins represented a coordinated pushback against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, with activists spending the preceding week urging celebrities and their teams to wear the symbolic accessories. This effort appeared to gain significant traction, with organisers noting a stronger show of support at the Grammys compared to last month's Golden Globes ceremony.
Kehlani's Fiery Acceptance Speech
The political statement reached its dramatic peak when Kehlani, aged 30, won her first Grammy Award for best R&B performance for her song Folded. During her emotional acceptance speech, the singer reflected on her decade-long journey to recognition before delivering a blunt condemnation.
"I hope everybody's inspired to join together as a community of artists and speak out against what's going on," Kehlani declared, concluding her remarks with an explicit curse directed at Ice.
Artists Explain Their Motivations
Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, aged 44, wore a whistle as a tribute to legal observers documenting federal agents' actions in American streets. "I think there's a reason that music exists and it's to heal and to bring people together," Vernon told The Associated Press. "But the real work are those observers on the ground in Minneapolis. We just want to shout them out."
Other notable artists including Amy Allen, Rhiannon Giddens, and Margo Price also participated in the pin-wearing demonstration, creating a visible coalition of musical voices united around the immigration issue.
Growing Celebrity Activism Across Events
The Grammy protest followed similar demonstrations at other high-profile entertainment events, indicating a broadening movement within celebrity circles. At the Sundance Film Festival the previous week, numerous film stars including Natalie Portman, Olivia Wilde, and Zoey Deutch had worn identical 'ICE OUT' pins on red carpets.
Olivia Wilde, aged 41, expressed her horror at "this string of murders that we are somehow legitimising and normalising." She added, "It's really difficult to be here and to be celebrating something so joyous and beautiful and positive when we know what's happening on the streets."
Natalie Portman became visibly emotional when questioned about her 'Ice out' pin during the premiere of her new film The Gallerist, demonstrating the personal significance many artists attached to their symbolic protest.
Catalysts for the Protest Movement
The demonstrations reflect escalating public anger following several controversial encounters between federal immigration agents and civilians. A particularly galvanising incident was the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis during late January, which sparked nationwide protests and intensified scrutiny of enforcement tactics.
Activists distributed protest pins at multiple gatherings leading up to the Grammy ceremony, successfully encouraging artists to use their platforms and visibility to amplify the immigration justice message. The coordinated effort represented how celebrity activism has evolved to leverage major cultural moments for political advocacy.
