The Grammys boss Harvey Mason Jr has asked artists and the music industry to “work with us, not against us” amid boycotts and criticisms.
The Weeknd has said he will not let his label submit his music for consideration at the Grammys again after he was snubbed in this year’s nominations.
Zayn Malik has also spoken out against the awards show, initially suggesting last week that the Recording Academy only nominated those who “shake hands and send gifts”. Ahead of the main ceremony tonight (March 14), he shared more thoughts on the Grammys on his Twitter page.
“@recordingacad are moving in inches and we need to move in miles,” he tweeted. “I’m keeping the pressure on & fighting for transparency & inclusion. We need to make sure we are honoring and celebrating “creative excellence” of ALL. End the secret committees. Until then … #fuckthegrammys.”
Towards the end of tonight’s ceremony, a video message from Mason Jr was played, in which he promised: “We’re listening like never before.”
“We hear the cries for diversity, the pleas for representation and the demands for transparency,” he said. “I first joined the Academy 20 years ago so I could vote for myself, but what I quickly found – what led me to become a trustee and now chair of the board – was that the Recording Academy is about so much more than an award, more than an individual artist or even who’s chair.”
He continued: “Tonight I’m here to ask the entire music community to join in – work with us, not against us – as we build a new Recording Academy that we can all be proud of. One that will continue to do the work and serve everyone in the industry. Now we might not get it right 100 percent of the time and we certainly won’t be able to make everyone happy, but we will provide support in times of need.
“We will preserve music and educate the next generation. We will advocate for the rights of all creators to make sure they can continue to earn a fair living making music. And we will stand up for what’s right and fight for greater diversity and more equal representation. This is not a vision for tomorrow, but the job for today. Our work is important because music is important.”
Watch the video above now.
The Grammys 2021 saw the likes of Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa and more take home awards. You can catch up with all of the winners here.
The post Grammys boss asks artists to “ work with us, not against us” after boycott drama appeared first on NME.
