The Weeknd Still Boycotting Grammys After Rule Change
The Weeknd will continue to boycott the Grammys.
Last week, the Recording Academy announced that it would eliminate the “secret” nominations review committees. Now the “Blinding Lights” singer has responded to the rule change. In a statement to Variety, he called the decision an “important start,” while doubling down on his previous comments.
“The trust has been broken for so long between the Grammy organization and artists that it would be unwise to raise a victory flag,” he said. “I think the industry and public alike need to see the transparent system truly at play for the win to be celebrated, but it’s an important start.”
However, The Weeknd will still withhold his music from consideration in the future. “I remain uninterested in being a part of the Grammys, especially with their own admission of corruption for all these decades. I will not be submitting in the future.”
His manager, Wassim “Sal” Slaiby, added, “No change comes without a voice heard. I’m just proud of Abel for standing up for what he believes in. I was in a shock when all this happened but now I see it clearly, and I’m glad we stood for our beliefs.”
In November, The Weeknd blasted the Grammys after being shut out of the 2021 nominations despite the success of his latest album, After Hours.
“The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…” he tweeted, while vowing to boycott the awards. “Because of the secret committees, I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys,” he told The New York Times.
The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) November 25, 2020
The “secret” committees have faced growing criticism in recent years. These anonymous expert committees were put in place to review the initial nomination choices from voting members and ultimately decide who makes the cut in 61 of the Grammys’ 84 categories.
“It’s been a year of unprecedented, transformational change for the Recording Academy, and I’m immensely proud to be able to continue our journey of growth with these latest updates to our awards process,” Harvey Mason Jr., the Academy’s interim president and CEO, said after the decision. “This is a new Academy, one that is driven to action and that has doubled down on the commitment to meeting the needs of the music community.”