K-pop Artists Shine in 2026 Grammy Nominations Announcement

Los Angeles, CA — The nominations for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards were unveiled on Friday, highlighting several K-pop artists along with a global girl group, all achieving recognition in top categories, marking a significant moment for women in music.

The animated film KPop Demon Hunters received nominations for its hit song “Golden” in the categories of Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. The song features the talents of EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, who voice the fictional K-pop group HUNTR/X.

BLACKPINK member ROSÉ also made waves with nominations for Song of the Year and Record of the Year for her collaboration with Bruno Mars on their track “APT.” They are additionally nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

In another notable achievement, the Los Angeles-based global girl group KATSEYE earned nominations for Best New Artist and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Their members, including Sophia, Manon, Daniela, Lara, Yoonchae, and Megan, expressed excitement on social media about their nominations.

“TWO NOMS???????” Daniela exclaimed on Instagram, while Manon shared her disbelief, saying, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE’RE NOMINATED FOR 2 GRAMMYS? I CAN’T STOP CRYING.”

These nominations are historic as they represent the first time any K-pop group has been nominated in these key categories, all while aiming for the coveted Grammy Award in February. Previously, BTS was the only K-pop group to receive a nomination.

The song “Golden,” crafted by EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick, has also seen commercial success, sitting at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and dominating the Billboard Global 200 for 14 consecutive weeks.

EJAE shared her experience of writing the song while on her way to the dentist, stating, “We wrote it so fast, and the lyrics just flowed out.” The song is touted as an anthem for the film.

In a broader context, the musical Maybe Happy Ending, with lyrics by Hue Park, received a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album, further showcasing the diversity of nominees this year.

The 68th Grammy Awards will take place on February 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with viewers able to watch on CBS and Paramount+.