Even though we all like to pretend that 2021 is a fresh start and that the perils of 2020 are behind us, it’s time to accept the grim reality that our lives are still dictated by the pandemic. Case in point: The 2021 Grammys has been postponed.
The Grammys, which are traditionally held this month, have unsurprisingly been postponed thanks to the giant COVID-shaped elephant in the room. They are now scheduled for March 14th, 2021.
A joint statement from Recording Academy, CBS and show producers reads: “The deteriorating COVID situation in Los Angeles, with hospital services being overwhelmed, ICUs having reached capacity, and new guidance from state and local governments have all led us to conclude that postponing our show was the right thing to do.”
“Nothing is more important than the health and safety of those in our music community and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly on producing the show.”
The official statement was signed by Harvey Mason, Jr. who is the chair and interim president and CEO of the Recording Academy as well as Jack Sussman, executive vice president of specials, music, live events, and alternative programming for CBS and Grammy Awards executive producer Ben Winston.
The statement continued, “We want to thank all of the talented artists, the staff, our vendors and especially this year’s nominees for their understanding, patience and willingness to work with us as we navigate these unprecedented times.”
The new date actually conflicts with the screen actor’s guild awards. The actors union has said that they are “extremely disappointed” by the overlap.
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“We announced the same date for the SAG Awards last July with the intent to give the greatest possible scheduling consideration for other awards shows,” they said in a statement. “We expect the same consideration from sister organizations throughout the industry.”
Rolling Stone recently broke the news that the Grammys ceremony intended to go ahead, just with no audience or nominated artists, and would feature only the hosts and performing artists. However, now that is off the books and the awards will be pushed back to March, if not later.
Los Angeles has been hit very hard by coronavirus, and it is now a leading hotspot in the pandemic. Yesterday the city hit a new one-day record with 74,000 new diagnosed cases in a single day.
