By OLIVIA DIAZ, Associated Press

Olivia Dean clinched the Grammy for best new artist Sunday in a milestone moment for the British pop singer-songwriter known for her soulful voice and timeless sound.

Dean, who is part of a growing class of young U.K.-born vocalists, made waves last year with her romantic sophomore album “The Art of Loving,” with tracks including “Man I Need,” “A Couple Minutes” and “So Easy (To Fall In Love).”

“I want to say I’m up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant,” Dean said in her acceptance speech. “I’m a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated.”

Celebrities in the audience were wearing pins protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the celebration.

In being crowned best new artist, Dean bested KATSEYE, The Marías, Addison Rae, sombr, Leon Thomas, Alex Warren and Lola Young for the award.

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She joins past best new artist winners such as The Beatles, Carly Simon, Bette Midler, Culture Club, Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, Christina Aguilera, John Legend, Adele, Dua Lipa and Chance the Rapper.

Lauryn Hill, a favorite of her parents to whom Dean’s middle name pays homage, also won the award in 1999.

The Grammy is designed for artists who achieve “a breakthrough into the public consciousness.” Eligible artists must have released at least five singles or one album, though there is no maximum.

The best new artist category is constantly evolving as the Grammys try to keep up with ever-complicated measures of fame. A screening committee determines whether artists have attained the necessary “breakthrough or prominence” required for nomination.

But there’s a new exception this year: acts featured on previous album of the year nominees are now considered new enough for eligibility. Their contributions just have to fall below 20% of the album’s playing time.

Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Sunday he will move to close Washington’s Kennedy Center performing arts venue for two years starting in July for construction.

Trump’s announcement on social media Sunday night follows a wave of cancellations since Trump ousted the previous leadership and added his name to the building. Trump made no mention in his post of the recent cancellations.

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Trump announced his plan days after the premiere of “Melania” a documentary of the first lady was shown at the storied venue. The proposal, he said, is subject to approval by the board of the Kennedy Center, which has been stocked with his hand-picked allies. Trump himself chairs the center’s board of trustees.

“This important decision, based on input from many Highly Respected Experts, will take a tired, broken, and dilapidated Center, one that has been in bad condition, both financially and structurally for many years, and turn it into a World Class Bastion of Arts, Music, and Entertainment,” Trump wrote in his post.

Leading performing arts groups have pulled out of appearances, most recently, composer Philip Glass, who announced his decision to withdraw his Symphony No. 15 “Lincoln” because he said the values of the center today are in “direct conflict” with the message of the piece.

Earlier this month, the Washington National Opera announced that it will move performances away from the Kennedy Center in another high-profile departure following Trump’s takeover of the U.S. capital’s leading performing arts venue.

A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Defensive dominance continues to key decisive outcomes for the Minnesota women’s basketball team.

And they’re sharing the offensive load.

Amaya Battle just missed her second straight double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds, and Sophie Hart had 15 points, six rebounds and a career-high-tying three blocks as the Gophers easily dispatched Purdue 88-55 Sunday at Williams Arena.

Tori McKinney added 14 points as Minnesota (16-6 overall, 7-4 Big Ten) shot 60.3% to win its fourth straight heading into Thursday’s game at eighth-ranked Iowa. Their last three winning margins have been 33, 21 and 35 points.

Sure, the program’s first NCAA tournament berth since 2018 is within reach, but it’s far from a focus.

“It’s definitely a goal of ours, but you can’t really look all the way into March right now. The Big Ten is one of the best leagues, if not the best league, for college women’s basketball. We got to focus one game at a time. We cannot overlook anybody,” Hart said. “The minute you do that you’re going to get a loss on your record.”

Minnesota had a season-high seven blocks and held Purdue to 30.9% from the field through three quarters — 37.9% for the game — in opening a 66-32 lead.

Opponents are shooting just 36.2% against Minnesota this season. The Gophers just missed adding to their best-in-the-nation 11 games holding opponents to 50 points or fewer.

“To be a really solid defensive team you have to have a defensive mindset. You’ve got to want to be really good defensively, because it’s not necessarily as much fun as scoring points. It’s not. And this team has started to understand that that has to be. They want it to be their identity,” coach Dawn Plitzuweit said.

“We’re focused on right now, helping one another. … Just trying to be in the right gaps, get back, switches. ‘Dawny P.’ talks about it. You just kind of hit a different level sometimes where it might not be an automatic switch screen to screen, but two players do it because they need to,” Hart said.

KiKi Smith scored 13 points to lead Purdue (11-11, 3-8), which has lost four of five and entered averaging 70.7 points per game.

Plitzuweit said Purdue likes to attack, score inside and get to the glass, “We really kind of challenged our young ladies to play at an intensity level that was higher. And I thought our young ladies responded and played really, really well.”

A 14-0 run pushed Minnesota’s lead to 64-30 late in the third quarter. McKinney had five of those points, including a 3-point play after a dish from Battle.

