After helping to kick off the CBS Grammys broadcast on Sunday night (Feb. 1) alongside ROSÉ with their smash collab “APT.,” Bruno Mars retook the stage for a second performance — this time on his own, for new single “I Just Might.”

Performing with his backup band the Hooligans in red-and-white ensembles in front of a giant light-up heart, Mars delivered a ripping rendition of the current Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit, which had not only his recent collaborators ROSÉ and Lady Gaga boogieing and singing along in the audience, but also fellow stars Sabrina Carpenter, Addison Rae and Sombr. “Brandi Carlile, I saw you shaking it,” said host Trevor Noah after the performance, before joking about Joni Mitchell eyeing the performer.

Mars is one of the most decorated among current pop stars when it comes to the Grammys, having won 16 Grammys in his career, including multiple trophies for both song and record of the year, and an album of the year win in 2018 for 24K Magic. At the 2026 awards, he’s nominated three times with “APT.,” including for record and song of the year. (In the pre-telecast awards, the song lost best pop duo/group performance to Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande’s “Defying Gravity.”)

“I Just Might” became Mars’ 10th No. 1 on the Hot 100 in January, as well as his first to debut at No. 1, and spends a second week atop the listing on the most recent chart dated Jan. 31. The song is the lead single from Mars’ upcoming album The Romantic, which is due for release on Feb. 27.

  

This year’s best new artist Grammy category was one of the most stacked in years, with Leon Thomas coming into the race with six nods, the most of any of this year’s nominees in the category. But when last year’s winner, Chappell Roan, announced this year’s honoree on Sunday (Feb. 1), it was no surprise that British singer Olivia Dean came out on top.

After a rousing performance of her breakthrough hit, “Man I Need,” during the preceding best new artist medley, Dean took the stage in a black sparkly dress with a feathered skirt, and after saying “thank you” and seemingly dropping an excited curse that was censored, the 26-year-old London native wiped away tears as she said she “never really imagined” she’d ever be up on the Grammy stage.

“I’m up here as the granddaughter of an immigrant,” said the singer born to an English father and Jamaican-Guyanese mother to raucous applause, a pointed comment given the roiling debate over the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement actions across the U.S., which in January resulted in the killing of two American citizens in Minneapolis.

“I wouldn’t be here … I’m a product of bravery and I think those people deserve to be celebrated,” Dean added. “We’re nothing without each other.”

The comments were especially poignant given that many of the A-listers in the audience were wearing black-and-white “ICE Out” pins as part of an ongoing protest against the raids being conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement troops across the U.S.

Dean came out on top over a new artist roster that also included Lola Young and K-pop girl group KATSEYE, who each had two nominations this year, as well as sombr, The Marias, Addison Rae and Alex Warren. In an extended performance slot, all the best new artist nominees performed, with Dean, wearing a sparkly red minidress, helping to close it out with her smash the pop bop “Man I Need,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 last year.

As host Trevor Noah noted, between them, this year’s class of best new artist nominees have amassed more than 225 million followers on social media, 27 billion combined streams over the past year and 18 Grammy nominations this year.

The Grammys category for best new artist was absolutely stacked in 2026, as showcased in the knockout medley of performances executed at the award show by the category’s nominees this year: KATSEYE, Olivia Dean, Alex Warren, Addison Rae, Leon Thomas, Lola Young, sombr and The Marías.

The Sunday (Feb. 1) segment began with The Marías performing while washed in moody blue lighting and gentle smoke as lead singer María Zardoya softly crooned 2025 single “Nobody New.” Addison Rae then appeared on screen, hitching a ride on the back of a truck in a theatrical purple coat before switching to the floor of the arena’s load-in area for a sensual dance number set to her Addison fan-favorite “Fame Is a Gun.”

KATSEYE was up next, with the sextet bringing the energy as the group performed elaborate choreography and sang “Gnarly,” one of the rapidly rising global girl group’s three Billboard Hot 100 hits to date. “What’s up!” Thomas then yelled out to the crowd, signifying the next switch-up. He proceeded to shred on guitar while singing his breakout hit, “Mutt,” belting out silky riffs with ease.

While that was happening, Warren was apparently out buying popcorn; cameras cut to him at a snack cart in the concession area of the arena before following him out into the crowd and up on stage. There, he handled a timing snafu like a pro, taking out his earpiece and getting back on track with the accompaniment with plenty of time before he was lifted out by a suspended platform, after which Young slowed things down on piano. The British star delivered a more emotional, stripped-down version of her breakthrough hit “Messy,” one of her first performances since taking a break from music after collapsing on stage at All Things Go in September.

After that, the scenery opened on Dean, who looked radiant against a gold backdrop and horn line, dancing to her smash “Man I Need” in a glittering red dress while effortlessly hitting every jazzy pop note. Finally, sombr descended on a lowering platform, commanding, “Grammys, get up!” in a spangly, angular suit. Rather than his breakthrough smash “Back to Friends,” the singer-songwriter played another of his viral I Barely Know Her hits, “12 to 12,” closing out by walking into the audience and dancing with the crowd just moments before the best new artist winner — Dean, who tearfully accepted — was announced.

This year’s Grammys took place at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with Trevor Noah returning as host. Kendrick Lamar was the most nominated artist in 2026, picking up nine ahead of the ceremony, while Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff and Cirkut followed close behind with seven apiece.

Beyond the best new artist recognition, a few of the nominees in that category — which each year recognizes emerging talent in the music industry, with Chappell Roan taking the prize in 2025 and presenting the award in 2026 — also earned spots in other races. KATSEYE picked up a nod for best pop duo/group performance for “Gabriela,” which ultimately went to Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo for Wicked duet “Defying Gravity,” while Young scored a nomination for best pop solo performance thanks to “Messy.” Thomas was recognized in a total of six categories thanks to his breakout year with album Mutt.

Many of the best new artists have spent the last year dominating on Billboard‘s charts as well. Warren, for instance, ruled at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 weeks with “Ordinary,” while Dean’s The Art of Loving climbed to a new peak of No. 3 on the Billboard 200 in January.

The Grammys started broadcasting live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET. The ceremony is also available to stream on Paramount+.