According to the man running it, the Grammys has made some improvements.
Harvey Mason Jr., chief executive officer of the Recording Academy and MusiCares, took to the stage Sunday night to address what had been a bumpy road for the award show.
One of those critics was acclaimed singer The Weeknd. Mason said he remembered “waking up to the headlines that the Weeknd called out the Academy for lack of transparency in our awards” adding that the Canadian R&B and pop star “went so far as to announce he was boycotting the Grammys.”
Since then, Mason said, the Academy has made some changes and “remade our membership, adding more than 3,000 women voting members.”
And as proof that times are changing, he welcomed The Weeknd back to the Grammys stage Sunday night.
The Weeknd performed two songs from his new album “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” including “Cry For Me” and “Timeless,” the latter featuring an appearance by rapper Playboi Carti.
It was the first time the singer returned to the Grammys stage since 2021, when he accused the Recording Academy, the group behind the Grammys, for being “corrupt” on his X page after he was shut out of earning any nominations that year for his acclaimed album “After Hours”.
The Weeknd’s return was certainly a statement, with the audience rising to their feet to watch him sing his newest songs from atop a large platform. Smoke billowed from the stage through laser lights throughout the four-time Grammy-winner’s performance.
“Hurry Up Tomorrow” was released on Friday.
