Khaberni - The eyes of music makers and art lovers around the world are turning towards Los Angeles, where the Recording Academy has begun the official countdown for the launch of the 68th edition of the Grammy Awards ceremony for 2026.
The audience is holding its breath in anticipation of the biggest event that brings together the elite stars at the "Crypto.com" arena on February 1st, amid an atmosphere of anticipation for what the fierce competition for the "Golden Gramophone" will yield on a night experts expect to witness historic shifts and surprises unforeseen.
Trevor Noah bids farewell to the platform as the event leaves his historic screen
Comedian Trevor Noah leads the presentation for the sixth consecutive time, thus marking an exceptional presence that makes him the first to achieve this feat since the era of Andy Williams, yet this edition carries a "farewell" character, as it will be Noah's last station as host of the program.
The event also marks the end of a long era of broadcasting on the "CBS" television network that has been associated with the event since 1973, where the new exclusive broadcasting agreement with "Disney" is scheduled to begin from next year.
Sabrina Carpenter and Pharrell Williams ignite the "Crypto" stage
The Academy has officially announced the identities of the artists who will animate the ceremony segments, and star Sabrina Carpenter tops the list, to present a singing performance for the first time in her career as a nominee for six Grammy awards, including Album of the Year for "Man’s Best Friend".
Joining her in the performers list is the star Pharrell Williams, a winner of 13 previous awards, and the band "Clipse" who are competing in five categories, along with a collective segment featuring all the nominees for Best New Artist, including Addison Rae and Alex Warren.
"Rap" dominance and Lady Gaga's return to break records
The 2026 edition witnesses a strong return of rap music to the main front, with Kendrick Lamar topping the nomination list in 9 categories, aiming to snatch the Album of the Year award for "GNX", to be the first rap work to achieve this title since 2004.
In a historic first, three rap albums reached the shortlist simultaneously.
On the other hand, Lady Gaga emerged as the second most nominated artist with 7 categories, breaking her previous record with the album "What Matters" which competed in all major categories, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
Stars in the spotlight and unprecedented nominations
The list was not without names that sparked significant artistic controversy, as Justin Bieber received his third Album of the Year nomination for "SWAG", while actor Timothée Chalamet appeared unexpectedly among the list of nominees.
The red carpet is preparing to welcome celebrities from around the world in an artistic event that will be broadcast live by "Associated Press" on YouTube to document the finest details of fashion and exclusive interviews before the starting whistle.
