The Weeknd has stated that he will boycott the Grammys in the future, refuse to attend, or submit his work for consideration. “Because of the secret committees, I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys,” he said in a statement to The New York Times
The Canadian singer’s most recent album After hours was one of the biggest albums of the year in 2020, debuting at # 1 on the Billboard 200 chart upon its March release. It was widely regarded as the biggest snub of the year when the Grammy nominations for 2021 were announced in November. After the nominations were announced, The Weeknd tweeted, “The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe transparency to me, my fans and the industry … “
Harvey Mason Jr., the Recording Academy’s Chairman and Interim President / CEO, said in November, “You know, it really just comes down to the voting body that decides.” In response to The Weeknd’s new statement, Mason said The times, “We are all disappointed when someone is angry…. But I will say that we are constantly evolving. And this year, as in previous years, we will be looking closely at how we can improve our remuneration process, including the nomination review committees. “
The Weeknd now joins artists like Drake and Frank Ocean, who previously criticized and boycotted the awards ceremony. Ocean notably refused to submit Blonde and Endlessly in the year they were eligible.
Pitchfork has reached out to representatives from the Weeknd and Recording Academy for comment and more information.
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