Grammys 2025: The Weeknd ends Grammy Awards boycott with surprise performance
In quite an unexpected turn, The Weeknd ended his major boycott of the Grammys with a surprise performance that included a track from his newly released album, Hurry Up Tomorrow.
Initially, the singer lashed out against the organisation after a snub in 2021 when he vowed that he would never submit his newly released projects for the committee’s judgement in the future. He claimed that the Grammys “remain corrupt” and that they “owe me, my fans and the industry transparency”.
At the time, Recording Academy Chair Harvey Mason Jr acknowledged The Weeknd’s concerns and released a statement promising internal re-evaluations of the nomination process.
Mason wrote: “We’re all disappointed when anyone is upset. But I will say that we are constantly evolving. And this year, as in past years, we are going to take a hard look at how to improve our awards process, including the nomination review committee.”
In this year’s edition of the Grammys, Mason delivered a speech in which he referenced the initial boycott and highlighted the ways in which he has followed up on his promise to seriously work on the criticisms that were levied against the committee by The Weeknd.
The Weeknd took to the stage with a rendition of ‘Cry For Me’ from Hurry Up Tomorrow, following it up with a performance of ‘Timeless’.
As he has been actively involved in donating and contributing to the recovery operations in the aftermath of the LA wildfires, his decision to end his boycott of the Grammys can also be seen as another step in that direction since the ceremony also included elements referencing the wildlife-relief efforts throughout the show.
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