Why the Dalai Lama’s Grammy Matters Beyond Music

Elenathan Kassa

Staff Writer

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards took place on Sunday, February 1, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. The event was home to many historical feats, one being the Dalai Lama’s Grammy win. 

Being the most important spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama is a crucial religious figure with immense influence. This was further cemented by his Grammy win in the audiobook category for his work titled Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as reported by BBC News.

Although his win was important, it was met with much criticism from Chinese politicians. One significant opposition to the Dalai Lama’s Grammy recognition came from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian. He made a statement to a news conference stating, “We firmly oppose relevant parties using art awards as a tool for anti-China political manipulation, and this position is consistent and clear,” BBC News reported.

The source of this tension between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government stems from political tensions within that region. The Dalai Lama hails from Tibet, an autonomous region located in southwestern China that seeks to gain independence. He was identified as the Dalai Lama at the age of 2 and later chosen as a formal spiritual leader in 1940 at the age of 15. China has often been accused of trying to suppress Tibetan identity and autonomy since 1950 when it fell under its occupation. Although China claimed it was “liberation” from “feudal serfdom,” many locals were unhappy with what they perceived to be an illegal occupation by a foreign power. 

This has resulted in an armed uprising for Tibetan independence. As the situation escalated, China’s People’s Liberation Army fired at the Dalai Lama’s palace. The Dalai Lama managed to escape, however, locals were not spared as tens of thousands of Tibetans were killed, CNN estimates.

This led to his exile in 1959 where he and the Tibetan government relocated to Dharamsala, India. He’s still seen as a rebel by the Chinese government, as noted by the Associated Press. 

He is often seen as a symbol for the Tibetan need for freedom and autonomy as he constantly campaigns for it. He and Tibetan activists have argued that China’s control of Tibet is a form of cultural genocide.

More friction between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government also occurred regarding the issue of a successor. Tibetan Buddhism states that the Dalai Lama will be reincarnated after death. The Dalai Lama added that this reincarnation will take place outside of China in the “free world,” a position he defended strongly according to Newsweek. Within this tradition, he is believed to have the power to choose the time and place of his reincarnation. This has been strongly rejected by China arguing that successors must align with Chinese laws and customs, a stance emphasized by NBC News. The communist party insists that the power to choose the next Dalai Lama lies solely with them. This is opposed by multiple states including the United States, as they see it as a violation of Tibetan cultural customs.

To local Tibetans he is more than a spiritual leader. He is a demonstration of their resistance and resilience as a group that refuses to have their identity erased by Chinese rule. This makes the next Dalai Lama important as they would need to fill in this role and be a symbol of Tibetan resistance. If that fails to happen, then the power vacuum will be replaced by China which will lead to the erosion of the Tibetan Independence movement. 

Although the Grammys are not the cause of this ever-long tension between these two entities, the formal recognition of the Dalai Lama in a global stage raises concerns about tainting China’s image worldwide. 

Image courtesy of Getty Images.