The Weeknd Makes Surprise Grammys Performance After Past Boycott

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At the 2025 Grammy Awards, The Weeknd unexpectedly took the stage for a performance, despite announcing three years earlier that he would avoid the event due to being overlooked in the 2021 ceremony.

Harvey Mason jr., CEO of The Recording Academy, began the performance by acknowledging past criticism, specifically from artist Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd. In 2021, The Weeknd voiced his displeasure towards the Recording Academy after his album “After Hours” and its hit single “Blinding Lights” were overlooked in the Album of the Year and Record of the Year categories respectively. Notably, “After Hours” topped the Billboard 200 chart for over three weeks, while “Blinding Lights” held its position as a top single.

At that point, he tweeted, ‘The Grammys are still tainted. I owe you, my supporters, and the industry honesty and openness.’

The situation grew more intense when The Weeknd announced on social media that he had been preparing his Grammy performance for several weeks, only to find out later that he had received no nominations. Essentially, he expressed his view that zero nominations meant he wasn’t invited: “Collaboratively planning a performance for weeks and not being invited? In my opinion, zero nominations equal you’re not invited!” This was The Weeknd’s tweet.

During the Grammys last Sunday, Mason Jr. shared that when he joined the team in 2020, his goal was to revamp and modernize the organization to better serve the diverse and ever-evolving global music community. However, he admitted that his initial days were not without complications.

The Academy encountered significant criticism from various music industry figures, with several artists openly expressing their displeasure. I recall waking up to news headlines about the Weeknd criticizing the Academy for a perceived lack of transparency in their awards. He even declared that he would not participate in the Grammys, making for an intriguing breakfast read.

Mason jr. went on to say of The Weeknd, “Criticism is OK. I heard him. I felt his conviction.”

Afterward, the head of The Recording Academy clarified their commitment to supporting the health and success of all musicians, aiming to represent and mirror the current and upcoming music industry as a whole.

Over the last few gaming years, I’ve listened, adapted, and evolved,” I might say. I’m proud to share that our gaming community, similar to the Recording Academy, has established groups like the ‘Gamers of Color Collective’, ‘Women in Gaming’, and ‘LGBTQ+ Gamers’. We’ve also welcomed over 3,000 new women members into our voting ranks, making our community “younger” and “approximately 40% diverse gamers.” Furthermore, about 66% of our new members are fresh recruits.

He went on to say, “There’s more to accomplish, but I am confident we’re heading in the correct direction.” Tonight, music has demonstrated its immense power for good – it soothes, it connects, and our city needs that at this moment. With this thought in mind, on an exceptionally memorable night, what could be a more fitting way to unite us than inviting the next artist onto the stage?

Next, Mason Jr. shared the exciting news that The Weeknd would be coming back on stage for a performance, noting that he had witnessed the hard work the Academy had been putting in. Later, The Weeknd teamed up with Playboi Carti to perform their song “Timeless.

The show takes place as the singer has just launched his latest studio album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” through XO / Republic Records. This album marks the conclusion of his trilogy series, following “After Hours” (2020) and “Dawn FM” (2022). Starting May 9 in Phoenix, the artist will embark on a stadium tour across North America.

This year’s 67th Grammy Awards were broadcast live on Sunday, straight from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Don’t miss the stunning fashion on the red carpet!

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2025-02-03 06:54