Dalai Lama Makes History, Wins First-Ever Grammy at 2026 Awards

Music’s biggest night witnessed a quietly historic and deeply reflective moment as the Dalai Lama earned his first-ever Grammy Award at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 1, 2026. The 90-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader won in the Best Audiobook, Narration, and Storytelling Recording category for Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The honour was announced during the pre-telecast ceremony, which was streamed live on YouTube.

With this win, the Dalai Lama surpassed several prominent nominees, including Grammy host Trevor Noah, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli. Renowned singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright, who collaborated on the project, accepted the award on the Dalai Lama’s behalf. Beginning his speech with a light-hearted remark, “I am not the Dalai Lama, obviously,” Wainwright expressed gratitude for being part of a project rooted in wisdom, compassion, and introspection. He thanked the organisers for the opportunity and said it was a privilege to receive the honour on behalf of a global spiritual icon whose teachings shaped the heart of the recording.