Beyoncé Will Not Make a Surprise Appearance at 2021 Grammys, Recording Academy Exec Confirms
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Kevin Mazur/Getty Beyoncé
Beyoncé won't be making an appearance at the Grammys this year.
Despite leading the pack in nominations this year, earning a total of nine, the singer was not included in the list of performers scheduled to take the stage on Sunday.
Speaking with The Los Angeles Times, Recording Academy interim chief executive Harvey Mason Jr. shut down rumors that the 24-time Grammy winner would be making a surprise appearance.
"It's unfortunate, because she's such a big part of the Recording Academy," Mason told the outlet in a story published on Saturday. "We absolutely wish we had her onstage."
In recent years, the awards show has received criticism from a number of stars, some of whom have chosen to skip out on music's biggest night entirely.
Although Beyoncé and husband JAY-Z attended the annual Roc Nation Brunch ahead of the 2019 Grammys, they made it clear on their song 2018 single "Apesh-t" that they would not be attending the show.
"Tell the Grammys f— that 0-for-8 s—/ Have you ever seen the crowd goin' apes—?" JAY Z raps on the track, a nod to being nominated eight times for his 4:44 album in 2018 and not winning in a single category.
JAY Z previously boycotted attending the ceremony for six years before attending the 2018 ceremony to support his wife.
Michele Crowe/CBS via Getty JAY-Z, Blue Ivy Carter, Beyoncé
In 2019, Kendrick Lamar, the most-nominated artist of the year, also declined to perform, as did Childish Gambino and Drake.
"We continue to have a problem in the hip-hop world," show producer Ken Ehrlich admitted to The New York Times at the time.
The Weeknd also revealed this year that he will boycott the awards show in the future, after his latest album and its hit single "Blinding Lights" were snubbed from nominations.
"I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys," Tesfaye, 31, told The New York Times earlier this month.
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The statement came months after the singer accused the Recording Academy of corruption.
After the list of nominees was revealed last year, Tesfaye broke his silence to criticize the awards show. "The Grammys remain corrupt," he wrote then. "You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency..."
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Following Tesfaye's latest statement, Recording Academy interim chief executive Mason Jr. said "we're all disappointed when anyone is upset," but stated 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 committees," Mason explained.
After the previous backlash by the likes of Drake and Frank Ocean, the Academy has made efforts to diversify its membership and even hired a diversity officer and brought more women and people of color into its leadership, The Times reported this month.
The Grammy Awards will air Sunday at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS Television Network and Paramount+.
