Halsey slams Grammys after snub and alleges nominations are more about ‘bribes’ than music
She also took issue with The Weeknd being left off the list of contenders
When the Recording Academy revealed the list of nominees for the upcoming Grammy Awards last week there were a few folks who believed they were snubbed. Halsey and The Weeknd made it clear that they aren’t too happy about their lack of nominations and separately accused the Grammys of foul play.
The Weeknd didn’t receive any nominations for his latest project, After Hours, and he took to social media to share his frustration after some reports suggested the snub was a result of “prolonged and contentious” talks about his upcoming Super Bowl halftime show performance.
“The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…,” he posted.
It wasn’t long before Halsey followed suit in a lengthy Instagram Story post that accused the Grammys of some shady practices.
“I’ve been thinking and wanted to choose my words carefully because a lot of people have extended sympathy and apology to me since the Grammy nominations,” she wrote. “The Grammys are an elusive process. It can often be about behind-the-scenes private performances, knowing the right people, campaigning through the grapevine, with the right handshakes and ‘bribes’ that can be just ambiguous enough to pass as ‘not-bribes.’ And if you get that far, it’s about committing to exclusive TV performances and making sure you help the Academy make their millions in advertising on the night of the show.”
Read More: HAIR HATE: Halsey slams critics who called her natural hair a wig
Halsey’s latest album Manic was left off the list of contenders and she posits that may have more to do with politics than music.
“Perhaps sometimes it is (!!) but it’s not always about the music or quality or culture,” she wrote. “Just wanted to get that off my chest. @theweeknd deserves better, and Manic did too. Perhaps it’s unbecoming of me to say so but I don’t care anymore. While I am THRILLED for my talented friends who were recognized this year, I am hoping for more transparency or reform. But I’m sure this post will blacklist me anyway.”
Read More: The Weeknd to perform 2021 Super Bowl halftime show: ‘I’m humbled’
The Grammys’ interim president and CEO Harvey Mason Jr. spoke to Variety about the Weeknd’s alleged snub.
“Y’know, it really just comes down to the voting body that decides,” he said. “It’s really interesting, though.”
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