At the Grammy Awards held on February 1, Bruno Mars was nominated in three major categories, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, for “APT.” , his high-profile collaboration with Rosé. Despite the song’s huge global success, the pair failed to secure a win in any category.
“APT.” had previously dominated charts around the world, breaking records and accumulating billions of streams on platforms such as YouTube and Spotify. However, record of the year went to “Luther” by Kendrick Lamar and SZA, song of the year went to “Wildflower” by Billie Eilish, and best pop duo/group performance went to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
The result marked a notable turning point in Bruno Mars’ career. Since 2014, the American superstar has won at least one Grammy at every ceremony for which he was nominated, accumulating a total of 16 Grammy Awards. The 2026 ceremony ended that long-standing streak.
While many fans expressed disappointment, the situation worsened when an image of Rosé and Bruno Mars reacting to the loss circulated widely on social media. The photo, which showed the two stars looking somber as they looked towards the stage, was accompanied by mocking captions such as: “Oh, they’re furious! Serves them right!”
The post reportedly garnered over 5.1 million views in less than a day. Comment sections quickly filled with sarcastic and hostile comments, with Rosé becoming a prime target. Some netizens claimed that she was the reason why Bruno Mars experienced his first “failure” at the Grammys, leaving comments like “Bruno Mars tasted defeat for the first time” “Rosé brought him his first defeat” AND “Even collaborating with Bruno failed to get her a Grammy.” Others went further, questioning Rosé’s influence and launching personal attacks, fueling further outrage among fans.
In response, many of Rosé’s supporters aimed their criticism at the Grammy Awards themselves, accusing the institution of bias against K-pop and Asian artists. The comments in defense of the singer support him “APT.” it was one of the most popular songs of the year and that Grammy results are often influenced by politics rather than pure musical impact.
However, these claims have also met with counterarguments. Earlier this month, “Golden,” a soundtrack by K-Pop Demon Huntersit became the first K-pop song to win a Grammy, taking home Best Song Written for Visual Media. The song has already won Best Original Song at the Critics’ Choice Awards and the Golden Globes and is currently considered a strong contender for the Academy Awards in 2026.
In recent years, the Recording Academy has highlighted efforts to diversify its voting body by increasing representation among women, people of color and younger members. Former Recording Academy president Neil Portnow previously rejected accusations of racial bias, saying in a 2017 interview with Pitchfork that the Grammys are voted on by approximately 14,000 qualified industry professionals rather than driven by commercial interests.
Sources: TP
