“What Happened To This Guy?”: 10 Cringe Moments That Took Place At The 2026 Grammy Awards

When Lady Gaga was announced as the winner for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2026 Grammys, most of the room jumped to their feet, including Sabrina Carpenter, who was also nominated in the category alongside Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, and Teddy Swims.

The moment Teyana Taylor and Nikki Glaser announced her name, Lady Gag burst into tears and accepted a kiss on her head from her fiancé Michael Polansky.

But fans had thoughts about Miley and her fiancé Maxx Morando staying glued to their chairs, claiming she looked “salty as hell.”

“Miley Cyrus not standing or clapping when Gaga won,” wrote an eagle-eyed observed. 

Another said, “Now I need an explanation on why Miley sat for Gaga.”

"[A las mujeres dedicadas a la música], quiero animarlas a que siempre se escuchen a sí mismas y luchen por sus ideas. Luchen por sus canciones. Luchen por ustedes mismas como productoras".

- Lady Gaga al ganar el premio al Mejor Álbum Pop Vocal. #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/uXEFasZvA5
— Carla ❁ (@shannonlada) February 2, 2026

Justin Bieber took minimalism to the next level, ditching clothes altogether and performing in nothing but a pair of silk boxers onstage.

The Baby singer strummed away on an electric guitar and sang YUKON for what was his first performance at the Grammys in four years. 

He also stared at himself in the mirror at one point onstage, while his wife Hailey cheered on from the crowd.

“Performing in boxer ??” one asked online. “What's happened to this guy.”

“Why would he need to do this? why couldn’t he perform fully clothed?” asked another.

One wrote, “Bro woke up and chose comfort over couture.”

“Justin Bieber out here performing “YUKON” in nothing but boxers and pure aura, 2025 Grammys just got unhinged in the best way possible,” said another.

Another said, “Put some clothes omg it stank

“This performance was so embarrassing,” said one critic.

Justin Bieber just gave the type of performance that makes you shake your head and scrunch your face. Full body chills. #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/iGYorw9lyh
— BravoBabe (@thebravobabe_) February 2, 2026

Even music royalty can make blunders onstage, or even a series of them.

Cher gave an inspirational speech for her lifetime achievement award and then began walking off stage before host Trevor Noah beckoned her back to proceed the Record of the Year award.

Turning pink with embarrassment, Cher returned to the center of the stage to fulfil her responsiblity of presenting one of the night’s most coveted title.

“And the Grammy goes to,” she said, and then continued to keep her eyes on the teleprompter and waiting for the big-reveal. But what didn’t click in her mind was that the winner’s name was written in the envelope in her hands.

“Oh,” she nervously said as she opened the envelope. “They told me it was going to be on the prompter.”

“The Grammy goes to...Luther Vandross!” she announced, naming a singer who passed away about two decades back.

The awkwardness finally came to an end with Kendrick Lamar and SZA, nominated for the song Luther, got up to receive their award.

“Kendrick, no! Kendrick Lamar!” Cher said yelled when she realized her fumble.

“The pause, the name mix‑up, the absolute chaos — only Cher could accidentally turn a Record of the Year announcement into camp television history,” one commented on social media.

“Cher fumbled that announcement so bad lmao,” another said. “Said Luther Vandross instead of the song luther. Icon energy but that was rough, someone get her the right card next time.”

“the Grammy goes to Luther Vandross.”

— Cher announcing the winner of ‘Record of the Year’ at the #GRAMMYs. pic.twitter.com/rSTjjDdNIb
— Pop Base (@PopBase) February 2, 2026

Trevor Noah didn’t let Nicki Minaj’s empty seat speak for itself. The comedian, 41, joked about how the rapper might have skipped the star-studded award show to chill with the US president in the Oval Office.

“Nicki Minaj is not here. She is not here,” he told a roaring crowd.

“She is still at the White House with Donald Trump discussing very important issues,” he continued before doing his best Donald Trump impression and saying, “Actually Nicki, I have the biggest a**. I have it, everybody's saying it Nicki. I know they say it's you, but it's me WAP, WAP, WAP. Look at it, baby.”

Trevor’s comments came on the heels of the Super Bass rapper recently proclaiming that she was the “the president's No. 1 fan” and “that's not going to change.”

“The hate, or what people have to say, it does not affect me at all. It actually motivates me to support him more,” she said during her appearance at the Trump Accounts Summit in Washington, D.C., on January 28.

“And it's going to motivate all of us to support him more,” she added. “We're not going to let them get away with bullying him.” 

“Nicki Minaj is not here, she’s still at the White House with Donald Trump.”

— Trevor Noah during the #GRAMMYs opening
pic.twitter.com/udEfOOPzia
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) February 2, 2026

Trevor Noah’s attempt at playful banter with Justin Bieber quickly turned awkward, with fans asking if they have “beef.”

While hosting the 2026 Grammy Awards, Trevor went up to Justin and his wife Hailey Bieber and congratulated them for becoming parents to their son Jack Blues.

The congratulatory wishes were followed by the comedian saying: “My personal favorite thing Justin Bieber has done over the past year is that he told Apple to move the dictation button on the keyboard. Hero, Justin.”

“Now I just need you to tell them to make a new feature where, when you search on your phone, it finds things. Please, Justin, we need you,” he continued.

All the while, Justin kept a tight, wince-like smile on his face that appeared to show zero amusement.

