RAYE’s “Ice Cream Man” will obtain the Harry Belafonte Finest Tune For Social Change Award throughout Grammy Week 2026, with the Recording Academy honoring the tune days earlier than the 68th Grammy Awards. The popularity locations the observe among the many most socially impactful works acknowledged by the Academy this 12 months.
Written by RAYE alongside BloodPop and Mike Sabath, “Ice Cream Man” can be formally celebrated on the Particular Benefit Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 31, on the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. The occasion takes place on the eve of the 2026 Grammys, which air stay on Sunday, Feb. 1, from Crypto.com Area.
Launched on RAYE’s critically acclaimed debut album My twenty first Century Blues, this poignant quantity has stood out for its unflinching material and emotional readability. Drawing from private expertise, “Ice Cream Man” confronts sexual violence and the buildings that permit abuse to go unchallenged. By way of uncooked honesty, it amplifies the voices of sexual assault survivors, and underscores the pressing want for each empowerment and justice for them. Its stark storytelling has made it one of the mentioned and impactful tracks of RAYE’s profession.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. mentioned the tune displays music’s potential to spark consciousness and provides voice to these typically unheard, aligning with the mission behind the Harry Belafonte award.
“This tune is a strong reminder of music’s distinctive potential to lift consciousness, encourage change and supply a voice to these too typically unheard. Its bravery embodies all the pieces this award stands for, and we stay up for recognizing it together with its songwriters at this 12 months’s Particular Benefit Awards Ceremony.”
Grammy Week 2026 leads into the primary ceremony on CBS and Paramount+, with the Premiere Ceremony streaming earlier that day on stay.grammy.com and YouTube. For RAYE, the consideration marks one other vital second in a profession outlined by creative management, honesty, and cultural resonance.
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