The Weeknd's Super Bowl Halftime Show Might Have Cost Him Grammy Nominations
The Weeknd's Grammys snub could have to do with him performing at the Super Bowl. According to [...]
The Weeknd's Grammys snub could have to do with him performing at the Super Bowl. According to TMZ, the 30-year-old singer and his team were in talks for weeks to perform at the Grammy Awards but were given an ultimatum — us or Super Bowl LV. Both sides eventually agreed that The Weeknd can do both, but that move might have hurt him when it comes to Grammy wins. TMZ also reports that performing at this year's Super Bowl could have cost him Grammy nominations because of the testy negotiations.
It's unknown why performing at the Super Bowl would cost The Weeknd Grammy awards, but TMZ points out that the Super Bowl and the Grammy Awards are being aired on CBS one week apart in February. The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, released his latest album, After Hours, in March, and it has been a huge hit winning an American Music Award for Favorite Album - Soul R&B. The Weeknd recently took aim at the Grammys for being "corrupt."
The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency...
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) November 25, 2020
Collaboratively planning a performance for weeks to not being invited? In my opinion zero nominations = you’re not invited!
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) November 25, 2020
Earlier this month, the NFL announced The Weeknd would perform at the halftime show at Super Bowl LV, which will be held at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. "We all grow up watching the world's biggest acts playing the Super Bowl and one can only dream of being in that position. I'm humbled, honored and ecstatic to be the center of that infamous stage this year," The Weeknd said in a statement. The show will be produced by Roc Nation, and company founder Jay-Z revealed why The Weekend was the right choice.
"The Weeknd has introduced a sound all his own. His soulful uniqueness has defined a new generation of greatness in music and artistry," Jay-Z stated. "This is an extraordinary moment in time and the Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show is going to be an extraordinary experience with an extraordinary performer."
The Weeknd first gained attention with his first album, Kiss Land which had six singles including "Wanderlust" and the title track. He went on to have multiple No. 1 hits and has earned 10 Grammy nominations since 2014 while winning three.