Lola Young’s first Grammy win came with raw emotion, a few choice words, and an unforgettable moment that perfectly matched the title of her winning song.
The 25-year-old British singer-songwriter took home Best Pop Solo Performance at the 2026 Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 1, for her breakout hit Messy, beating out nominees Justin Bieber for DAISIES, Sabrina Carpenter for Manchild, Lady Gaga for Disease and Chappell Roan The Subway.
When Charli xcx announced her name, Young leapt from her seat, briefly ran in the wrong direction, glanced back at her tablemates in disbelief, and then rushed to the stage, visibly stunned by the win.
Once there, she made it clear she hadn’t planned a thing.
“I don’t have any speech prepared. Obviously, I don’t. It’s Messy, do you know what I mean?” she told the crowd, drawing laughter.
Overcome with emotion, she added, “I don’t know what to say. Thank you so much. You can tell by my f—ing face. Sorry, sorry, sorry.”
After collecting herself, Young expressed her gratitude, saying, “I’m very, very grateful for this,” before ending her speech on a personal note: “Nick [Shymansky], we did it, Mom. I love you.”
The Grammy win marks a powerful comeback moment for Young, who faced serious challenges just months earlier.
In September 2025, she collapsed onstage at the All Things Go festival. By the end of that month, she announced she was canceling all upcoming performances, explaining that she would be “going away for a while.”
At the time, she apologised directly to fans, writing that she was “so sorry to let anyone down” and adding that “it hurts me more than you know.”
She also asked for patience, saying, “I really hope you’ll give me a second chance once I’ve had some time to work on myself and come back stronger.”
Young kept a low profile for months before making her first public appearance at Lily Allen’s Christmas party in December 2025. The following day, she shared an update with fans, thanking them for their support.
“I just wanted to express gratitude to everyone who has given me time and space to gather myself and get my head in a better place,” she wrote on Instagram.
“I’ve felt so much love and support from you all, and it has helped more than you will ever now.”
Standing on the Grammy stage just weeks later, emotional and unapologetically herself, Young’s unscripted, slightly chaotic acceptance speech felt fitting.
For an artist whose defining hit is called Messy, the moment was anything but polished, and that’s exactly what made it resonate.
