DAVE KOZ, DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER, EDGAR BARRERA, JESSE WELLES, JIMMY JAM, SIERRA HULL, AND TROMBONE SHORTY TO PRESENT; DARREN CRISS AND HELEN J SHEN, SPIRITBOX, TASHA COBBS LEONARD, AND ZARA LARSSON TO PERFORM; OPENING NUMBER BY GRACE POTTER, ISRAEL HOUGHTON, LILA IKÉ, MAGGIE ROSE, AND TROMBONE SHORTY

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (JAN. 28, 2026) -First-time Grammy® nominee Darren Criss will help kick off Music's Biggest Day as host of the 2026 Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony®, live from Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 1. Presenters for the first Grammy Awards® of the day include Dave Koz, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Edgar Barrera, Jesse Welles, Sierra Hull, Trombone Shorty, and five-time Grammywinner, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee and former Recording Academy® Board of Trustees Chair Jimmy Jam. The ceremony's opening number will feature a performance by current nominees Grace Potter, Israel Houghton, Lila Iké, Maggie Rose, and Trombone Shorty. Other artists scheduled to perform include current nominees Darren Criss and Helen J Shen, Spiritbox, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and Zara Larsson. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr.and Chair of the Board of Trustees Dr. Chelsey Greenwill provide opening remarks. The 2026 Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony will stream live at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT on the Recording Academy's YouTube channel and on live.GRAMMY.com.

"The Premiere Ceremony is one of the most exciting parts of Grammy weekend," said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. "Witnessing the ceremony, you see the wide range of genres and crafts that make up our music community, and all the people who push music forward. I can't wait to see this year's lineup of presenters and performers kick off Grammy Sunday and help celebrate as we present the first awards of the day."

Most of the Premiere Ceremony performers, presenters and host are current 2026 Grammy Awards nominees. Barrera is nominated for Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical; Bridgewater is nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album (Elemental with Bill Charlap); Cobbs Leonard is nominated for Best Gospel Performance/Song ("Church" with John Legend) and Best Gospel Album (Tasha); Criss is nominated for Best Musical Theater Album (Maybe Happy Ending); Houghton is nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album (Coritos Vol. 1 with Israel & New Breed); Hull is nominated for Best Americana Performance ("Boom"), Best American Roots Song ("Spitfire"), Best Bluegrass Album (A Tip Toe High Wire), and Best Instrumental Composition ("Lord, That's A Long Way"); Iké is nominated for Best Reggae Album (Treasure Self Love); Koz is nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album (Just Us with Bob James); Larsson is nominated for Best Dance Pop Recording ("Midnight Sun"); Potter is nominated for Best Americana Performance ("Poison In My Well" with Maggie Rose); Rose is nominated for Best Americana Performance ("Poison In My Well" with Grace Potter); Shen is nominated for Best Musical Theater Album (Maybe Happy Ending); Spiritbox is nominated for Best Metal Performance ("Soft Spine"); Trombone Shorty is nominated for Best Regional Roots Music Album (Second Line Sunday with New Breed Brass Band); Welles is nominated for Best Americana Performance ("Horses"), Best American Roots Song ("Middle"), Best Americana Album (Middle), and Best Folk Album (Under The Powerlines (April 24 - September 24)).

The 2026 Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony is produced by Branden Chapman, Chantel Sausedo, Rex Supa, and Ruby Marchand on behalf of the Recording Academy. Greg V. Fera is executive producer and Cheche Alara is music producer and music director.

City National Bank, the Official Bank of the Grammy Awards, is returning for its fourth year as the presenting sponsor of the Premiere Ceremony and will be featuring winner reactions with First Look videos on Grammy.com.

SiriusXM will be backstage during the ceremony with host Jessica Lucero capturing interviews with nominees and winners for their Grammy Sunday broadcast on The Grammy Channel, channel 79 and on the SiriusXM app.

The 2026 Grammy Awards will broadcast live following the Premiere Ceremony on CBS Television Network and stream live and on-demand on Paramount+ at 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT. See herefor the full list of 2026 Grammy Awards nominees. Learn more about how to watch the 2026 Grammy Awards. Media assets for Grammy season and events can be found here.

ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY

The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the Grammy Museum®,advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the Grammy Awards- music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.

For more information about the Grammy Awards and the Recording Academy, please visit Grammy.comand RecordingAcademy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, join the Recording Academy's social communities on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and X. For media assets, please visit the Recording Academy Press Room.

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CONTACTS
Erica Hernandez
Recording Academy
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