How The Weeknd Reacted To His Grammys Snub
The Grammys announced their 2021 nominations on Nov. 24, 2020. The list featured some expected names, like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber (who called his Grammy nomination 'strange'), and Beyoncé. But The Weeknd, who released the record-breaking album After Hours in 2020, received zero nominations. It's honestly a bit fishy.
After Hours, according to BuzzFeed, literally "made history with the biggest streaming week ever for an R&B album." His single, "Blinding Lights," absolutely dominated and broke a record for the "longest-running Top Five single in Billboard's Hot 100 list." Sounds pretty amazing. With such an astounding year, it's that much more mystifying that The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, was snubbed by the Grammys.
However, it seems that the situation is a little more complicated than we thought. You see, The Weeknd is slated to perform the Super Bowl LV halftime show in February 2021, according to TMZ, and he thinks there's some shady exclusion on the part of the Grammys because of his scheduled performance. Here's the scoop.
The Weeknd called the Grammys 'corrupt'
The Weeknd was snubbed by the Grammys in their 2021 nomination list, but TMZ speculates that there's more to the story. He's slated to perform the halftime show at Super Bowl LV in February 2021, according to BuzzFeed, only one week apart from the Grammys. According to the outlet, sources close to The Weeknd's team said that the Grammys gave the musician an ultimatum: If he chose the Super Bowl, he would not be nominated by the Grammys. One possible reason for this rigidness on the part of the Grammys? TMZ believes that the fear that his performances at both events will be too similar — which concerns CBS, too, as the network will air both events — put the organization in an awkward position.
But The Weeknd is getting vocal about it. He jumped on Twitter on Nov. 24, 2020 and wrote: "The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency..." Fans jumped behind him with support, expressing their confusion. One person wrote: "It makes no sense. You are the artist of the year by every definition and criteria. Critical and commercial. One of the most successful songs and albums of ever, inspired countless artists today with your sound." Whatever the backstory, it's clear The Weeknd is not quietly accepting this snub.