The Grammys were filled with political messages of resistance, and Jennifer Lopez was one of the first to deliver a pointed remark on Sunday night.
Right before announcing the winner of the Grammy for Best New Artist, the singer and actress took time to quote author Toni Morrison as she expressed the importance of artists during times of political hardship.
Lopez first reminisced over her iconic green Versace dress from the 2000 Grammys but then reminded the audience what truly matters on music’s biggest night.
“I will never forget my first Grammy nomination—or the dress I wore that night,” Lopez said. “But, yes, this night is not about dresses or even the awards. It is about the music, the words, and the voices. How they move us, inspire us, and touch all our lives. At this particular moment in history, our voices are needed more than ever.”
The Nuyorican quoted author Toni Morrison as part of her remarks, to show just how important artists are when it comes to helping a country recover.
“As Toni Morrison once said, ‘This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, and no room for fear. We do language. That is how civilizations heal’,” Lopez said. “So tonight, we celebrate our most universal language— music.”
Two days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that instituted a travel ban targeting Muslims, Lopez shared a message of solidarity with protesters and immigrants via her Instagram.
“Honestly I feel like we are in a nightmare right now!!,” she wrote on Jan. 29. “In a country founded by immigrants how did immigrant become a bad word!!!”
Watch part of Lopez’s Grammys remarks in the video above.