Alex Warren Recalls “Horrifying” Grammy Debut After Onstage Technical Glitch

Rising singer-songwriter Alex Warren is opening up about a nerve-wracking moment that nearly derailed one of the biggest nights of his career.

During a candid appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast with host Alex Cooper on March 11, 2026, Warren revealed he felt “pure horror” while performing at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards earlier this year.

A performance gone wrong—seconds before going live

Warren took the stage on February 1 as part of the Best New Artist medley, performing his breakout single Ordinary. But just 30 seconds before his cue, his in-ear monitors (IEMs) malfunctioned.

Instead of hearing the track clearly, Warren described a chaotic, delayed version of the audio that threw off his timing. As he walked through the crowd during the performance, viewers noticed him struggling—adjusting his mic pack and eventually ripping out his earpieces entirely in an effort to stay on beat.

“I thought I blew my career”

The pressure of the moment weighed heavily on the young artist. As a Best New Artist nominee, Warren said he believed the mistake could define how the industry—and the public—saw him.

After leaving the stage, he admitted he spent much of the night with his head down on his wife Kouvr Annon’s shoulder, convinced he had “blown it.”

The award ultimately went to Olivia Dean, adding to the emotional intensity of the evening.

“I’ve never talked about this. It was horrifying,” Warren said, recalling how he tried to push through despite the chaos.

Support from fellow artists and fans

Despite his fears, the reaction from the music community told a very different story.

Singer Chappell Roan—herself a previous Best New Artist winner—approached Warren after the performance to reassure him, telling him he sounded great and that technical issues are widely understood in live shows.

Warren also took control of the narrative by sharing the distorted monitor audio on TikTok, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at what he experienced. The clip quickly gained traction, with celebrities like Courteney Cox and Demi Lovato praising his professionalism and composure.

Moving forward with new music

Rather than holding him back, the incident appears to have strengthened Warren’s momentum.

He has since released a new single, Fever Dream, and continues to make high-profile appearances, including at the Vanity Fair Young Hollywood party.