American singer Billie Eilish used her 2026 Grammy Awards acceptance speech to deliver a powerful political statement, declaring, “No one is illegal on stolen land,” and calling for continued activism against U.S. immigration policies.
Eilish, who won Song of the Year alongside her brother Finneas O’Connell for “Wildflower,” reinforced her message on the red carpet by wearing an “ICE OUT” pin, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
During her speech, Eilish told the audience, “It’s just really hard to know what to say and what to do right now, and I feel really hopeful in this room.” She urged the public to “keep fighting and speaking up and protesting,” adding, “Our voices really do matter and the people matter.”
She concluded with an explicit criticism of ICE, which was bleeped during the CBS telecast.
Eilish and O’Connell made history as the first songwriters to win three Song of the Year Grammys, having previously won for “bad guy” and “What Was I Made For” from the *Barbie* soundtrack.
Her remarks quickly ignited online conversations, with supporters applauding her courage and critics debating the place of political activism at award shows. The moment highlighted the trend of artists using global platforms to amplify social justice causes beyond music.
The 2026 Grammys were hosted by comedian Trevor Noah at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
