The Grammys and I — It’s Complicated

The Grammys and I have had a love-and-hate relationship for years. I don’t know what I’d do without music, and the Grammys are supposed to be the big deal. The peak. The Super Bowl for people who cry during bridges. 

But every time Ariana or Selena or one of my favourites gets robbed, I lose it. Full meltdown. Angry texts. Dramatic playlist updates. The usual. 

Still, I can’t stop watching. The drama, the speeches, the awkward performances. I live for it. Every year I swear I’m done, and every year I’m right back there, snacks in hand, yelling at the TV like I have a vote. 

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards are coming up on February 1, 2026, and as usual, I’ve got opinions. I’m not pretending I’ll be right, but I’ve got my favourites. The Grammys might mess it up again, but I’ll keep hoping they don’t. 

If anyone is walking into the Grammys like they own the place, it is Kendrick. GNX dropped after last year’s cutoff, and it’s his best work in a while. 

No one does it like him. He doesn’t just rap. He teaches. Every song hits like a lecture that somehow makes you nod your head and question life at the same time. When I play “Luther” or “Squabble Up,” I feel like I’m learning something new every time. 

Kendrick isn’t just good, he’s important. And even if the Grammys ignore him again, everyone knows who the real winner is. 

Competition in Album of the Year 

There’s a lot of noise this year. The Weeknd’s "Hurry Up Tomorrow " is a contender with its sleek production and late-night vibes. Lady Gaga’s "Mayhem" has been hyped for years and carries the kind of legacy weight the Grammys love. Bad Bunny’s" Debí Tirar Más Fotosis " is massive globally and might be too big to ignore. Each album has a case, but Kendrick’s mix of critical acclaim, cultural weight, and artistry puts him a step ahead. 

I didn’t expect to be this obsessed with Sabrina Carpenter, but here we are. Espresso basically ran my summer. And Manchild? Brutal, honest, and ridiculously catchy. 

She has the perfect mix. Fun, smart, and completely unbothered by the noise. She supports other artists, laughs at herself, and somehow still drops songs that stick. 

Pop can get a bad rep for being too light, but she’s changing that. She makes it look easy. Dancing through heartbreak while being 100 per cent herself.

Competition in Song of the Year 

Sabrina isn’t alone in this field. Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s "Luther" is a major contender, blending storytelling with mainstream hooks. Lady Gaga’s "Abracadabra" is flashy and technically precise. Alex Warren’s "Ordinary" brings that messy emotional honesty. Even Rosé and Bruno Mars’ "Apt." could sneak into Song of the Year. Pop, rap, and indie are all fighting for attention, but Sabrina’s clever writing and perfect timing make her a standout. 

The Weeknd and the Grammys have history, and not the good kind. He got snubbed hard before, and honestly, I would hold a grudge too. But "Hurry Up Tomorrow" feels like him taking back the spotlight on his own terms. 

The sound, the vibe, the mood. It’s classic Weeknd. Dark, smooth, late-night energy. You can feel the hunger in every track. 

He doesn’t need validation anymore, but if the Grammys finally come around, it’ll be poetic. 

Competition in Record of the Year 

Other tracks fighting for Record include Sabrina Carpenter’s Manchild, Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s "Luther", Lady Gaga’s "Abracadabra", and Bad Bunny’s "DTMF". Rosé and Bruno Mars’ "Apt." is also up there for cross-genre pop appeal. Each song brings its own style, and voters have to weigh production, performance, and cultural impact. The Weeknd’s history with the Grammys gives him a “redemption” story that can’t be ignored. 

If you haven’t had Ordinary stuck in your head, are you even alive? Alex Warren’s music hits different. He’s not pretending to be perfect. He’s just being real. 

He’s part of this new wave of artists who actually sound like what being young feels like. Messy, hopeful, emotional without being corny. He’s not from a big label, but he’s got heart. That’s what sticks. 

Even if he doesn’t take home anything, he’s already won with the people who actually listen. 

Competition for Best New Artist 

The field is stacked. Lola Young is a major name with strong streaming numbers and buzz. Sombr, The Marias, and Addison Rae also have huge followings. Ravyn Lenae and Leon Thomas bring artistry and critical acclaim. Even Rosé sneaks into the category as a solo artist. It’s tight, but Alex Warren’s relatability and emotional resonance give him a strong presence. 

K-pop has been quietly taking over the Grammys conversation. BTS broke barriers in 2020 with Dynamite, and now five years later, we’ve got tracks like Rosé’s Apt. and the K-pop Demon Hunters soundtrack leading the way. 

Rosé’s Apt., featuring Bruno Mars, has dominated pop radio, racked up billions of streams, and is mostly in English, making it easier for Grammy voters to latch onto. The song hits all the markers for mainstream appeal while keeping that K-pop edge. Solo status also helps overcome girl-group biases. 

Then there’s the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack. The album has multiple hits, with “Golden” becoming a Billboard monster. The trio behind Huntr/x — Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami — is breaking norms, performing on SNL and The Tonight Show, and creating buzz that voters can’t ignore. They could appear in Pop Duo/Group Performance or even the general categories. 

These K-pop acts add more competition to the big categories. Apt. and Golden could take attention in the Pop Duo/Group or Visual Media categories, leaving Kendrick, The Weeknd, Sabrina, and Alex Warren to dominate the traditional Album, Record, and Song fields. 

Why I Care 

The Grammys are ridiculous, but we still care. Music says something about us — who we are, what we’ve felt, what we’ve survived. 

Kendrick makes you think. 

Sabrina makes you feel. 

The Weeknd makes you remember. 

Alex makes you believe it’s okay to be figuring things out. 

Rosé reminds us that the game is global now. 

Huntr/x shows that music can come from anywhere, even animated worlds. 

That’s why we watch. Not to see who gets a gold statue, but to catch the moments that matter more than awards ever could. 

The Wildcards 

The Grammys will always throw curveballs. Gaga could drop something insane and take over. Bad Bunny could sweep again. Or some new name we haven’t heard yet could step onto that stage and shake everything up. 

That’s part of the fun. No one really knows anything. 

The Late-Night Ending

When the Grammys air, I’ll probably be watching from my room. Half an assignment open, chips in hand, pretending I don’t care as much as I do. 

When Kendrick performs, I’ll turn the volume up. 

When Sabrina walks on stage, I’ll cheer. 

When The Weeknd wins, I’ll clap like I had something to do with it. 

When Alex sings about feeling “Ordinary,” I’ll nod. Same. 

When Rosé or Huntr/x get recognition, I’ll smile and feel like the world is a little more exciting. 

Music makes all the noise make sense. It keeps us grounded when everything else feels too much. 

So yeah, here’s to the Grammys. The drama. The chaos. The artists who actually make it worth it. 

Here’s to staying up too late, streaming the same song again, and caring way too much. Here’s to music. 

No matter who wins, we’ll still be listening tomorrow. 

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Meet Dave is a Master of Commerce (Extension) student studying Marketing and Human Resource Management who occasionally writes. When he’s not pulling life lessons out of TV characters, which, let’s be honest, is most of the time, you’ll find him solving sudoku, doomscrolling, studying, or convincing himself he doesn’t need another coffee.

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