Canadian artist The Weeknd has vowed to boycott the Grammys in a conversation with The New York Times just days before what is dubbed as ‘music’s biggest night’, reported Variety.
The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, delivered what was arguably the most critically and commercially successful albums of 2020, was left out of the Grammys nomination list announced in Nov. 2020.
The snub left thousands baffled and at the time, the singer took to Twitter to lash out at the Recording Academy, branding the award show corrupt. “You owe me, my fans, and the industry transparency,” he had tweeted.
The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…
— Abel Tesfaye (@theweeknd) November 25, 2020
Now, just days before the Grammys are scheduled to go live on Mar. 15, the Weeknd told New York Times, “Because of the secret committees, I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys.”
The Weeknd accuses Grammys of corruption after getting snubbed
The ‘committees’ he referred to are purported to be “‘secret committees’ of industry veterans, executives, and artists who determine the nominees in certain, but not all, categories,” explains Variety.
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These same committees were also cited in a massive legal complaint by Deborah Dugan, who was fired from the top position of CEO at the Recording Academy just 10 days before last year’s show.
The most widely believed theory behind the snub remains that there may have been contention between The Weeknd’s team and the Grammys, who reportedly were at odds over him performing at the Grammy ceremony as well as the Super Bowl halftime show.
