Billie Eilish and More Wear ‘ICE Out’ Pins to Grammys; Kehlani Says ‘F— ICE!’ During Award Win and Tells Artists to ‘Speak Against All the Injustice in the World’

At the Grammy Awards, Kehlani secured the trophy for Best R&B Performance for her song "Folded." During her acceptance speech, she urged fellow musicians to "speak against all the injustice going on in the world right now," concluding her remarks by stating "fuck ICE." Her political stance was visually underscored by an "ICE Out" pin on her attire, a symbol also worn by numerous other attendees including Billie Eilish, songwriter Amy Allen, Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, Jack Antonoff, Margo Price, and Samara Joy.

Bon Iver founder Justin Vernon elaborated on the red carpet, telling Variety he wore both an "ICE Out" pin and a whistle. "The whistle is to honor the observers in Minneapolis who blow the whistle when they see ICE come in," he explained. "They are there to protect their community and they’ve been doing it for weeks." Vernon, whose band is known for its indie-folk sound and albums like 2011's Grammy-winning *Bon Iver, Bon Iver*, admitted the celebration felt secondary. "The real work is in the streets of Minneapolis right now, and I’m here to honor them." He revealed that the recent shooting death of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis nearly kept him from attending, but the grassroots organizing he witnessed there restored a sense of hope. "I started to see something in the organization in Minneapolis that felt like the first sign of hope in a long time," he said.

Other artists used their platform to champion related causes. Shaboozey, celebrating his first Grammy win for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "Amen" with Jelly Roll, dedicated his award to immigrants. "Immigrants built this country, literally," he declared from the stage. "This is for them, for all children of immigrants... You give America color." Meanwhile, singer Samara Joy, a rising jazz vocalist who won Best New Artist in 2023, told Variety her "ICE Out" pin was a gesture of solidarity. "It’s the least I could do... I want to speak up for those who can’t," she stated, emphasizing the need to recognize global tragedies even during moments of personal achievement.

The "ICE Out" pins represent a continuing protest within the entertainment industry, having previously been displayed at events like the Golden Globes and the Sundance Film Festival. The movement aims to draw attention to ICE brutality in Minneapolis, particularly following the shooting deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti. At the Golden Globes, nominee Mark Ruffalo expressed the conflicted sentiment many artists feel. "I want to be here to celebrate... But also, this is not normal anymore, and so I don’t know how I could be quiet," he told USA Today. Similarly, at Sundance, where she was premiering her film *The Gallerist*, Natalie Portman told Variety it was "impossible not to talk about what is happening." She noted the "bittersweet" reality of celebrating art "on the backdrop of our nation in pain," while also acknowledging the resilient community response. This pattern of advocacy highlights how awards shows are increasingly becoming platforms for artists to align their professional accolades with urgent social and political commentary.