Very few of you paid attention to this – and a couple of you were begging for the coverage, so WTF – but the Grammys are a hotbed of controversy and shenanigans. It would be notable at any time, but this has all come together in basically the week preceding the Grammys, which are tonight. The ousted Recording Academy president and CEO Deborah Dugan made “explosive” claims about the Recording Academy. Claims of sexual harassment and the deeply unfair Grammy nomination process, not to mention a claim of rape against the former president Neil Portnow. Dugan has aired her concerns and claims publicly in a TV interview, and it’s been the talk of the music industry for days.
So how will it affect the Grammys tonight? The show must go on, of course, but at least one major musical talent is taking her leave: Taylor Swift was loosely scheduled to make a “surprise performance” but now she’s not going to do it:
Taylor Swift has bowed out of a possible performance on the Grammy Awards program Sunday night just as stealthily as it appeared she might have bowed into it, multiple sources tell Variety.
Her possible appearance on the show had been kept a secret — albeit not an extremely well-kept secret — so her exit won’t create the problems that would have occurred if one of the many performers that had been announced were to have taken their leave.
Sources say that she was never formally confirmed for the show, though hopes were high that the show could nail down an appearance that was well along in talks.
Rehearsal schedules for the taping at Staples Center had included one “TBA” artist that was believed to have been reserved for Swift, possibly performing her most recent album’s feminist anthem, “The Man” … which could have taken on extra meaning, given the charges of sexism swirling around the Recording Academy.
Taylor was also supposed to attend, in general, because she’s nominated in three Grammy categories, including Song of the Year. But Lover didn’t get nominated for Album of the Year or Record of the Year, the two big ones. (Neither did Reputation a few years ago.) One of Dugan’s complaints was that the committee overseeing those nominations decided to ignore artists like Swift in favor of “more curious choices.”
Variety broke the story, but they noted that they didn’t have confirmation that Swift pulled out of the Grammys because of Dugan’s claims exactly. Page Six had more information from an unnamed source though – the source said that Swift was planning on performing “The Man,” and “Obviously, that would [have been] extremely pointed.” The source also insinuated that Swift did pull out because of Dugan’s interview, and the source said: “Here’s why I think the ceremony will be troubled — a lot of the artists will feel cheapened if there are voting irregularities around Song of the Year.” I mean… there are always “voting irregularities.” Not to be Debbie Downer, but the Grammys are f–king awful and they never represent what’s really happening in music. They are ALWAYS shady. They always give big awards to “surprise” (white) people. The Grammys suck. Anyway, I’m glad Taylor is taking a principled stance here, I think, if that’s what she’s doing.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
“One of Dugan’s complaints was that the committee overseeing those nominations decided to ignore artists like Swift in favor of “more curious choices.” – I know they’re doing it for hype and attracting more new viewers and young people, but it’s kinda like positive discrimination, honestly. I’d better see Billie getting noms than Taylor for seventh album, especially not that good. Yeah all awards aren’t objective, everyone can’t get noms, but at least it’s someone new and fresh.
Lover is actually a pretty good album-albeit a little long. She just releases the absolute worst songs as her singles-excluding the title track. She did that for Reputation too. Me, You Need to Calm Down, Look What You Made Me Do, Endgame, Shake it Off- all really awful compared to the rest of the songs on her albums.
Well I found Lover long, bland and boring. Reputation at least tried to have different motives in different songs, here I can’t tell what song is about until lyrics starts, Taylor took her “sonically cohesive” to the next level, lol.
tbh I think ‘Lover’ is a TERRIBLE track – so boring, no rhythm, a wannabe discount version of Mazzy Star’s ‘Fade Into You’ . there are other songs that are better, tho I actually think Lover is a weak album & Reputation in comparison was stronger. . I agree with the poster above TS often chooses the absolute worst tracks for singles& it’s bizarre. I really liked the tracks that weren’t promoted on Reputation (So It Goes, Getaway Car, etc)
also, I’ve never watched the Grammys in my life…who does??? Seriously. I get watching the red carpet but the actual ceremony? When I was younger I used to watch the oscars, not anymore. But yea, it never was that way with the Grammys.
