Dalai Lama Wins First Grammy for Meditations, Sparking Global Reactions

The 14th Dalai Lama took home his first Grammy at the 68th Grammy Awards when Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama won the Best Audiobook, Narration and Storytelling Recording category. The honor, accepted on his behalf by musician Rufus Wainwright, amplified the reach of short spoken-word meditations into the music mainstream and provoked a sharp political reaction from Beijing.

The award was announced during the Grammys festivities in Los Angeles and was presented in the ceremony’s awards sequence. The album, released in August 2025 shortly after the Dalai Lama turned 90, sets brief spiritual reflections to music inspired by Hindustani classical traditions. The project was scored by Amjad Ali Khan and his sons and produced by Kabir Sehgal, with contributions from Maggie Rogers, Andra Day and Rufus Wainwright among other collaborators. Competing finalists in the same category included Kathy Garver, Trevor Noah, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Fab Morvan.

Rufus Wainwright accepted the prize onstage and offered a lighthearted opening before framing the project’s purpose. “OK, I am not the Dalai Lama, obviously. 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 Dalai Lama posted responses on social media after the ceremony and emphasized the wider purpose of the accolade. “I receive this recognition with gratitude and humility. I don’t see it as something personal, but as a recognition of our shared universal responsibility.” He added a longer reflection on the themes at the heart of the recordings: “I truly believe that peace, compassion, care for our environment, and an understanding of the oneness of humanity are essential for the collective responsibility for all eight billion human beings.” Reporting differs on whether the message appeared on X or Instagram.

Reactions split along cultural and political lines. Beijing denounced the award as “anti-China political manipulation” and reiterated official views of the Dalai Lama as a rebel and separatist. At the same time, the ceremony framed the win as a cultural milestone that extends the Dalai Lama’s legacy of peace and compassion into new creative media, joining a small group of non-entertainment figures who have received Grammys in the past.

For meditators and teachers, the album offers ready-made micro-practices and material for guided sits, with short passages addressing suffering, happiness, anger, fear and love and guidance aimed at cultivating calmer, more ethical lives. Producers intentionally blended contemporary soundscapes with classical roots to make the teachings accessible without diluting their spiritual intent.

What comes next is both practical and contextual. Verify the album credits and the Dalai Lama’s official post when sharing passages, and explore how these meditations can be used in breathing practices, short group sits and outreach to newcomers. Expect renewed interest in spoken-word meditation recordings and fresh conversations about how contemplative teachings intersect with large cultural platforms and international politics.