Fans instantly took notice of the situation and asked, “Do Trevor Noah and Justin Bieber have some sort of beef or? That was painful to watch.”

“Bro, I swear when Trevor was behind him he was practically hiding under the table so nobody would see him,” read another comment.

Another wrote, “Justin Bieber looks like he was about to m**der Trevor Noah in any second hahaha," and 

“Justin Bieber did not want Trevor Noah over there with the joke,” another quipped.

@entertainmenttonight Trevor Noah couldn't miss his opportunity to ask Justin and Hailey Bieber for a few favors at the #GRAMMYs. 😂 #trevornoah #justinbieber #haileybieber
♬ original sound - Entertainment Tonight

No walking and no sitting was apparently allowed in Heidi Klum’s skin-tone dress.

The 52-year-old supermodel was captured taking baby steps on the red carpet, barely able to walk in her leather gown, created by Berlin designer Marina Hoermanseder.

Heidi explained that the dress was made out of a mould of her own body. “I’ll be the one clapping and standing the entire time. Standing ovation all the way,” she said, joking about whether she would be sitting during the show. 

Netizens were baffled by the dress, asking, “Do they have mirrors at home???”

Some acknowledged how the model, known as the reigning queen of Halloween, was embracing the holiday like it was a lifestyle choice. 

“Halloween Heidi always even at the #GRAMMYs red carpet,” one said.

“Heidi comfortable with being uncomfortable,” one said, while another wrote, “A lifetime in fashion, yet not a shred of fashion sense. Honestly impressive.”

“Bianca Censori, 2026 edition,” said another, referring to the Bianca Censori’s scandalous birthday suit moment from last year.

El vestido de Heidi Klum es de Marina Hoemanseder: “es un molde de cuero hecho a mano a partir de mi cuerpo y luego laqueado para igualar el tono de mi piel”. Ok… #GRAMMys pic.twitter.com/OrURNSStP4
— Rebeca Maccise (@rebecamaccise) February 2, 2026

Bad Bunny had no plans of taking the stage and performing at the 2026 Grammys. But Trevor Noah simply couldn’t let him simply enjoy the show from the audience. 

After praising his powerful ICE‑calling acceptance speech, the Grammy host nudged him to perform right then and there, even though he was contratually banned from performing before his upcoming Super Bowl Halftime show. 

The comedian began belting the lyrics of the Puerto Rican singer’s hit song DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. 

Being a good sport, Bad Bunny played along and began singing, while Trevor asked a live band to come out and join them.

Trevor Noah sings to Bad Bunny in Spanish and gets impromptu performance at #Grammys ahead of Super Bowl: “If they sue you, that’s not me” pic.twitter.com/Q2J94QMyQg
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) February 2, 2026

If bad timing on the red carpet had a face, it would be this moment between Jamie Foxx and Chappell Roan.

Chappell showed up on the red carpet in what was one of her most daring Grammy outfits to date, wearing a sheer burgundy Mugler gown that appeared to be suspended from n**ple rings.

Right when she was in the middle of posing in her ultra-revealing look, the Good Luck, Babe! singer was interrupted by Jamie Foxx.

Jamie, who was on the red carpet with his daughters Corinne Foxx, 31, and Anelise Bishop, 17, stopped to tell Chappell that his kids were her big fans.

The daughters then got a chance to say “hello” to Chappell, who was one misstep away from a full-blown wardrobe malfunction. 

“I’m sorry. Did he just introduce his kids to her with her entire a*s ti**ies out?” one asked online. 

Another wrote, “‘Excuse me kids, I’m gonna go talk to the lady whose dress is hanging from her n**ple rings.’” 

“I wonder if it was awkward to talk to them with her ti**ies out,” said another. 

Jamie Foxx tells Chappell Roan how much his kids love her while on the #Grammys red carpet pic.twitter.com/HH3qx0hnSg
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 2, 2026

Darren Criss didn’t do his homework before waltzing on stage to present the Grammy for the Best Dance/Electronic Album.

The actor and singer struggled to pronounce FKA Twigs’ hit song Eusexua, which rewarded the British artist with her very first Grammy trophy.

“Don’t they practice before they go on stage lol,” after Darren’s cring moment, while another wrote, “I bet his brain was like ‘Don't say s*x’ LoL.”

“He just gave me the ick,” said another. “Shame.”

Darren Criss attempts to pronounce ‘EUSEXUA’ by FKA twigs at the #GRAMMYs. pic.twitter.com/S3LbGKrDiV
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) February 1, 2026

During a red carpet interview, country singer Zach Top was asked about how his Grammy week has been. And he responded saying he was trying to get an up-close view of the iconic Hollywood sign in LA.

When he said he would have liked to sit on the sign and click a picture, the Variety interviewer pointed out that he could get into legal trouble for it.

“I think you might get arrested…” the interviewer said. “Sydney Sweeney just did a thing where she was hanging underwear on it last week… and she got in trouble for it.”

Zach responded with full support of Sydney’s idea.

“Well, I don’t know what’s wrong with that. I’m gonna go hang some of my underwear on there” he said. “I’m sure there’s not as many people interested in mine as Sydney Sweeney’s.”

Zach Top reacts to Sydney Sweeney’s Hollywood sign stunt:

“Well, I don’t know what’s wrong with that. I’m gonna go hang some of my underwear on there. I’m sure there’s not as many people interested in mine as Sydney Sweeney’s.”#GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/M31RWSD8qI
— Variety (@Variety) February 1, 2026