Dalai Lama wins Grammy for audiobook, beats Trevor Noah and Ketanji Brown Jackson

The Dalai Lama has added a new title to his long list of global honours: Grammy winner.

The Tibetan spiritual leader, 90, won the award for best audio book, narration and storytelling recording at the 68th Grammy Awards pre-ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 1, for “Meditations: The Reflections Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama.” The win came in a competitive category that included Grammys host Trevor Noah, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli, and other nominees.

Musician Rufus Wainwright accepted the award on the Dalai Lama’s behalf during the ceremony, which streamed on YouTube.

“OK, I am not the Dalai Lama, obviously,” Wainwright joked from the podium. “It was a privilege to participate in this project. It's an honor to accept this recognition on behalf of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, whose wisdom is at the heart of this work.”

The project blends spoken reflections with musical collaborations and draws from Hindustani classical influences, featuring remarks on themes such as mindfulness, harmony and health.

Apart from Wainwright, the album also includes contributions from musicians Maggie Rogers and Andra Day.

The Dalai Lama’s win makes him one of the first-time Grammy recipients this year, joining filmmaker Steven Spielberg, who also entered the winners’ list at the 2026 awards.

Here’s the full list of select winners at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, as reported by the Associated Press:

• Best Rap Album: “GNX,” Kendrick Lamar

• Best Latin Urban Album: “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” Bad Bunny

• Best New Artist: Olivia Dean

• Best Pop Vocal Album: “Mayhem,” Lady Gaga

• Best Dance/Electronic Album: “EUSEXUA,” FKA twigs

• Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: “Defying Gravity,” Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande

• Best Rock Album: “Never Enough,” Turnstile

• Best Contemporary Country Album: “Beautifully Broken,” Jelly Roll

• Best R&B Album: “Mutt,” Leon Thomas

• Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: “A Matter of Time,” Laufey

• Best Latin Pop Album: “Cancionera,” Natalia Lafourcade

• Best Música Mexicana Album: “Palabra De To’s (Seca),” Carín León

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• Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: “Sinners,” various artists

• Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (composer’s award): “Sinners,” Ludwig Göransson

• Best Gospel Album: “Heart of Mine,” Darrel Walls and PJ Morton

• Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: “Coritos Vol. 1,” Israel & New Breed

• Best Song Written for Visual Media: “Golden,” from “KPop Demon Hunters”

• Best Jazz Vocal Album: “Portrait,” Samara Joy

• Best Jazz Instrumental Album: “Southern Nights,” Sullivan Fortner featuring Peter Washington and Marcus Gilmore

(With onputs from agencies)