Singer Joy Villa defended the controversial immigration policies implemented by President Donald Trump as she walked the red carpet of the 2025 Grammy Awards Sunday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Villa, 38, said she was in support of the deportations ordered by Trump and enacted by authorities over the past week, amid widespread protests across the country in response this past weekend.
‘I think that the ones that are being deported should be deported,’ Villa, who is also an actress and YouTuber, told The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet Sunday evening. ‘I love to see rapists, human traffickers deported. I don’t want to see them here.’
Villa opened up on her own cultural background and background as an artist, in explaining her support of Trump’s policies.
‘I’m a Latina,’ she said. ‘My family came to this country legally … I want us to be free, for all colors, for all people. That’s what makes America great again. So we can create, so we can live.
‘As an artist, as a musician, I want to be able to walk at night and not think that I’m going to get killed by an illegal alien.’
Villa, who has past accused Trump associate Corey Lewandoski of sexual harassment, said that ‘the people getting deported … are the people that should get deported.’
Villa walked the red carpet donning a gold gown with spherical shapes, large dangling cross earrings and a red hat (similar to Trump’s signature ‘Make America Great Again’ cap) with the phrase ‘THE HAT STAYS ON.’
Villa said she would not remove the cap under any circumstances, pointing at the failed assassination attempt on Trump last summer in Butler, Pennsylvania.
‘The hat stays on – they tried to kill Trump – he’s still alive, thank God,’ Villa said of the incident, in which attendee Corey Comperatore was tragically killed by the gunfire, while two other men, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, were injured.
Villa told the outlet, ‘Because they tried to get rid of Trump and now he’s still here, this hat’s not going anywhere. Like the red-hat army that we’ve seen.’
Villa noted the diversity of Trump’s supporters amid his election victory over Democratic challenger, former Vice President Kamala Harris, this past November.
‘There’s a lot of Latinos, a lot of Black Americans, a lot of artists who love Trump,’ Villa said. ‘So the hat stays on. We’re not going to get our hats knocked off, hit off or threatened to take it off.’
Villa said her aim with the daring outfit was ‘to make America glamorous again,’ echoing Trump’s principle slogan.
Villa, who donned a pro Trump-themed gown to the 2020 Grammys, rounded out her ensemble Sunday with a gold chain featuring a picture of a dog wearing a pink knit cap, which she said was a $WIF cryptocurrency meme-coin, which she dubbed ‘the new wave of freedom.’
Villa explained to the outlet that her fashion ensemble was ‘all about American exceptionalism’ and ‘freedom,’ made by designer Andre Soriano, who she said is a ‘gay Filipino immigrant’ who has past made Trump-inspired ensembles for her to wear to high-profile events.
Villa’s loud presence on the red carpet generated a number of responses from people on X/Twitter – some in her support, others not so much.
One user wrote, ‘She looks gorgeous!!!’ while another said, ‘And it’s fabulous! Make California Golden Again!’
Others presumably pushed back against her political commentary, as one user quoted the Bible in saying, ‘Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.’
Another user said, ‘We get it you making a political statement, but at least be fashionable while you join it. You don’t even look like you tried.’
Multiple users focused on Villa’s promotion of the meme-coin, as one user speculated, ‘You know she’s down 75% if she’s doing all this’ while another said, ‘Lol coin dumping while she at the grammy’s looking like a fool.’
Said one user: ‘This is so ugly and makes me not want to buy wif but it makes sense coming from someone who wore a maga gown previously.’
The 2025 Grammys were hosted by Trevor Noah for the fifth consecutive year and set to raise funds to support fire relief efforts after the devastation caused by the Los Angeles fires which began on January 7 in Pacific Palisades.
Superstar singer Beyonce dominated the list of Grammy Award contenders with 11 nods, including an Album Of The Year nomination for her venture into country music, Cowboy Carter. Behind Beyonce, Billie Eilish, Charli XCX, Kendrick Lamar and Post Malone tie with seven nominations each.
Pop phenomenon Taylor Swift and newcomers Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter scored six each. Women dominated the Album of the Year category, the top Grammy honor.
