Bon Iver‘s Justin Vernon is the latest musician to voice his support for those protesting against ICE in Minneapolis and across the United States.
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At the NMPA & Billboard Songwriter Awards on Wednesday (Jan. 28), the two-time Grammy winner accepted his artist-songwriter of the year honor with a rousing speech hailing the importance of using one’s voice to push their community forward.
“I just wanna make a note that this also represents another kind of observer, one with hard hands,” Vernon mused. “One that’s in the streets of Minneapolis and many, many cities in this country right now. An observer, with a capital O, with hard hands, is somebody that stands on the corner of their community and blows the whistle and makes a noise. That’s their purpose … and they are using their voice. So, I am incredibly humbled to be an Observer and to stand in the service of humanality.”
The largest songwriter-focused event hosted during Grammy weeks, the NPMA x Billboard Songwriter Awards hosted scores of A-list guests from across the music industry at the Avalon Hollywood. Known for his immersive, genre-bending catalog, which includes a Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit thanks to his featured turn on Taylor Swift’s “Exile” (No. 6), Vernon’s latest honor comes on the heels of his Sable, Fable LP. Released last April, the set topped both Americana/Folk Albums and Top Rock & Alternative Albums, peaking at No. 11 on the all-genre Billboard 200. At Sunday’s Grammy ceremony (Feb. 1), Sable, Fable will compete in the best alternative music album category, while lead single “Everything Is Peaceful Love” squares off in best alternative music performance.
Never one to shy away from politics — he performed at a hometown rally in Wisconsin for Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign — Vernon’s acceptance speech comes just a month after he teamed up with Gracie Abrams and Aaron Dessner for “Sold Out,” an anti-gun violence song.
Wednesday also found Grammy-winning rock guitarist Tom Morello announcing a benefit concert of solidarity and resistance for Friday (Jan. 30) at First Avenue in Minneapolis. All proceeds will benefit the families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two American citizens recently killed by ICE agents. The same day, Lizzo shared a passionate video on social media addressing the “injustice” of those ICE shootings.
Later that night, Lady Gaga (at a Mayhem Ball tour stop in Tokyo) and Pusha T (on the Billboard Power 100 red carpet) both spoke out against ICE. Mother Monster told her audience that her “heart is aching thinking about the people … who are being mercilessly targeted by ICE,” while Pusha plainly said, “Jan. 28, 2026, f—k ICE. Gotta keep it 100. Got to.”
Watch Bon Iver’s full acceptance speech below.