Also…Billie Eilish got some payola going on bts fyi…
I agree, I love a few songs on Lover, but it’s not album-of-the-year worthy by any means.
I see the swoopy bang thing is back. I
Thought she had moved on from that.
It’s so bizarre. I dislike it intensely.
Me, too. Hate that bang.
I doubt she was supposed to perform. If it was part of an ensemble then I could see no announcement but award shows usually announce individual performances.
I haven’t watched the Grammys in years. It’s nothing but a bunch of people posturing. At the same rate some true talent never gets a chance to step foot on the stage for anything because they are not the “flavor of the moment”.
Same, I couldn’t tell you the last time I watched.
Oh I’m sitting with y’all. Haven’t watched any of the awards shows in years and years and years. In fact, I can’t remember last time I sat through, “I’d like to thank all the gods (the old and the new), my family (kids…thank you, for what I’m not sure), my agent and all the plebs who put it together and worked a million times harder.
So do we like Taylor now that she’s being a tad bit more “woke” and “authetic”? I guess what I’m asking is is this believable or just another tactic of Taylor. She always falls on the bandwagon to maintain her dominance.
This. She wouldn’t have pulled out if her album was nominated for AOTY. She was probably already planning on skipping because she was annoyed she was shut out in big categories like her last album, and now she gets to use this incredibly useful excuse to get credit?
I’ve said it here before but this girl has been sucking up to the Grammy’s for a decade, and been rewarded generously for it. She is not the victim of the sexist, racist direction this show has been going for decades now.
I agree that Lover is a good album. Ariana will win album of the year though right? It feels like this is her only chance and that album was unique and enjoyable. I have no idea what they mean by curious choices?
It would be awesome if she issued a statement why she pulled out …
I’ve been following the Grammy drama from afar. It’s mildly interesting but the Grammys are already such racist, sexist crap that I’m not surprised by anything that comes out of there.
I have a hard time getting into stories about sexual harassment and violence against women because it’s too much like what I went through and brings up the feelings again, but major, major props to Dugan for coming forward. The Grammys have been awful fora long time. And sounds like a nightmare behind the scenes as well.
Her mother has brain cancer. Im sure that adds to it.
I didn’t know that.
Yes, her mom has a brain tumor. They found it while she was going thru chemo…
Certainly hasn’t slowed down the loathing she inspires on celebitchy & beyond….if her mom passes, ppl will just go ‘Ugh ofc she’s gonna milk this!’
I think Swift has her hypocrisies & the bearding charades are way too much but I’ll never understand how people think she is this mastermind where anything being genuine at any time is *not possible!*
To those people: f-ck you in a big way. nobody likes you IRL, but they know better than to ever let you know.
@Carrie This is so incredibly aggressive just because people may not believe that Taylor is genuine. Which, rightly so. If people say stuff like you said if her mom does (which god forbid), then yeah, they’re sh*tyy. But I really feel like this may be too personal for you? No one really knows her motives, genuine or not.
Ah, yeah. Don’t care won’t watch.
The Academy has always been this way and literally everyone knew. And she didn’t pulled out when she was the one getting nominated and winning left and right when more deserving black artists (KENDRICK LAMAR) kept being snubbed. But I digress.
I would think it was Taylor and similar artist who are always getting/winning, she’s still being painted as the under dog here. I’m glad the corrupt business is finally making its way to the general public, though.
If this is her statement about Grammys then she’s being consistent regardless of her previous wins. I can support that.
Her mom was getting chemo recently and they discovered that she now has a brain tumour, so that could be a factor as well.
I’ve always been skeptical about Taylor Swift’s general motivations, and *some* of her newfound political awareness is, I think, not the most genuine. But I think in this case she’s acting in good faith. I think when she was younger the Grammys were super important to her as proof of her success, and she’s always been super ambitious, a quality women are typically punished for. But now she’s the most powerful woman in music. They need her more than she needs them. And she was assaulted by that radio DJ so I feel like she would take accusations of sexual violence within this organization seriously. It would be great if she stopped submitting her stuff for consideration like Frank Ocean and other people have done, but I don’t think she will.