Beyonce, winner of more Grammys over her career than any other artist, has never taken home the album trophy. Swift has won the honor four times and is in the running again with her breakup album The Tortured Poets Department.
At the awards ceremony in February, the Beyonce and Swift records will compete with Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet, Brat from Charli XCX, Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft, and Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.
The two male artists nominated in the album field were rapper Andre 3000 with New Blue Sun and jazz artist Jacob Collier for Djesse Vol. 4.
Winners will be chosen by the roughly 13,000 singers, songwriters, producers, engineers and others who make up the Recording Academy.
Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter was viewed by experts and fans as a reclamation and homage to an overlooked legacy of Black Americans within country music and culture. It became the first album by a Black woman to land at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart when it was released last spring.
The Beyonce album was snubbed, however, by voters for the Country Music Awards in September.
Beyonce’s other Grammy nods included record and song of the year for single ‘Texas Hold ‘Em.’ Her 11 nominations brought her lifetime total to 99, more than any other artist. Prior to Friday, she had been tied for the lead with her husband, rapper Jay-Z, who has 88.
Beyonce’s other Grammy nods included record and song of the year for single ‘Texas Hold ‘Em.’ Her 11 nominations brought her lifetime total to 99, more than any other artist.
Prior to Friday, she had been tied for the lead with her husband, rapper Jay-Z, who has 88.
In the best new artist field, ‘Espresso’ singer Carpenter will face fellow pop singer Roan, pop-rock singer Benson Boone, hip-hop/country artist Shaboozey, multi-genre musician Teddy Swims and others.
Another name on the Grammy nominations list? The Beatles. ‘Now and Then,’ produced with artificial intelligence to bring the voice of John Lennon to life, was nominated for song of the year.
Best Pop Solo Performance nominations went to Beyonce, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, and Chappell Roan. Best New Artist went to Benson Boone, Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, Khruangbin, Raye, Chappell Roan, Shaboozey and Teddy Swims. Best Country Album went to Cowboy Carter, F-1, Deeper Well, Higher, and Whirlwind.
Song of the Year went to Beyoncé – Texas Hold ‘Em, Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather, Chappell Roan – Good Luck, Babe!, Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us, Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile, Sabrina Carpenter – Please Please Please, Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy) and Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone – Fortnight.
Best Country Solo Performance was: Beyoncé – 16 Carriages, Chris Stapleton – It Takes a Woman, Jelly Roll – I Am Not Okay, Kacey Musgraves – The Architect, Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy).
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film and Television) went to American Fiction, Challengers, The Color Purple, Dune: Part Two and Shogun.
There were several stars that listed off the nominations including Gayle King and Jim Gaffigan.
Past Grammy winners also jumped in: Brandy Clark, Kirk Franklin, David Frost, Robert Gordon, Kylie Minogue, Gaby Moreno, Deanie Parker, Ben Platt, Mark Ronson, Hayley Williams and last year’s best new artist recipient, Victoria Monét.
Will Smith was set to make a surprise appearance to introduce a musical tribute to legendary hitmaker Quincy Jones who was executive producer on Smith’s breakout show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Other presenters at the show include Victoria Monét, Anthony Kiedis & Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Cardi B, Gloria Estefan, Olivia Rodrigo, Queen Latifah, and SZA.
Six of the best new artist nominees – Benson Boone, Chappell Roan, Doechii, Raye, Sabrina Carpenter and Teddy Swims – are set to perform. Billie Eilish, Shakira and Charli XCX will also take to the stage.
Only recordings commercially released in the U.S. between September 16, 2023 through August 30, 2024 were eligible for nominations.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. and Tammy Hurt, the chair of the Academy’s board of trustees said in a joint statement: ‘This year’s show, however, will carry a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours. In challenging times, music has the power to heal, comfort, and unite like nothing else.
‘The Grammys will not only honor the artistry and achievements of our music community but also serve as a platform to amplify the spirit of resilience that defines this great city of Los Angeles.’
MusiCares and the Recording Academy have created the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort and pledged $1 million to support musicians and those working in the industry who are impacted by the wildfires.
The 2025 Grammy Awards will air February 2 live on CBS and Paramount+ from 5pm PST.