With a balanced scoring load — Makena Christian had nine and five other players finished with six or seven points — the lead reached 71-32 early in the fourth quarter.

Minnesota shot 55.9% in the opening 20 minutes for a 43-23 lead.

The final basket typified the first half as Grace Grocholski deflected a pass at the free-throw line, then chased the ball down just inside the sideline. One forward dribble was followed by one behind her back into a pass to a streaking Battle at the other free-throw line for an uncontested fast-break layup.

Kennedy Klick and Nia Holloway cheer from the bench during Minnesota’s win over Purdue at Williams Arena on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (Ceci De Young / Gophers Athletics)
Gophers guard Amaya Battle dribbles the ball during Minnesota’s game against Purdue at Williams Arena on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (Ceci De Young / Gophers Athletics)
Gophers coach Dawn Plitzuweit claps during Minnesota’s win over Purdue at Williams Arena on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (Ceci De Young / Gophers Athletics)

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By JAMES POLLARD, Associated Press

Entertainment’s awards season has coincided with the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign in Minneapolis, forcing artists to decide whether and how to join the growing cultural revolt against immigration crackdowns.

Those questions again surfaced Sunday as music’s biggest stars walked the red carpet at the Grammys. Activists spent the week pressing celebrities to don pins protesting the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in cities, working with their teams to spread the message and circulating them at the many events leading up to the ceremony.

Organizers saw a stronger showing of support Sunday than at last month’s Golden Globes. Public backlash has grown since a Border Patrol officer shot and killed 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti and federal agents detained 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos. The recent arrest of journalist Don Lemon only added to the outcry.

Plus, as one organizer noted, the Grammys tend to draw a less risk-averse crowd than Hollywood’s shows.

“These are folks who are known for six-stage shows, crazy costumes, being kind of rebellious, punk rock — like that’s the music industry. And so, I think it makes sense that we would see good support,” Maremoto Executive Director Jess Morales Rocketto said. “These pins are about so much more than a red carpet moment. It’s about people taking a stand and doing what they can to show up to say that ICE should be out of our communities.”

Earlier in the week, Mexican American singer Becky G had an explicit message for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on the nails she wore to the MusiCares Person of the Year gala.

Protest pins on the red carpet

Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Kehlani and Rhiannon Giddens were among the artists wearing protest apparel on the Grammys red carpet. Kehlani cursed ICE in her acceptance speech for best R&B performance.

Justin Vernon, whose band Bon Iver is up for best alternative music album, said he wore a whistle to honor the legal observers who are documenting federal agents’ actions on the streets.

“I think there’s a reason that music exists and it’s to heal and to bring people together,” he told The Associated Press. “But the real work are those observers on the on the ground in Minneapolis. We just want to want to shout them out.”

At the Sundance Film Festival last week, several celebrities wore pins saying “ICE OUT” during their red carpet appearances, including Natalie Portman, Olivia Wilde and Zoey Deutch, who also wore a “BE GOOD” pin, referencing Renee Good, who was killed by an ICE officer last month.

Wilde told the AP that she was “horrified by this string of murders that we are somehow legitimizing and normalizing.”

“It’s really difficult to be here and to be celebrating something so joyous and beautiful and positive when we know what’s happening on the streets,” she added. “Americans are out on the streets marching and demanding justice, and we’re there with them. And if we can do anything with our platforms, you know, we can speak out and demand that ICE get out.”

Portman got emotional when asked about her “ICE OUT” pin at the premiere of her new film, “The Gallerist.”

“I’m so lucky to be here in a joyful, creative community celebrating a movie we’re really proud of. But it’s impossible to ignore what ICE is doing to our country. And I’m very inspired, though, by all of the amazing, amazing Americans who are coming out and supporting each other and being there in communities. It’s beautiful,” the actor said as she teared up.

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Reasons celebrities may not speak out

As far as the Grammys go, Rocketto, the community organizer who founded the Latino advocacy group Maremoto, said it’s “kind of a crapshoot” as to which entertainers actually wear the pins.

She described a range of industry forces working against artists’ political expression. Objections could come from record companies, managers or corporate partners.

“Maybe the design house that did their fashion deal for the red carpet didn’t want them to literally poke holes in the dress,” she said. “There’s like a million reasons for people not to do it.”

Artists might also face personal dangers themselves. Morales Rocketto pointed to the Trump administration’s threats to place ICE agents at the upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance by Bad Bunny, “one of the most invincible” entertainers in her view.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some Latino artists wearing them,” she said of the pins. “But the reality is that just because Latino artists are rich and famous, doesn’t mean that they are exempt from the lack of safety that permeates so many Latinos and Latino families. They themselves may be undocumented or only have a green card or have mixed status families.”

AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr and AP journalist Brooke Lefferts contributed reporting from Park City, Utah.