Grammys Postponed Over COVID-19 Concerns
The Grammys won’t be handed out this month.
The 63rd annual ceremony, originally scheduled for Jan. 31 at L.A.’s Staples Center, has been postponed due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19, reports Rolling Stone. A new date has not been confirmed, but organizers are aiming to hold the award show sometime in March.
The Recording Academy has yet to issue an official statement. Just yesterday, the Grammys Twitter account was still promoting the Jan. 31 date.
When are the 63rd #GRAMMYs airing on @CBS / @CBSAllAccess?
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) January 4, 2021
The Grammys had already planned to alter the show in the wake of the pandemic, including no audience and only allowing presenters and performers on-site during the ceremony. Nominated artists wouldn’t have been allowed to appear in-person, much like the 2020 Emmys where nominees appeared remotely.
Beyoncé leads the 2021 Grammy nominations with nine nods, while Roddy Ricch, Taylor Swift, and Dua Lipa follow with six each.
COVID-19 cases continue to surge in California following the holiday season. The state posted a new single-day record of 74,000 coronavirus cases on Monday (Jan. 4), according to the Los Angeles Times.
UPDATE: It’s official. The 2021 Grammy Awards have been rescheduled and will now be held on Sunday, March 14, according to a joint statement from the Recording Academy, CBS, and show producers.
“The deteriorating COVID situation in Los Angeles, with hospital services being overwhelmed, ICUs having reached capacity, and new guidance from state and local governments have all led us to conclude that postponing our show was the right thing to do,” the statement said. “Nothing is more important than the health and safety of those in our music community and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly on producing the show.”
The statement continued, “We want to thank all of the talented artists, the staff, our vendors and especially this year’s nominees for their understanding, patience and willingness to work with us as we navigate these unprecedented times.”
After thoughtful conversations with health experts, our host and artists scheduled to appear, we are rescheduling the 63rd #GRAMMYs to be broadcast Sunday, March 14, 2021.
More details: https://t.co/JyrHZ7JpQi pic.twitter.com/MoZLLoEEgx
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) January 5, 2021