Music icon Lauryn Hill made a spectacular return to the Grammy Awards stage on Sunday night, marking her first performance at the prestigious ceremony in twenty-seven years. The reclusive fifty-year-old singer-songwriter delivered a powerful and emotional tribute to fallen musical inspirations, reuniting with former Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean for the occasion.
A Historic Comeback Performance
Hill, who has developed a reputation over the years for tardiness and cancellations at her own concerts, arrived punctually and in stunning fashion for this significant musical moment. She appeared on stage wearing a dramatic black ball gown featuring voluminous sleeves, a ruched midriff, and a plunging neckline. Her ensemble was completed with a substantial jeweled necklace, chunky dark sunglasses, and her signature braids styled into a short, curly hairdo.
The performance represented a partial reunion of the legendary hip-hop group Fugees, bringing together two-thirds of the original trio. Their third member, rapper Pras Michel, was notably absent as he is currently serving a fourteen-year federal prison sentence following his conviction last year.
Honouring Musical Legends
Hill's segment served as the evening's official in memoriam tribute, focusing specifically on two influential artists: the late singer D'Angelo and legendary vocalist Roberta Flack. Before beginning her performance, Hill shared a poignant reflection about her collaboration with D'Angelo on the 1998 track Nothing Even Matters, revealing they had never performed the song together live before his untimely death at age fifty-one last October.
Her tribute began with a moving duet featuring her vocals alongside a recording of D'Angelo's voice. This transitioned into an extensive medley of his classic songs performed by various artists including Lucky Daye, Raphael Saadiq, Anthony Hamilton, Leon Thomas, Billal, and Jon Batiste. The D'Angelo tribute concluded with Batiste's rendition of Africa.
Roberta Flack Celebration
Following the D'Angelo memorial, Hill returned to the stage to honour Roberta Flack. She was joined by Jon Batiste for a performance of Flack's classic First Time I Ever Saw Your Face. Additional artists including Leon Bridges, Lalah Hathaway, October London, John Legend, and Chaka Khan contributed to the Flack tribute with renditions of Compared To What, Closer I Get To You, and Feel Like Makin' Love.
The segment reached its emotional climax when Hill reunited with Wyclef Jean to perform the Fugees' iconic 1996 cover of Flack's Killing Me Softly, bringing the tribute full circle and delighting the audience with their familiar musical chemistry.
Political Statements Dominate Awards Ceremony
Hill's performance occurred during a Grammy ceremony that was notably dominated by political commentary and social activism. Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny made the evening's most prominent statement when accepting the Album of the Year award for DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. The thirty-one-year-old artist, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, dedicated his award to immigrants and explicitly called for the abolition of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, shouting "ICE out" during his acceptance speech.
This sentiment was echoed throughout the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where numerous artists wore "ICE out" pins in protest against the controversial agency. The demonstration followed several high-profile incidents involving ICE agents, including the killings of Keith Porter in Los Angeles and Renée Good along with VA ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
Additional Award Winners and Statements
Billie Eilish delivered another powerful political message while accepting the Song of the Year award for WILDFLOWER. The twenty-four-year-old singer declared that "no one is illegal on stolen land" and urged continued activism and protest, concluding her speech with an expletive-laden condemnation of ICE that was censored by broadcasters.
British singer Olivia Dean, who won the coveted Best New Artist award, used her acceptance speech to honour her immigrant grandmother who arrived in the UK from Guyana as part of the Windrush Generation. Dean emphasized that she stood "as a granddaughter of an immigrant" and celebrated the bravery of those who migrate to pursue better opportunities.
Major Award Recipients
The 2026 Grammy Awards recognized numerous artists across diverse categories. Kendrick Lamar earned Record of the Year for his collaboration with SZA on luther, bringing his total Grammy count to twenty-seven. Lady Gaga secured Best Pop Vocal Album for MAYHEM, adding to her pre-telecast win for Best Dance Pop Recording.
Other notable winners included British newcomer Lola Young, who surprisingly won Best Pop Solo Performance for Messy, and Jelly Roll, who delivered an enthusiastic acceptance speech after winning Best Contemporary Country Album for Beautifully Broken.
The ceremony demonstrated how music's biggest night has evolved into a platform for both artistic celebration and social commentary, blending memorable performances like Lauryn Hill's long-awaited return with urgent political statements about immigration policy and social justice.
