KUALA LUMPUR February 6, 2025 – American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys used her Grammy Award acceptance speech to highlight the beauty of diversity.
The 44-year-old artist captured the spotlight at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards last Monday, receiving the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. Presented by the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective, the award honors Alicia Keys’ profound influence on the industry and her strong advocacy for inclusivity.
Trump’s inauguration on January 20 has brought a long list of executive orders, particularly aimed at tearing down the concepts of DEI: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs. This goes across both the federal government and private sectors in the country.
In response, Keys stated “This is not the time to shut down the diversity of voices. We’ve seen on this stage, hardworking people from different backgrounds and different points of view, and it changes the game.” This is an acknowledgement towards the huge diversity landscape that exist within the music industry.
“DEI is not a threat, it is a gift,” she added.
Alicia Keys also calls for a stronger collective voice, stating: “And the more voice, the more powerful the sound. When destructive forces try to burn us down, we rise from the ashes like a phoenix.” The Global Impact award recipient emphasizes that music is an undeniable force, uniting people in the most powerful way, and its beauty is something to be celebrated.
While some supporters and allies have praised Trump’s orders, advocacy groups have criticized them, arguing that they could worsen inequalities and reverse years of progress in securing civil rights protections for marginalized communities.
NBC News reports that all activities related to cultural awareness months, including Black History Month, Pride Month, and Holocaust Remembrance Day, will be temporarily suspended. This clearly reflects an effort to scale back DEI initiatives.
